Georgia Roofing Rules: What Homeowners Should Know
Georgia handles roofing differently from many states. This page sums up the rules that matter when you replace a roof in Tucker, GA: who may do the work, what happens to your contract if an insurer turns down a claim, how permits work in Tucker and nearby cities, and which offers to refuse.
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This is a summary of public law, not legal advice.
- No state roofing license. Georgia treats roofing as a specialty trade, so most checks on a roofer happen locally.
- Five business days after a denial. On a roof contract meant to be paid by insurance, you can cancel within five business days of a written claim denial, with no payment due in that window.
- The claim stays yours. Roofers can't negotiate your roof claim for you.
- Your deductible is yours to pay. Georgia's Attorney General warns that roofers aren't allowed to pay your deductible.
- Tucker requires a permit. A re-roof inside city limits needs one, with two inspections.
- No state roof grant. No Georgia grant or insurance discount applies to an ordinary re-roof, so doubt anyone who promises one.
Who Can Legally Roof in Georgia
Georgia's Secretary of State classes roofing (shingles and shakes, sheet-metal roofing and flat roofing) as a traditional specialty trade. Specialty contractors don't need the state's residential or general contractor license, though they must still follow state and local building codes. So there's no state roofing card to ask for, and no state number to look up for a company that only does roofs.
A job that reaches past the roof, such as structural repairs or an addition, may call for a Georgia residential or general contractor license, so ask early. Contractors who hold one can be confirmed on the Secretary of State's online licensee search. With the state check this thin, ask every roofer for the following before you sign:
- A business license from the city or county where the company is based.
- Proof of insurance for liability and workers' compensation, ideally sent straight from the agent.
- A local address you could visit, not just a mobile number.
- A written, itemized contract with scope, materials, price, start date and payment terms.
- References from recent nearby jobs that you can actually call.
- Warranty paperwork from the shingle or metal maker, plus written workmanship terms.
- A permit plan: who pulls the permit and books each inspection.
Watch for Deductible Offers
Georgia's Attorney General warns that roofers aren't allowed to pay your deductible, and the same guidance notes that such an offer could leave the homeowner caught up in insurance fraud. The pitch wears several disguises:
- A "no cost to you" promise. Talk of a free roof once insurance pays.
- A rebate after the check clears. The roofer can't hand you cash back, a gift card or a credit once the insurer pays out.
- A padded price. An estimate inflated so the deductible quietly disappears into it.
- Pressure to sign today. A salesperson at the door who says the deal ends tonight.
This site works the other way around: roofers pay us for referrals, and homeowners never pay us or receive anything from us.
If the Insurer Says No
Georgia's residential roofing law covers one situation. You sign a written contract with a roofer, and the work is meant to be paid from a property insurance claim. If the insurer then tells you in writing that all or part of the claim isn't covered, you may cancel up to midnight on the fifth business day after you get that notice.
During that window, the roofer can't require any payment, except for emergency work you agreed to in writing. The roofer must also give you a written notice of this right, with a cancellation form, before you sign. Keep the insurer's letter, and cancel in writing so there's a dated record.
Sales made in your home fall under a separate rule. Under Georgia's home solicitation law, a buyer who agrees to a sale at home generally has three business days to back out.
As for the claim itself, Georgia law bars a roofer from representing you or bargaining over your roof claim, or advertising that service, without a public adjuster license. Even with one, a contractor may not adjust claims on homes it is working on. A roofer can still inspect, photograph and price the damage; settling with the insurer is up to you.
Your City's Requirements
The City of Tucker requires a permit to re-roof a house, and the permit holder calls for a sheathing inspection and a final roof inspection. The city also says insurance-paid work must meet current code, whatever caused the damage. Tucker Community Development is at 1975 Lakeside Pkwy, Suite 350A, (678) 597-9040, open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Georgia's statewide residential code moved to the 2024 International Residential Code, with Georgia amendments, on January 1, 2026. Permit fees aren't listed here; ask for that cost on your estimate. Here and in every city below, the roofer confirms and pulls any permit.
- Norcross, GA. The city's checklist calls for a permit for new roof covering or decking on homes, even minor roof-covering repairs. Community Development, 65 Lawrenceville St., 678-421-2027. Design standards in the Norcross Historic District limit roofing materials, so owners there check before choosing one.
- Stone Mountain, GA. "Re-roof" appears among the residential permit types on the City's application; City Hall, 875 Main St., 770-498-8984. Homes in the Stone Mountain Historic District go through the Historic Preservation Commission, whose guidelines want new roofing to match the historic material.
- Unincorporated Stone Mountain. DeKalb County Planning & Sustainability, 178 Sams St., Decatur, 404-371-2155.
- Lilburn, GA. The City says to call Business Services (340 Main St., 770-921-2210) first to see if a permit is needed. Unincorporated Lilburn addresses use Gwinnett County Building Services, 75 Langley Dr., Lawrenceville, 770.822.8000.
- Chamblee, GA. No residential re-roof rule is confirmed here; your roofer checks with the city first at the Planning and Development Department, 3518 Broad St., 770-986-5010.
- Duluth, GA. Also unconfirmed. Your roofer checks with Community Development & Engineering (3167 Main St., 770.476.1790) first.
Town pages for Norcross, Stone Mountain and Lilburn carry more local detail.
What Homeowners Ask About the Law
Does a roofer in Georgia need a state license?
No. Georgia has no state roofing license, because the Secretary of State treats roofing as a specialty trade. So your own checks matter more: a local business license, current liability and workers' comp certificates, references you can call and a written contract. If the job includes structural work or an addition, ask whether a residential contractor license is needed.
How long do I have to cancel a roof contract after my claim is denied?
When insurance money is meant to pay for the job, you have until midnight on the fifth business day after you receive the insurer's written denial. The roofer can't require payment in that time, apart from emergency work you approved in writing. Send your cancellation in writing and keep a copy for your records.
Can a roofer negotiate my insurance claim for me?
No, not in Georgia. A roofer can look over the roof, photograph what's wrong and write up what the fix would cost. Everything after that, from the paperwork to the final settlement, is between you and your insurance company. Be wary of any roofer who offers to take the claim off your hands.
Laws and Pages Cited
All pages below were read on 2026-10-04. The statutes come from unofficial online copies of the Georgia code and are paraphrased here, so check the official code before relying on a detail.
- O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.12 (insurance-paid roofing contracts). law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-10/chapter-1/article-15/part-2/section-10-1-393-12
- O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43.8 (contractors acting as public adjusters). codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-33-insurance/ga-code-sect-33-23-43-8/
- O.C.G.A. § 10-1-6 (home solicitation sales). law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2006/10/10-1-6.html
- Georgia Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, roofer storm-scam warning (January 23, 2017). consumered.georgia.gov/node/1781
- Georgia Secretary of State, traditional specialty contractors policy. sos.ga.gov/page/traditional-specialty-contractors-policy-statements
- Georgia Department of Community Affairs, codes in effect from January 1, 2026. dca.georgia.gov/announcement/2025-12-09/new-codes-jan-2026
- City of Tucker, residential re-roofing FAQ and Building & Permitting page. tuckerga.gov/intuckers/march-2017/builders-corner/ and tuckerga.gov/departments/community-dev/building/
- Nearby city permit pages: norcrossga.net, stonemountaincity.org, cityoflilburn.com, chambleega.com and duluthga.net.
Need the Rules Applied to Your Roof?
Rules make more sense with a real roof in front of you. Ask for a free inspection, and we'll connect you with one independent local roofer who works in Tucker and the nearby cities. They can walk you through the permit and the contract for your address. Or call (678) 555-0193.