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Roof sealing: the contractor needs a licence, not just a brush

Last reviewed: August 23, 2026 — VerifiedDACO

In short

Sealing the roof is one of the most common jobs in Puerto Rico and one of the places people most often get taken. Act 281-2000 creates the Board of Waterproofing, Sealing and Roof Repair Service Contractors, and establishes that no one may contract as a contractor of those services, nor supervise or inspect them, without holding a current licence. Nor may they advertise, publish or use the title of Roof Waterproofing, Sealing and Repair Contractor, or practise that profession, without the licence. To obtain it, besides the exam, the candidate must be registered and certified with DACO as a waterproofing, sealing and roof repair contractor if working on the residential side — and the Department will not register or issue any certificate unless the contractor has posted a bond under Act 146-1995. That is: the Board licence and DACO’s bonded registration travel together. Practising without a licence, or passing oneself off as such using words, letters, phrases, abbreviations or insignia identifying them as a roofing contractor, is a misdemeanour with a fine of no less than one thousand and no more than three thousand dollars, or jail from three months to one year, or both.

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What is it?

The law defines the contractor of these services as anyone who offers, by academic training or experience, specialized knowledge in evaluating, quoting, designing, altering, installing, sealing, repairing, waterproofing, insulating and maintaining roofs in industrial, commercial and residential areas; and who has the proper experience, knowledge and skills in using materials, products and systems to install, maintain and alter any kind of roof, in order to protect, waterproof, insulate, repair, eliminate leaks or extend the roof’s life. "Roof waterproofing" is the treatment of a surface or structure to prevent the passage of water and related moisture. The Board that issues the licence has five (5) members appointed by the Governor, residents of Puerto Rico, over twenty-one (21) and of good moral reputation.

Who can do it?

The requirement falls on the contractor, not on you. That said, the law expressly excludes two situations, and repeats them in two separate articles so there is no doubt: it does not apply to people who, holding no supervised licence, provide volunteer or free services to non-profit institutions or organizations; and it does not apply to people who employ others as workers to do any service at their own home or property and who supervise them themselves. For this law’s purposes, those are not recognized as waterproofing, sealing and roof repair contractors. On the applicant’s side, the requirements are: being twenty-one (21), a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico, of good conduct and good economic and moral reputation in the community, and registered and certified with DACO with the corresponding bond if working on the residential side.

Requirements

Documents you need

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Cost

Check the current cost with the official agency.

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Ask for two papers, not one

    The Board licence, which authorizes practice, and DACO’s registration certificate, which confirms they are registered and bonded. The law ties them together: Article 7 requires the licence applicant to be registered and certified with DACO if working the residential side, and clarifies that the Department will not register or issue any certificate unless the contractor has posted with it, in the Government’s favour, a bond under Act 146-1995.

  2. Step 2: Know what the bond covers

    The bond must be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury and issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in Puerto Rico, or with mortgage collateral approved by the Secretary of the Treasury. It must contain the condition that the licensee will comply with all of this law’s provisions and regulations, and it answers for any loss or damage caused to any person by non-compliance. One detail that protects a late claimant: the bond stipulates that revoking a licence does not affect its effectiveness as to claims arising from acts before that revocation.

  3. Step 3: Check the Registry and its quarterly update

    Article 13 imposes concrete duties on DACO for this activity: including waterproofing, sealing and roof repair contractors in the Contractor Registry; keeping that registry available for review by any interested person; and reviewing the registration at intervals not exceeding three (3) months, in order to include the Department’s determinations that become final and firm for non-compliance, alongside the contractor’s name and their status. The Department also issues registry certifications and adjudicates consumers’ complaints under this law.

  4. Step 4: Recognize when the law does not apply

    Two cases, written twice in the law. It does not apply to whoever, without a supervised licence, provides volunteer or free services to non-profit institutions or organizations. And it does not apply to whoever employs others as workers to do any service at their own home or property and supervises them personally. If you hire day labourers and you direct the work at your own house, this law does not turn you into an illegal contractor — but it also gives you neither the protection of a licence nor of a bond.

  5. Step 5: If they worked without a licence, there is a criminal route

    Article 15 makes it a misdemeanour to practise without a Board licence, or to pass oneself off as such in any way, or to use words, letters, phrases, abbreviations or insignia that could identify the person as a waterproofing, sealing or roof repair contractor. The penalty is a fine of no less than one thousand (1,000) and no more than three thousand (3,000) dollars, or jail for a period of no less than three (3) months and no more than one (1) year, or both, at the court’s discretion. The Secretary of Justice, on their own initiative or at the Board’s request, may pursue the criminal action for illegal practice of the trade.

Where to do it

The Board of Waterproofing, Sealing and Roof Repair Service Contractors issues, denies, suspends and revokes the licences, and offers the exam at least twice (2) a year. The Department of Consumer Affairs keeps the Contractor Registry where they appear, requires the annual bond under Act 146-1995, issues registry certifications, and considers and adjudicates consumers’ complaints under this law. DACO’s services and offices are at daco.pr.gov and online filing at serviciosenlinea.daco.pr.gov.

How long it takes

Check the current processing time with the official agency.

What to do if something goes wrong

What we do not publish, and why: the law contains no directory of licensees and no internet address to search by name, nor the exam calendar beyond the Board having to offer it at least twice a year. Those must be requested from the Board and DACO, not guessed. As for what you can expect: the licence is renewed every three (3) years on or before its expiration date, with the continuing-education requirements set by regulation and a payment of twenty-five ($25.00) dollars; and the original application carries an internal revenue voucher of forty ($40.00) dollars for exam rights and licence certificate. The Board may deny, suspend or revoke a licence, after notice and hearing, among other causes for having practised without meeting DACO’s or the Board’s requirements, for fraud or deceit in the documents or in practice, for gross negligence in the Board’s judgement, for conviction of a felony or misdemeanour involving moral turpitude, and for not having met tax obligations or child support responsibilities. If the person who sealed your roof had no licence, you have two routes that do not exclude each other: the DACO complaint and Article 15’s criminal path.

Common mistakes

  • Accepting a business card as proof: the law requires a current Board licence, not a sign.
  • Checking only the licence and not the bonded registration at DACO; the residential side needs both.
  • Paying for the full job in advance before confirming licence and bond.
  • Not asking about complaint status: DACO reviews the registration every three months to include final, firm determinations.
  • Believing an ad with the word "waterproofing" implies a licence: using those words without one is precisely the offence.
  • Confusing this law with the general contractor registry: here there is also a Board, an exam and a licence of its own.

Frequently asked questions

Does the person sealing my roof need a licence?

Yes, if they act as a contractor of those services. The law says no one may contract as a waterproofing, sealing and roof repair services contractor, nor supervise or inspect those services, without holding a current licence for it. And it prohibits advertising or using the title without a licence.

What if I hire workers myself and I supervise?

The law expressly excludes that case: it does not apply to people who employ others as workers to do any service at their own home or property and who supervise them; for this law’s purposes, those are not recognized as contractors of these services. Nor does it apply to whoever provides volunteer or free services to non-profit organizations.

What happens if they worked without a licence?

It is a misdemeanour. The penalty is a fine of no less than one thousand (1,000) and no more than three thousand (3,000) dollars, or jail of no less than three (3) months and no more than one (1) year, or both, at the court’s discretion. The Secretary of Justice may pursue the criminal action on their own initiative or at the Board’s request, and separately you may file a complaint with DACO, which adjudicates consumer claims under this law.

How often is the licence renewed?

Every three (3) years, on or before its expiration date, meeting the continuing-education requirements set by regulation and with a payment of twenty-five ($25.00) dollars. One more reason to ask for the paper and look at the date.

Official sources

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

Last verified

August 23, 2026

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