If a hailstorm has rolled through your neighborhood recently, you’ve probably already had a stranger knock on your door offering a “free roof inspection.” In the OKC metro, that’s not unusual, it’s the opening move of what’s known in the industry as storm chasing, and Oklahoma just tightened the rules around it.

Here’s what has changed, and how to protect yourself before you sign a contract.

What’s Changing Under HB 1628

Oklahoma House Bill 1628 overhauls how residential roofing contractors are regulated in the state. The two biggest pieces for homeowners include:

• A new Residential Roofing Endorsement: Roofing contractors must pass a Construction Industries Board (CIB)-approved exam (with a minimum score of 70%) in addition to their existing registration before legally taking on residential roofing work.
• Tougher enforcement: The law removes the automatic first-offense warning that unregistered contractors used to get, meaning violations can move straight to enforcement action.

Note: The rollout includes phase-in periods and a grandfathering window for contractors already in good standing. The practical takeaway isn’t memorizing the statute, it’s knowing how to check a contractor’s current standing before hiring them, as that status can change year to year.

How to Actually Verify a Roofer

Before you sign anything, follow these four steps:

1. Look them up on the CIB portal. Search the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board public directory at cib.ok.gov by business name or registration number ( 80004283 ) to confirm active registration and endorsement status.
2. Confirm their insurance directly with the carrier. Ask for a Certificate of Insurance and call the provider listed, don't just take the contractor’s word for it. Residential roofing contractors in Oklahoma are required to carry general liability coverage.
3. Check for a permanent local address. A roofer who has been doing business at a fixed OKC-metro location for years has a reason to stand behind their work. A crew working out of an out-of-state truck does not.
4. Ask how long they’ve served the metro. Longevity in the same market is one of the simplest signals of legitimacy.

Red Flags of a Storm Chaser

Storm-chasing crews follow hail paths across the country, work a market hard for a few weeks, and move on before warranty issues surface. Watch out for:

• Unsolicited door-knocking right after a storm, especially anyone claiming they "already spotted damage" from the street.
• High-pressure, time-limited offers (e.g., "sign today or the price goes up tomorrow").
• Offers to "waive your deductible" or give a "free roof." This isn't a discount, under Oklahoma law, this is insurance fraud that puts you at legal risk.
• Requests for full payment upfront before any work has started.
• No local address, or an address that turns out to be a UPS box or empty lot.
• A "warranty" that's really just a business card. If the crew leaves in six months, the warranty is worthless.

Why This Matters for Your Insurance Claim

Hiring an unregistered or unendorsed contractor doesn’t just risk a bad roof, it can jeopardize the insurance claim itself. Carriers can decline to pay out or dispute the claim if the work was performed by someone who wasn’t properly licensed to do it. Get the verification step right before you sign, and the rest of the claims process goes much more smoothly.

Work With Someone Who’ll Still Be Here Next Year

TaylorMade Exteriors is based in Oklahoma, not passing through it. We’re registered with the Construction Industries Board, fully insured, and available for the follow-up call a year after the job is done, not just the week after the storm.

If you have storm damage and need a team you can trust, request a free inspection from TaylorMade Exteriors today and get a straight answer in writing before you sign with anyone.