Roofing Rules in Arkansas: What Conway, AR Homeowners Should Know
Hiring a roofer in Conway, AR comes with a handful of state and city rules worth knowing before you sign. This page covers roofer registration, permits, your right to cancel an insurance-paid contract, door-to-door sales and where to take a complaint, in plain words.
Prefer to talk? Call now(501) 555-0196The Short Answer
Arkansas expects anyone doing roofing work on a home to hold a state roofing contractor registration, and you can look a roofer up online in a minute or two. When insurance money pays for the job, state law adds a cancel window that opens after a written claim denial. Permits are a city matter, so the answer for your address comes from your own city office.
This is a summary of public law, not legal advice. We run a free referral service, not a roofing company, and no agency or office named here works with us.
Checking a Roofer's Registration
Since July 1, 2021, anyone acting as a roofing contractor in Arkansas has needed a roofing contractor registration certificate from the state. The Residential Contractors Committee of the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board issues it. To qualify, a roofer posts a surety bond of at least $15,000 and shows proof of workers' compensation coverage. Broader residential or home-improvement work on a job over $2,000 calls for a state license on top of that.
You can check a company yourself on the Board's "Find a Licensed Contractor" search, or call the Board at 501-372-4661. Search the exact business name printed on your estimate, then make sure the contract carries the same name. The Board can discipline roofers who misrepresent their services or work without the permits a job requires.
That lookup, not this website, is where a roofer's standing gets confirmed; we don't screen anyone. Fair things to ask for:
- A written, itemized contract. Tear-off, underlayment, flashing, vents, cleanup and any extra decking should each get a line, so gaps are easy to spot and question.
- Proof of coverage. Ask to see a current general liability certificate, and the workers' comp proof the roofer used for the state registration.
- Warranties on paper. Get the manufacturer and labor warranties in writing, and ask who registers the manufacturer warranty and by when.
- A real local presence. A street address and a few recent customers you can phone say more than a yard sign.
- Sensible payment terms. Walk away from cash-only deals or a demand for the whole price before any work happens.
- Photos of the decking. Once the old roof comes off, ask to see the wood deck and any boards marked for replacement.
If the Insurer Says No
Arkansas has a specific law for roofing and exterior repair contracts that a homeowner's insurance policy will pay for. The contract has to carry a cancellation notice in bold type. If your insurer tells you in writing that all or part of the claim isn't a covered loss, you may cancel the contract within three business days after that notice reaches you.
The roofer can't start the job until that window has run out, though reasonable emergency work, like covering an open roof, is allowed. If you do cancel, any money you paid must be returned within 10 days, and a cancellation fee can't be enforced against you.
Arkansas doesn't let public adjusters work claims, so your insurer settles the claim with you directly. A roofer may take photos of the damage and write up an estimate you can send in. The decision and the payment still run between you and your insurance company, and claim questions belong with your insurer or the Arkansas Insurance Department.
Watch for Deductible Offers
Be wary of anyone who offers to cover or waive your deductible. You pay your own deductible; ask your insurer if you're unsure. An estimate built around making that cost disappear is a good reason to stop and ask more questions. A few other warning signs tend to travel with it:
- "Don't worry about the deductible." Any plan to absorb, discount or rebate it is a red flag, whatever name it goes by.
- A push to sign today. A fair estimate still stands next week, so take it home and read it slowly.
- Work before the window closes. On an insurance job, a roofer eager to begin before your cancel period ends is brushing past state law.
- Cash only, or all of it upfront. Normal terms tie each payment to a stage of finished work.
What the City May Require
Permits come from the city your home sits in, not the state. The City of Conway says building permits are required for "new constructions, remodels, additions, and accessory buildings," and its guidelines don't mention re-roofing either way. Before work starts, ask your roofer whether the job needs a City of Conway permit, and who will file it; the permit office at (501) 450-6107 can tell you. Building Permits & Inspections is at 1111 Main Street.
Conway's Historic District Commission reviews outside changes in the Robinson Historic District and the Old Conway Design Overlay District, and it weighs roofing case by case. If your home is in one of these districts, check with the city before changing roofing materials. If your neighborhood has an active HOA, get the color and material approved before the old roof comes off.
Nearby towns keep their own offices. Maumelle, AR lists roofs among the work that needs a city permit; ask your roofer to file it (Planning & Permits, 501-851-2784 ext. 229). Elsewhere, ask the city office: Greenbrier, AR City Hall at 501-679-2422, the Vilonia, AR City Clerk's Office at 501-796-2534, Mayflower, AR permits and inspections at 501-470-1337 ext. 6, and the Morrilton, AR Planning Department at 501-354-8020.
The Arkansas Attorney General says that for a home solicitation sale of $25 or more, you have until midnight of the third business day to cancel, for any reason. Inside Conway, Ordinance O-15-67 requires peddlers and solicitors to carry a city permit, honor "No Soliciting" signs and stay off porches between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. Ask any door knocker to show that permit; the city clerk's office at 501-450-6100 can confirm one.
Insurance Discounts for Stronger Roofs
Some insurers give a credit for impact-rated shingles or a roof built to resist high wind. Each company sets its own terms, so ask your agent before you settle on materials. We couldn't confirm a state grant for new roofs that applies here, so this page doesn't point you to one.
Questions on the Rules
Does a roofer in Arkansas need a license?
Roofing needs a state registration, and other home-improvement work over $2,000 needs a state license. Rather than taking anyone's word for it, search the company on the Board's lookup. If the name on your contract doesn't show up, ask the roofer to explain before you sign.
I signed with a seller who came to my door. Can I still back out?
If the sale was $25 or more, the Attorney General's guidance gives you until midnight of the third business day after the sale, and you don't need a reason. Keep your copy of the contract, note the date you signed it, and act well inside that deadline so there's no argument about timing.
Who should file the permit for my new roof?
Agree on that before the job starts and put the answer in the contract. Whether a permit is needed depends on your city, so ask your roofer first and then confirm with the city office. In Conway, Building Permits & Inspections answers at (501) 450-6107 and can tell you what applies to your address.
Where can I report a problem with a roofer?
For a roofer's conduct, contact the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board at 501-372-4661. For a sales practice that felt unfair or misleading, reach out to the Arkansas Attorney General's consumer protection office. Questions about how an insurer handled your claim go to the Arkansas Insurance Department.
Our Sources
- Registration and licenses. Ark. Code §§ 17-25-505, 17-25-513, 17-25-603, 17-25-604 and 17-25-607, from the Board's residential law compilation (labor.arkansas.gov).
- Insurance-paid repair contracts. Ark. Code §§ 4-88-901 to -905 (law.justia.com copy of the code).
- Claims and adjusters. Arkansas Insurance Department licensing page (insurance.arkansas.gov).
- Door sales. Attorney General home solicitation page (arkansasag.gov) and City of Conway business FAQs (conwayarkansas.gov).
- Permits and historic districts. City of Conway permit guidelines and Historic District Commission records (conwayarkansas.gov), plus each nearby city's permit page.
All sources were read October 7, 2026.
Talk Through the Rules
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