The Five Non-Negotiables

These five items are not optional. If any roofer on your list is missing any of them, cross them off. Pull this list out on every estimate visit.

Time to use: 20 minutes per roofer, mostly online

1. NC general contractor license, if the job is $30,000 or more

North Carolina requires a GC license for any project at or above $30,000. Most replacements clear this number.
Verify at nclbgc.org. Search by company name. The license must be active and unsuspended.
A roofer without a GC license cannot legally do a $30k+ replacement. Period.

2. General liability insurance + workers comp

Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) showing both. Email is fine.
General liability: $1M minimum. Confirms they will pay if a ladder goes through your living room window.
Workers comp: required by NC for any company with 3+ employees. Without it, if a worker falls on your property, your homeowner's insurance is on the hook.
Call the insurance broker on the COI to confirm it is current. Roofers sometimes give old COIs.

3. Manufacturer certification

GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, or CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster.
These are not marketing badges. They unlock the full manufacturer warranty (Golden Pledge, Platinum, etc.) that only certified roofers can install under.
Verify on the manufacturer's site, not the roofer's. GAF's "Find a Master Elite Contractor" tool is the source of truth.

4. Local reviews, with photos and details

Google reviews of 4.7+ across 50+ reviews. Single-digit-review companies cannot be evaluated.
Read the 3-star reviews. Those are the most honest. Skip the 5-stars and 1-stars.
Look for replies from the company. Engaged owners reply within a week, professionally.
Cross-check on the Better Business Bureau. An A+ rating with one or two resolved complaints is fine. Unresolved or unanswered complaints are a problem.

5. Two real references on the phone

Ask for two recent customers. Last 90 days. Same city if possible.
Call them. Ask the questions on the Reference Check Script.
A roofer who hesitates to give two references is telling you something. Cross them off.

These five take about an hour to verify across three roofers. That hour is the most valuable hour you will spend on this project. Skip it and you are guessing.