Check a roofer
How to file a complaint against a Florida roofer
Updated 2026-09-16. Facts checked against official sources on that date.
Short answer
File a complaint about a licensed roofer with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), online or by mail, with your contract, payments and photos. Report an unlicensed roofer to DBPR's unlicensed activity unit. DBPR can discipline a license. It can't get your money back.
What a complaint can and can't do
DBPR's discipline is administrative: reprimands, fines, probation, suspending or revoking a license and similar steps. It can't act as your lawyer to recover the money you paid or any damages, and for that the state points you to a private attorney.[1]
DBPR also says some issues may fall outside its authority, such as disagreements over contract terms, some price disputes and some workmanship problems.[1]
Complaining about a licensed roofer
Gather your documents
Pull together the contract, invoices, proof of payment, ads, letters or emails, the building permit and any liens, because DBPR won't start an investigation until it has the documents that matter.
File online or by mail
Use DBPR's construction complaint form. It asks roofing questions, such as whether the roof leaks and who pulled the permit.
Answer follow-up requests
If DBPR asks for more documents and doesn't get them within 30 days, it may close the file.
If DBPR investigates, the contractor gets a copy of your complaint, though complaints against licensees stay confidential until 10 days after probable cause is found. How long will it take? DBPR doesn't give a timeline, because investigations vary.[2]
If your roofer holds a locally registered license, the city or county can also discipline them, with steps that include restitution, a fine of up to $5,000 and suspending or revoking the local license.[8]
What you send is generally public
DBPR says communications it receives are public record unless a law exempts them. Stick to facts, and keep copies of everything you send.[1]
Reporting an unlicensed roofer
You can report unlicensed activity to DBPR by email at ULA@MyFloridaLicense.com, by calling the Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1-866-532-1440, online or through the DBPR mobile app. DBPR says these reports can be anonymous, and that you shouldn't wait until you have every document before you make one.[4][3]
Contracting without a license is a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida. A repeat offense is a third-degree felony, and so is doing it during a state of emergency declared by the Governor. DBPR can also issue a stop-work order.[6]
And an unlicensed contractor can't enforce its contract with you or claim lien rights for the work.[7]
The Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund
The fund is a last resort for homeowners harmed by certain violations by a licensed contractor, after other legal remedies are used up. It isn't a quick refund.[5]
- You must own and live in the home: a single-family house, a condo or co-op unit or a building of up to two units.
- You first need a final court judgment, an arbitration award or a board restitution order, and you must have tried to collect on it.
- The claim must be made within 1 year after that action ends.
- The fund doesn't pay if the contractor was unlicensed when the contract was signed.
- It doesn't pay interest, attorney fees or court costs. It doesn't pay medical or punitive damages either.
Payment limits depend on the contract date and the contractor type, and they're set in s. 489.143. To confirm what applies to your claim, contact the Recovery Fund office at 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2215, or call 850-921-6593.[11][5]
Keep it accurate
The complaint form warns that knowingly making a false written statement to mislead a public servant is a crime in Florida. So describe what happened, attach proof and leave out anything you're guessing at.[1]
Every roofer in this directory shows its license
Each listing carries the license number, type and status from the state record, with the date we checked.
Find roofers by countyQuestions
Can DBPR get my money back from a roofer?
No. DBPR can discipline a contractor's license, but it can't represent you to recover money, and it suggests a private attorney instead. The Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund is a separate last resort with strict conditions.
How do I report an unlicensed roofer in Florida?
Email ULA@MyFloridaLicense.com, call DBPR's Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1-866-532-1440, file online or use the DBPR mobile app. DBPR says these reports can be anonymous.
Will the roofer see my complaint?
Yes, if DBPR investigates a licensed contractor, the contractor gets a copy of the complaint, which stays confidential from the public until 10 days after probable cause is found.
How long does a DBPR complaint take?
DBPR says it can't give a completion time, because investigations differ in complexity. Answer any request for documents within 30 days, or the file may be closed.
Sources
- [1] Florida DBPR: File a complaint, checked 2026-09-16
- [2] Florida DBPR: Construction-related complaint package (DBPR CILB 4355, PDF), checked 2026-09-16
- [3] Florida DBPR: Unlicensed Activity construction toolkit (PDF), checked 2026-09-16
- [4] Florida DBPR: Hire a state-licensed contractor (brochure, PDF), checked 2026-09-16
- [5] Florida DBPR: Construction Industry Recovery Fund, checked 2026-09-16
- [6] Florida Statutes s. 489.127: Prohibitions; penalties, checked 2026-09-16
- [7] Florida Statutes s. 489.128: Contracts entered into by unlicensed contractors unenforceable, checked 2026-09-16
- [8] Florida Statutes s. 489.131: Applicability (local discipline), checked 2026-09-16
- [9] Florida Statutes s. 489.1402: Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund; definitions, checked 2026-09-16
- [10] Florida Statutes s. 489.141: Conditions for recovery; eligibility, checked 2026-09-16
- [11] Florida Statutes s. 489.143: Payment from the fund, checked 2026-09-16
General information, not legal advice. Laws and records change; confirm with the agency before you act.