Before you hire electrical, plumbing, mechanical, or roofing help in Oklahoma, confirm a current credential with the Construction Industries Board. Official CIB consumer materials tell you to ask for a license or registration before you sign a contract, and official CIB FAQs state that general contractors are not currently required to have a state license.

Which trades does the official Board regulate?

Official CIB FAQs list the skilled trades regulated by the Board: plumbing, electrical, mechanical, roofing, building and construction inspectors, and home inspectors. Official consumer home-repair tips tell you, before signing a contract, to make sure a roofing contractor is currently registered with the Board, or that a plumbing, mechanical (heating and air), or electrical contractor is currently licensed by the Board.

Verify names, addresses, phone numbers, and license or registration numbers. Official materials tell you to confirm that the credential is current, or to call the Construction Industries Board at 405-521-6550. Official license verification is published at http://cibverify.ok.gov/LicenseeSearch.aspx, and official pages also point roofing registrations to a separate registered-roofing list. Confirm the current official search tool if the address has changed.

The official Board office published on CIB pages is 2401 NW 23rd Street, Suite 2F, Oklahoma City, OK 73107.

What official bond and insurance filings apply?

Official CIB active-contractor requirements state that an active plumbing, electrical, or mechanical contractor license stays inactive until the Board receives proof of a $5,000 corporate surety bond payable to the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board, in the individual license holder's name, continuous, and with 30 days' cancellation notice, plus a certificate of insurance showing a minimum of $50,000 commercial general liability, with the individual license holder's name on the certificate and the Board listed as certificate holder.

Official materials state that failure to keep current insurance will cause the license to become inactive, and that it is a violation to contract for services without current insurance and an active license. Official vehicle-display rules require all vehicles to show the firm name and the license number with the initials "OK" preceding that number, in letters and numerals at least two inches high, on both sides, in a contrasting color. Official materials also say contractors must display this number on all advertising, contracts, and bids.

Official CIB FAQs set different insurance floors for roofing registration: general liability of not less than $500,000 for residential roofing work, and not less than $1,000,000 for a commercial roofing endorsement, with proof that the policy specifically includes roofing work.

What official limits should you not ignore?

Official CIB FAQs state, in plain language, that general contractors are not currently required to have a state license in Oklahoma. Do not treat a state GC license as a required credential that the Board issues. Local jurisdictions may still require occupational licenses or building permits. Official consumer tips tell you to check with the local licensing and permit department, and to have the contractor show a required permit before work begins.

Official CIB FAQs also state that the Board does not issue permits for plumbing, electrical, or mechanical work, and that local building codes are adopted by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission. Other official agencies may regulate other construction work. Confirm local permit rules with the city or county where the job will be done.

Official consumer tips also recommend at least three estimates, references, and a written contract before work starts. Those official consumer recommendations are discussed in more detail in the companion contract-and-complaint article in this hub.

Official CIB materials also warn consumers to be careful of door-to-door solicitations after a storm or disaster, to obtain at least three estimates, and to find out whether an estimate itself has a charge. Ask to see a job in progress and for a customer who had work done more than a year earlier, as official consumer tips recommend.

Put the official license or registration number on the written contract, and match it to the number on the vehicle and to the official Board search. If a person offers to do electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work without a current active license, or roofing work without a current registration, stop and confirm the official credential before any work starts or any large deposit is paid.

Official CIB FAQs also remind readers that other agencies, including the Corporation Commission, the Department of Labor, and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board, may regulate other construction-related work, and that local jurisdictions may add their own license or permit rules. Confirm those official local requirements where the job will be done, especially if the work includes more than one trade.

Keep the official search result, the insurance certificate, and the signed contract together. If you later file a complaint, the Board will need the name and number you verified, the address of the job, and a clear description of the work that was offered or performed.

If you are hiring trade work on an Oklahoma home, talk with a licensed local agent about any insurance-claim issues, and verify the official CIB license or roofing registration before work begins.

FAQ

Does Oklahoma require a statewide general-contractor license?

Official CIB FAQs state that general contractors are not currently required to have a state license in Oklahoma.

Which trades require a CIB license or registration?

Official CIB materials require licenses for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors and registration for roofing contractors. The Board also regulates inspectors and home inspectors.

How do I check a credential?

Use the official CIB license search, confirm a roofing registration on the official roofing list, or call 405-521-6550. Official materials also tell you to match the name and number on contracts and vehicles.

What official insurance is required for an active electrical, plumbing, or mechanical contractor?

Official CIB active-contractor requirements include a $5,000 surety bond and a minimum of $50,000 commercial general liability insurance, with the Board listed as certificate holder.

Sources: CIB Home Repair Tips, CIB Frequently Asked Questions, CIB Active Contractor Requirements, CIB License Verification.

Official Construction Industries Board materials tell you to get a written contract before work begins. Official roofing law requires a written contract. Official 59 O.S. 1151.21 also gives a 72-hour cancellation right after written notice that an insurer denied all or part of a claim used to pay certain residential contractor work.

What official written-contract rules apply?

Official CIB home-repair tips recommend a written contract that can clarify the start date, a detailed description of work that will or will not be done, and a completion date. Official tips also warn you to be careful of door-to-door solicitations, especially after a storm, to obtain at least three estimates, to ask whether an estimate itself has a charge, and to request references.

This article does not invent a general statewide statute that invalidates every unwritten home-improvement agreement. Official CIB FAQs also state that general contractors are not currently required to have a state license. Local permits and occupational licenses may still apply. Official materials tell you to check with the local permitting department and to see the permit before work starts.

Official roofing rules are stricter. Official OAC 158:85-11-2 and official 59 O.S. 1151.7 and 1151.21 treat a valid written contract as required when a person engages in roofing contractor work, as those official sources describe it. Put the official CIB registration number in the contract and verify it before you sign.

What official cancellation right applies to insurance-claim work?

Official 59 O.S. 1151.21 applies when a person indicates that a residential contractor will be paid from the proceeds of a property and casualty insurance policy and then enters a written contract with that understanding. The person may cancel the contract within seventy-two (72) hours after receiving written notice from the insurer that all or any part of the claim has been denied. Cancellation is made by written notice to the contractor at the address in the contract. Notice by mail is effective when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed. The notice need not take a particular form if it indicates, in writing, the intention not to be bound.

Before entering such a contract, the official statute requires the contractor to furnish a bold, 12-point statement about the 72-hour right, and a detachable Notice of Cancellation form, in duplicate, in at least 10-point bold type, in the official statutory language. Within ten (10) days after cancellation, the contractor shall tender payments made by the insured and any note or other evidence of indebtedness, except that if the contractor has performed emergency services that the insured acknowledged in writing as necessary to prevent damage to the premises, the contractor is entitled to the reasonable value of those services. Official law also states that a violation is treated as a violation of the Roofing Contractor Registration Act and is subject to official misdemeanor penalties in 59 O.S. 1151.3.

This official 72-hour period runs from written insurer denial, not from the contract-signing date. It is not a general cooling-off rule for every remodeling job. Confirm any other official cancellation right that may apply to a particular sale, rather than assuming a statewide three-day right for every home-improvement contract.

Where do you file a complaint?

Attempt to resolve the issue with the contractor first, as official consumer materials generally recommend, and keep the contract, change orders, certificates, canceled checks, photographs, and any cancellation notice. For licensed or registered trades, file with the Construction Industries Board, 2401 NW 23rd Street, Suite 2F, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, or use the official complaint form for that trade. Official roofing complaint materials include an official form and the email address roofingcomplaints@cib.ok.gov. The official Board phone number published on consumer pages is 405-521-6550.

The Board regulates official plumbing, electrical, mechanical, roofing, inspector, and home-inspector credentials. It is not a general-contractor licensing board. Local permit or occupational-license disputes may belong with the city or county. Insurance-company disputes belong with the Oklahoma Insurance Department Consumer Assistance Division.

Ask for current insurance certificates that match the official CIB name, and keep lien-waiver questions in view if subcontractors or suppliers will be on the job. Official CIB consumer tips also tell you to request names, addresses, phone numbers, and license or registration numbers, and to verify them before you sign.

Do not pay the full amount before the work is finished and, where a permit was required, officially inspected by the local government. Those official consumer precautions work together with the written contract and, when 59 O.S. 1151.21 applies, with the official 72-hour insurance-denial cancellation form.

If you are hiring work on an Oklahoma home, talk with a licensed local agent about any insurance-claim questions, put official license or registration numbers in a written contract, and keep the official 72-hour insurance-denial cancellation papers when 59 O.S. 1151.21 applies.

FAQ

Does Oklahoma require a written contract for every home-improvement job?

Official CIB consumer materials strongly recommend a written contract before work begins. Official roofing law requires a written contract for roofing contractor work. This article does not invent a general statute that voids every other unwritten remodeling agreement.

What is the official insurance-claim cancellation period?

Official 59 O.S. 1151.21 allows cancellation within 72 hours after written notice that the insurer has denied all or any part of the claim, for contracts of the kind that statute covers, with official notice and form requirements.

Where do I complain about a licensed electrician, plumber, HVAC contractor, or roofer?

File with the Construction Industries Board, 2401 NW 23rd Street, Suite 2F, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, or use the official trade complaint form. Official roofing complaints may be sent to roofingcomplaints@cib.ok.gov.

Does Oklahoma license general contractors at the state level?

Official CIB FAQs state that general contractors are not currently required to have a state license in Oklahoma.

Sources: CIB Home Repair Tips, CIB Frequently Asked Questions, 59 O.S. 1151.21, CIB roofing consumer information.