Thirteen of the twenty-five communities served are in Westchester County, New York, and a Connecticut registration does not authorize work there. New York State does not license home improvement contractors, but Westchester County does, through its Department of Consumer Protection, and roof work is named in the law.
Key takeaways
- New York State does not license home improvement contractors, but Westchester County does, through its own Department of Consumer Protection.
- The county's licensing law names roof work and covers residential property of up to three units.
- Working without the county license is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year, a $5,000 fine or both.
- Licensed contractors display a green sticker on the rear bumper that shows the license expiry date.
- The Attorney General says contracts of $500 or more must be in writing, and progress payments go into an escrow account.
- A Connecticut registration does not authorize work in Port Chester, and a Westchester license does not authorize work in Stamford.
Does New York State license roofers?
New York State itself does not license home improvement contractors. Some counties and municipalities do, and Westchester County is one of them, alongside New York City, Suffolk, Nassau, Putnam, Rockland and the City of Buffalo.
The state's consumer protection materials make the point plainly. The license for home improvement work comes from a local government where one exists, not from the state. That is the reverse of Connecticut, where the state registers contractors and no county government exists at all. A homeowner who assumes that a New York contractor is licensed by the state will be looking in the wrong office, and the county is where the check belongs.
The practical effect is that a roofer working in Westchester needs to be known to the county, and a roofer working in Stamford needs to be registered with the state. The two systems do not overlap. Holding a Connecticut registration gives no right to work under the Westchester license, and the reverse is equally true. The roof replacement service covers the scope of a job, and the state line decides which rules the job sits under before the scope is agreed.
What does the Westchester license cover?
The county's licensing law defines contractor so that it specifically includes roof work, and the application has a roofing box. The license covers residential properties of up to three units.
The county's definition of contractor names roof work, so a roofer who replaces or repairs a roof on a covered Westchester house is inside the law. The county's application form includes a roofing box, which puts the category on the form itself rather than leaving it to interpretation. A homeowner who wants to know whether a roofer is licensed for roof work should look for that category on the county's list, not only for a general home improvement heading.
The license reaches residential properties of up to three units. Larger buildings are outside that limit, and a homeowner or association with a larger building should ask the county directly what applies to it rather than assume. The county's current packet is the place to check the application itself. The roof repair service describes the common jobs on smaller houses, and the same question about the license applies on every one of them. A roofer who explains the license only in general terms should be asked to name the roofing category on the county list.
What does the county license cost, and how long does it take?
As of the county's current application packet, a two-year license is $750. Expedited processing adds $100, and ordinary processing takes about 60 business days.
These figures are government fees, and the source is the county's application packet, which took effect on 1 January 2026. The fee is set for a two-year license, so a roofer who holds one has a defined term rather than an open-ended approval. The fee is stated as the county currently publishes it, and the packet is the document to read before applying, since the figures can change.
The timing matters for a contractor's schedule. Ordinary processing takes about 60 business days, and expedited processing shortens that wait for an additional $100. A roofer who has not yet been licensed by the county cannot lawfully do work that the license covers, so the schedule should be checked before a job is promised. A homeowner who is told that a Westchester roof can start immediately should ask to see the license before the contract is signed.
What happens to a contractor who works without the license?
Working without the required county license is a Class A misdemeanor under the law, punishable by up to one year, a $5,000 fine or both.
The penalty is set by the county law and is stated here as the county publishes it. A Class A misdemeanor is a criminal charge, not a civil fee, and it applies to the contractor who does the covered work without the license. A homeowner is not the party charged, but a homeowner who hires an unlicensed roofer will have the problem of finding a licensed one in the middle of a job, which is the most disruptive point to make that change. Each of those steps is a separate check, and a gap in one does not mean the others are complete.
The county publishes a list of licensed contractors and a separate list of contractors to avoid. Both can be checked online or by calling (914) 995-2155. A homeowner who is about to sign with a roofer can use the lists before any money changes hands, and a contractor who cannot be found on the licensed list is the first thing to query. Licensed contractors also carry a green sticker on the rear bumper that shows the license expiry date, which is a quick visible check at the curb.
What do the written contract rules say in New York?
General Business Law article 36-A covers agreements where the aggregate contract price exceeds $500, and the Attorney General says contracts of $500 or more must be in writing.
The writing must be signed by all parties. It must include the contractor's name, address and telephone, the license number where one applies, the estimated start and completion dates, a description of the work and materials, and the price. It must also state the owner's right to cancel until midnight of the third business day after signing. A contract that leaves out any of these elements is not a document a homeowner can rely on, so each item should be checked before the first payment.
Progress payments must be deposited in an escrow account, which keeps the money held for the job separate until the work it pays for is done. The definition of home improvement contractor in General Business Law section 770 reaches contractors with more than $1,500 in total contracts over twelve months. A homeowner should look for these terms in the contract before any payment is made, and should ask the contractor to show where the escrow account is held. Keeping a copy of the signed contract, the payment record and the escrow terms makes any later question easier to answer.
Does a Connecticut registration help in Westchester?
No. A Connecticut registration does not authorize work in Port Chester, and the reverse is also true: a Westchester license does not authorize work in Stamford. Each state and county keeps its own rule.
This is the most useful single fact this site can give a homeowner near the line. A contractor who holds a Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor registration has nothing in New York that the registration covers. The same contractor needs the county license to work in Westchester, and the county's licensed list is where that is confirmed. A homeowner should never accept a Connecticut registration as a substitute for a Westchester license, because the two are issued by different governments under different laws. The county, the municipality and the state each answer a different part of the question, and none of them answers it for the others.
A homeowner whose house sits near the border should confirm the state before any contract is drafted. The contract form has to follow the state the house is in, and the Connecticut side is covered in the registration guide. Houses in Port Chester and Rye sit on the New York side, while the Stamford and Greenwich houses sit on the Connecticut side. The state the house is in decides which paperwork applies, and it is the first question to answer.
What about permits, the code and a state fund in New York?
The permit comes from the village, town or city, and the New York State Uniform Code governs the work. This site cannot point to a New York state fund like Connecticut's, so a Westchester homeowner should not assume one exists.
The municipality issues the permit, whether it is a village, town or city, and the New York State Uniform Code is the building code that applies. A Westchester job therefore has a different permit office and a different code from a Stamford job. The county license is a separate step from the permit, so the homeowner should ask both the municipality and the county what applies. Whether a specific village or city adds its own requirement is for that municipality to confirm, and this guide does not say that any of them has none.
Connecticut's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund is a Connecticut fund with its own published route to reimbursement, and a Westchester job should not be assumed to carry that protection. A homeowner in New York should read the written contract closely for the terms the state requires, and should ask the county and the municipality what protections apply to the particular work. The roof replacement service begins with that scope, and the paperwork follows from it.
Frequently asked questions
Does New York State license home improvement contractors?
New York State itself does not license home improvement contractors. Some counties and municipalities do, and Westchester County is one of them. The county's Department of Consumer Protection issues the Westchester license, and the homeowner should check that list before hiring.
Does a Westchester license cover a three-unit building?
The county license covers residential properties of up to three units. Larger buildings are outside that limit, and an owner or association should ask the county directly what applies to them. The county's current application packet is the place to confirm the scope.
How do I check whether a Westchester roofer is licensed?
The county publishes a list of licensed contractors and a separate list of contractors to avoid. Both can be checked online or by calling (914) 995-2155. Licensed contractors also display a green sticker on the rear bumper showing the license expiry date.
Is a written contract required in New York?
Yes, for contracts of $500 or more, according to the Attorney General. The writing must be signed by all parties and must state the owner's right to cancel until midnight of the third business day after signing. Progress payments must be deposited in an escrow account.
Does a Connecticut registration work in Port Chester?
No. A Connecticut registration does not authorize work in Port Chester, and a Westchester license is a separate requirement that a Connecticut registration does not satisfy. The homeowner should confirm the state before the contract is drafted.
Is there a New York fund like Connecticut's?
This site cannot point to a New York state fund matching Connecticut's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund, so a Westchester homeowner should not assume one exists. The contract, the county license and the municipality's requirements are the things to check instead.
Sources
- Westchester County Department of Consumer Protection
- New York State Department of State, Division of Consumer Protection
- New York State Attorney General
- New York State Senate
This guide is general information for Fairfield County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.