Plain-language law for Dane County roofs

Wisconsin Roofing Rules: What Homeowners Should Know

State law and city permit rules shape every roof job on a house in Madison, Wisconsin, from who may pull the permit to what you can do when an insurer turns down a claim. This page sums up those rules for owners in Dane County, Wisconsin, and names the statute or official page behind each point.

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In Brief

Wisconsin doesn't license roofers, yet a Madison re-roof still runs through several state and city rules. Here they are at a glance.

The permit holder needs a state credential. Whoever pulls the permit on a one- or two-family home needs the Dwelling Contractor credential (Wis. Stat. s. 101.654), unless it's the resident owner.
Your deductible stays yours. A roofer may not promise to pay or rebate any of it (s. 100.65(2)).
A denied claim can undo the contract. After a full or partial denial, you can cancel until midnight of the third business day after the insurer's notice arrives (s. 100.65(5)).
Sales made at your door. Sign for more than $25 at home and you generally get three business days to cancel in writing.
Paper protects you. ATCP 110 often requires a written contract and lets you ask for lien waivers.
Madison wants a permit. Replacing roofing inside city limits needs a City of Madison building permit.

This is a summary of public law, not legal advice.

Verifying a Roofer

Wisconsin has no roofing license or roofing exam. Under Wis. Stat. s. 101.654 and DSPS rule SPS 305, a person may obtain a permit for a one- or two-family dwelling only with a Dwelling Contractor credential from the Department of Safety and Professional Services. A Dwelling Contractor Qualifier who finished the required training must back it. An owner who lives in the home, or will, is exempt.

Treat the credential as a permit and insurance requirement, not a grade on workmanship. It says nothing about how well a chimney gets flashed. Search the name at license.wi.gov, or call DSPS at (608) 266-2112.

ATCP 110, the state's home improvement rule, requires a written contract when you pay before the work is done or the contractor approached you at home. Also ask for:

Proof of insurance. A current certificate in the contract's company name.
An itemized written contract. Scope, materials, price, dates and the permits the job needs, all on paper.
Both warranties. The manufacturer's coverage on materials and the roofer's own labor warranty, each in writing.
Lien waivers. Ask for them as payments go out.
A local address and references. Somewhere to find the company later, and past customers to call.

A Prairie School style house with a low hipped roof and wide overhanging eaves in autumn

Why Deductible Deals Are Illegal

Wis. Stat. s. 100.65(2) bars a residential contractor from promising to pay or rebate all or part of a property insurance deductible as a reason to sign a roof contract. The ban reaches ads too, so a flyer offering to "cover your deductible" is already unlawful. Each violation carries fines. You pay your own deductible. This site never offers homeowners anything of value either.

The same statute keeps roofers out of the middle of your claim. Under s. 100.65(8), a roofer may discuss the damage with you or the insurer's representative, hand you an estimate, send that estimate to your insurance company and talk through repair options. It may not represent you or negotiate the claim. Public adjusters are a separate, state-regulated job (chapter 629). Red flags:

A deductible promise. "We'll take care of your deductible" or a rebate offer, in person or in an ad.
An offer to run your claim. Talk of representing you or negotiating with your insurer.
No cancellation form. An insurance-related contract handed over without the written notice and detachable form the law requires.

If the Insurer Says No

Before you sign an insurance-related roof contract, s. 100.65(3) requires the roofer to give you a written notice and a detachable cancellation form attached to the contract. If your insurer then denies the claim in whole or in part, you can cancel by delivering or mailing that form, or another written notice, to the roofer. The deadline is midnight of the third business day after you receive the insurer's notice. Signing day doesn't start the clock. Within 10 days of getting your cancellation, the roofer must return your payments and deposits (s. 100.65(6)).

Keep the detachable form with your copy of the contract.
Write down the date the insurer's denial notice reaches you.
Count three business days from that date, not calendar days.
Get your written notice to the roofer before midnight on the last one, then expect your money back within 10 days.

Sales made at your home follow a separate rule. Under Wis. Stat. ss. 423.201 to 423.205, if a seller signs you up for more than $25 at your house, away from its place of business, you generally have three business days to cancel, in writing.

Insurance Discounts for Stronger Roofs

No Wisconsin law requires an impact-rated roof. Class 4 impact-rated shingles and the FORTIFIED roof standard are options when the old roof comes off, and both usually cost more up front. Some insurers lower premiums for them and some don't, so call your agent before choosing a material and ask what paperwork it wants.

What the City May Require

City limits decide the permit office. Inside the City of Madison, the City says a building permit is required to replace roofing, while small repairs under $500 are exempt. Building Inspection is at 215 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Suite 017 (608-266-4551). Your roofer normally pulls the permit, and you can confirm it was issued online or by calling. The fee is based on project cost. Under ATCP 110, the contractor must name every needed permit before you sign.

Madison has five local historic districts: Mansion Hill, Third Lake Ridge, University Heights, Marquette Bungalows and First Settlement. The Madison Landmarks Commission reviews exterior changes there, so talk with the City's preservation staff at 608-266-6552 before changing your roofing material. Before work starts, ask your roofer about ice-and-water barrier at the eaves.

Each suburb runs its own permits, as does each nearby unincorporated town (the Towns of Madison, Middleton, Verona, Sun Prairie, Westport and Burke). A Sun Prairie or Middleton mailing address doesn't always mean city limits:

Sun Prairie, WI. The city's permit list includes roof replacement on a house or a garage. Building Inspection: 608-825-1184.
Middleton, WI. Roofing jobs of $1,000 or more need a building permit; smaller non-structural repairs are exempt. Building Inspection: (608) 821-8370.
Fitchburg, WI. Call Building Inspection at 608-270-4260 before work starts.
Verona, WI. Call the City of Verona's Building Inspection Department before work starts: (608) 845-6495.
Waunakee, WI. Call the Village of Waunakee Inspection Department at (608) 849-5613 before work starts.

Wherever you live, the roofer handles the permit.

A restored 1870s brick Victorian house with a mansard roof and dormers behind an iron fence

Common Legal Questions

Does Wisconsin license roofers?

No. Wisconsin has no roofing license. It does require anyone pulling a building permit for a one- or two-family home to hold the Dwelling Contractor credential from DSPS, with a Qualifier behind it. Since Madison requires a permit to replace roofing, that rule reaches most re-roofs in the city. Search any name at license.wi.gov.

Can I pull the roofing permit myself?

Yes, if you own the home and live in it or will live in it. Wisconsin exempts resident owners from the credential rule. Most owners still leave it to the roofer. Either way, City of Madison Building Inspection at 608-266-4551 can tell you whether a permit has been issued for your address.

When does the clock start if my claim is denied?

For an insurance-related roofing contract, it starts when you receive the insurer's notice that the claim was denied in whole or in part, not on the day you signed. You then have until midnight of the third business day after that to cancel in writing, and the roofer has 10 days to return what you paid.

Where do I report a problem with a roofer?

Call the DATCP Consumer Protection hotline at (800) 422-7128 about contracts, deductible offers or sales practices. For questions about a Dwelling Contractor credential, call DSPS at (608) 266-2112. Neither agency endorses this site or any roofer.

References

The official pages behind this summary, each read on 2026-10-05:

Unsure Where You Stand?

Legal questions belong with the agencies above. For the roof itself, send a short request and we'll hand it to one independent local roofer for a free inspection and a written estimate. We're a referral service that does no roof work, quotes no prices and handles no claims. You pay nothing for the referral, though roofers may pay us for it.

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