47 roofing credentials, explained
Manufacturer certifications signal training, vetting, and - most importantly - which warranties a contractor can register on your roof. Here is what each tier actually means.
GAF Credentials
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GAF
GAF Authorized / GAF Certified
A GAF Certified contractor has met GAF's baseline certification standards, which include passing GAF training, carrying the required insurance, and maintaining a clean state license record. This tier authorizes the contractor to register the GAF System Plus Limited Warranty, which covers manufacturing defects in the GAF products for 50 years and includes the cost of…
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GAF
GAF Certified Plus
A GAF Certified Plus contractor sits one rung above baseline Certified status and is authorized to register both the System Plus Limited Warranty and the stronger Silver Pledge Limited Warranty. The Silver Pledge includes everything the System Plus covers, namely 50 years of coverage on manufacturing defects plus tear-off, and adds two things the lower…
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GAF
GAF Master Elite
GAF Master Elite is GAF's highest contractor designation, held by only about 2% of roofing contractors in the United States, and it is invitation-only, requiring a proven track record, financial stability, full insurance, a clean regulatory history, and ongoing training. A Master Elite contractor can register every GAF warranty, including the top-tier Golden Pledge Limited…
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GAF
GAF Master Elite President's Club
The GAF President's Club Award is an annual recognition given only to contractors who have already earned GAF Master Elite status, and fewer than half of Master Elite contractors qualify for it in any given year. It is not a separate warranty tier but a performance distinction, awarded for sustained excellence across three areas GAF…
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GAF
GAF GoldElite (Commercial)
GAF GoldElite is a designation in GAF's separate commercial roofing certification program, which applies to low-slope and flat commercial roofing systems rather than residential shingle work, so it appears on contractors who handle commercial buildings. It sits above the entry-level GAF Certified Commercial tier (which can offer the GAF Integrated System Limited Warranty and System…
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GAF
GAF PlatinumElite (Commercial)
GAF PlatinumElite is the top standard tier in GAF's commercial roofing certification program, which covers low-slope and flat commercial systems rather than residential shingle work, so it appears on contractors who handle commercial buildings. It sits above both the entry-level GAF Certified Commercial tier and the mid-level GAF GoldElite tier, and the bar to reach…
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GAF
GAF CoatingsPro / CoatingsPro+ (Commercial, Liquid-Applied)
GAF CoatingsPro is a specialty designation within GAF's commercial program for contractors who focus specifically on roof coatings and liquid-applied membranes, which is a roof restoration approach: recoating and extending the life of an existing low-slope commercial roof rather than tearing it off and replacing it. To earn it, a contractor must carry proper insurance…
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GAF
GAF Metal Certified
GAF Metal Certified is a product gate rather than a rank: GAF Metal Certified contractors are trained by GAF and hold exclusive access to sell and install TimberSteel, so an uncertified roofer cannot legitimately offer the system at all. The credential exists because the product occupies unusual territory - TimberSteel is an interlocking metal shingle…
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GAF
GAF Solar Certified
GAF Solar Certified is less a ranking than a gate: not every roofing contractor is authorized to install Timberline Solar, and certification requires specialized training with installation by a certified contractor as a condition of the system's warranty coverage. The product explains why. Timberline Solar is built on the world's first nailable solar shingle -…
Owens Corning Credentials
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Owens Corning
Owens Corning Preferred
An Owens Corning Preferred contractor has earned the mid-tier designation in Owens Corning's contractor network by demonstrating installation quality, business stability, and customer satisfaction. This status authorizes the contractor to register the Preferred Protection Limited Warranty, which provides coverage that exceeds the standard manufacturer warranty available through an uncertified installer, including stronger protection on materials…
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Owens Corning
Owens Corning Platinum Preferred
Owens Corning Platinum Preferred is the highest tier in the Owens Corning network, an invitation-only status held by roughly the top 1% of Owens Corning contractors, and uniquely among the major programs it requires the highest customer-satisfaction scores of any tier, not just training and insurance. A Platinum Preferred contractor can register the Platinum Protection…
CertainTeed Credentials
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CertainTeed
CertainTeed ShingleMaster
A CertainTeed ShingleMaster is a contractor with at least one crew member who has passed CertainTeed's Shingle Applicator training program (SARP), a hands-on technical certification that tests installers on proper installation of CertainTeed products rather than a paperwork or background check alone. This designation authorizes the contractor to register CertainTeed's SureStart warranty, which provides coverage…
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CertainTeed
CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster
CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster is CertainTeed's top contractor designation, held by roughly the top 1% of roofing contractors, and it requires two or more crew members certified through CertainTeed's hands-on Shingle Applicator training (SARP), at least five years in business, and a strong track record of CertainTeed installations. This tier authorizes the contractor to register the…
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CertainTeed
CertainTeed ShingleMaster Premier
CertainTeed ShingleMaster Premier is CertainTeed's highest contractor credential and the top tier of their Contractor's EDGE program, which replaced the previous SELECT ShingleMaster designation in 2026. It is held by roughly the top 1% of CertainTeed contractors nationally, and earning it requires strict standards for business history, licensing, insurance, and workforce training, including that at…
Malarkey Credentials
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Malarkey
Malarkey Certified Contractor
A Malarkey Certified Contractor has earned the foundational level of Malarkey Roofing Products' residential contractor program. To reach this level, a contractor is vetted by Malarkey as licensed and insured where required, demonstrates an established roofing business, and is trained on the proper installation of Malarkey products. This is Malarkey's entry-level certification, the baseline that…
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Malarkey
Malarkey Certified Pro Contractor
A Malarkey Certified Pro Contractor sits one level above the baseline Certified tier. To earn it, the contractor completes hands-on, in-person training with a Malarkey representative and passes a Pro-level certification exam that tests both product knowledge and installation expertise. The practical advantage of this tier is warranty access. A Certified Pro Contractor is eligible…
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Malarkey
Malarkey Certified Premium Contractor
A Malarkey Certified Premium Contractor holds the highest tier in Malarkey's residential contractor program, above the baseline Certified and the mid-level Certified Pro tiers. Reaching it requires going beyond standard training: the contractor completes both the Certified Pro and the Certified Premium training programs, and critically, has their actual installed work reviewed by Malarkey's technical…
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Malarkey
3M Smog-Reducing Roof Specialist
The 3M Smog-Reducing Roof Specialist badge is a specialty designation a Malarkey contractor can earn on top of their base certification, rather than a standalone tier in the main contractor ladder. It reflects training specific to a particular roofing technology rather than to overall installation quality. It signifies that the contractor has been trained in…
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Malarkey
Scotchgard Protector 3M Shingle Sales Specialist
The Scotchgard Protector 3M Shingle Sales Specialist badge is another specialty designation layered on top of a Malarkey contractor's base certification. Like the smog-reducing badge, it reflects focused training on a specific product technology rather than a rung in the core certification hierarchy. It indicates the contractor has completed specialized training on Malarkey shingles featuring…
IKO Credentials
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IKO
IKO ROOFPRO Select
IKO ROOFPRO Select is the middle tier of IKO's ROOFPRO contractor loyalty program, sitting above the entry-level Advantage tier and below the top Craftsman Premier tier. Unlike Advantage, Select is a full, publicly recognized ROOFPRO membership, and it is the first level at which a contractor can offer homeowners IKO's extended warranty protection. Qualification is…
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IKO
IKO ROOFPRO Craftsman Premier
IKO ROOFPRO Craftsman Premier is the highest, VIP-level tier of IKO's ROOFPRO contractor loyalty program, above both Advantage and Select. It carries the program's richest rewards and most exclusive benefits, including additional marketing funds, partner discounts, and access to an invitation-only IKO retreat. As with the other tiers, advancement is driven largely by purchase volume…
TAMKO Credentials
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TAMKO
TAMKO Pro Certified
TAMKO Pro Certified is the foundational certified tier in TAMKO's Edge program, sitting above a non-certified installer and below the Gold, Platinum, and Diamond levels. It indicates that a contractor has been certified by TAMKO and trained on the proper installation of TAMKO products, rather than simply being a company that sells TAMKO shingles without…
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TAMKO
TAMKO Pro Gold
TAMKO Pro Gold is a certified contractor tier in TAMKO's Edge program, sitting above the base certified level and below the Platinum and Diamond tiers. It is a vetted credential rather than a simple product-purchase status. Gold contractors are vetted for installation quality, professionalism, and compliance with manufacturer specifications, and TAMKO does not award it…
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TAMKO
TAMKO Pro Platinum
TAMKO Pro Platinum is a certified contractor tier in TAMKO's Edge program, sitting in the upper range of the ladder above the base certified and Pro Gold levels and below the top Pro Diamond designation. It is an earned, vetted credential rather than a simple purchase-volume status. Reaching it requires meeting TAMKO's standards. Certified contractors…
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TAMKO
TAMKO Pro Diamond
TAMKO Pro Diamond is the highest contractor designation TAMKO offers, and it is genuinely scarce: there are fewer than 200 Pro Diamond contractors across the entire United States. It is an earned, vetted credential, not a purchase-volume badge. Reaching it is demanding. The designation is awarded by invitation to contractors who demonstrate a high level…
Atlas Credentials
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Atlas
Atlas Pro Contractor
Atlas Pro Contractor indicates that a company appears in the contractor network run by Atlas Roofing Corporation without holding an earned tier. The distinction matters because Atlas's program has two layers: Atlas PRO is the free enrollment layer, where any professional roofing contractor can register an account, gain access to Atlas's portal, training resources, and…
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Atlas
Atlas Pro+ Gold / Gold Select
Atlas Pro+ Gold is the entry level of the AtlasPRO+ contractor program from Atlas Roofing Corporation, sitting below Platinum and Diamond. Unlike the program's top tier, which measures multi-year consistency, Gold is a snapshot credential: it must be re-earned every program year, so a contractor carrying it has hit the qualifying volume recently rather than…
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Atlas
Atlas Pro+ Platinum / Platinum Select
Atlas Pro+ Platinum is the middle rung in the AtlasPRO+ contractor program from Atlas Roofing Corporation, above the Gold entry level and below only Diamond. Its position in the ladder gives it a distinct role: it is the ceiling of what a contractor can earn in any single year, because Diamond is not a separate…
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Atlas
Atlas Pro+ Diamond / Diamond Select
Atlas Pro+ Diamond is the highest level in the AtlasPRO+ contractor program from Atlas Roofing Corporation, which covers residential asphalt shingle work, so it appears on contractors who install Atlas shingle roofs. Contractors climb the ladder as installations of Signature Select Roofing Systems or Atlas shingles featuring Scotchgard Protector accumulate, and status is not self-reported…
Elevate Credentials
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Elevate
Elevate Licensed Contractor
Elevate is the commercial building-products brand formerly known as Firestone Building Products, rebranded after Holcim acquired the business in 2021. It is a major manufacturer of low-slope commercial roofing systems - EPDM and TPO single-ply membranes, modified bitumen, metal, and related products - and its directory of authorized contractors is the source of this credential…
VELUX Credentials
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VELUX
VELUX Certified Installer
VELUX Certified Installer is the broader of the two tiers in VELUX's installer program, and it describes a specific business model: a company that works across a variety of products or services, with VELUX skylights as one offering within a larger trade such as roofing, remodeling, or general construction, and that has completed VELUX's certification…
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VELUX
VELUX Skylight Specialist / Signature Skylight Specialist
VELUX Skylight Specialist is defined less by a checklist than by a business model: VELUX describes it as a company, or a division of one, fully dedicated to skylight and Sun Tunnel installations day in and day out, handling full-service projects from a single skylight swap to complex multi-unit jobs, with product knowledge spanning the…
Haag Credentials
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Haag
Haag Certified Inspector - Residential
Haag Certified Inspector - Residential (HCI-R) certifies that a specific person has been trained in Haag's methodology for assessing damage to steep-slope residential roofs. Haag is not a manufacturer or trade group but a forensic engineering firm with over 90 years of history, and the curriculum is built by Haag engineers from the firm's laboratory…
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Haag
Haag Certified Inspector - Commercial
Haag Certified Inspector - Commercial (HCI-C) certifies that a specific person has completed Haag's training in assessing damage to commercial low-slope roofing systems: built-up roofing, modified bitumen, single-ply membranes, spray polyurethane foam, and metal panels. That scope makes it materially different from the residential version, because low-slope assessment is its own discipline - hail that…
IBHS Credentials
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IBHS
FORTIFIED Roofing Contractor
FORTIFIED is a program of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), and its construction standard is built on decades of severe-weather research - which makes this a fundamentally different credential from a manufacturer's installer tier. The variants map to geography rather than rank: there are two regional standards, Hurricane and High Wind…
Tesla Credentials
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Tesla
Tesla Solar Roof Certified Installer
Tesla Solar Roof Certified Installer means a roofing company operates as a trained Tesla channel partner for Solar Roof installations. The training is crew-level and facility-based: Tesla requires a roofing crew from the company to complete the Solar Roof installation training for channel partners at a Tesla training facility, scheduled after the company sells its…
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Tesla
Tesla Premier Certified Installer
Where Tesla's standard certification is earned by completing training, the Premier tier cannot be applied for at all: it is invitation-only, with selected installers handpicked by the Tesla Energy team from among existing certified companies. The published criteria mix competence and relationship. Premier installers are viewed as energy experts within their region and have completed…
Johns Manville Credentials
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Johns Manville
Johns Manville Peak Advantage - Peak
Peak is the base level of the Peak Advantage program run by Johns Manville, the Denver-based commercial roofing manufacturer, so it appears on contractors installing JM's low-slope systems - single-ply TPO, EPDM, and PVC membranes along with bituminous built-up and modified bitumen roofs - rather than residential shingle work. The program ladder runs Peak, Summit…
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Johns Manville
Johns Manville Summit Club®
Summit Club is where the Peak Advantage program shifts from vetting to performance. Every Summit contractor has already cleared the Peak floor - licensing in all states of business, $1,000,000 in aggregate insurance, $1,000,000 in bonding capacity, and membership in a recognized trade organization like the NRCA - and then demonstrated real production with Johns…
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Johns Manville
Johns Manville Pinnacle Council®
Pinnacle Council sits one rung below the top of JM's four-level ladder, and it is the highest tier a contractor can reach on absolute numbers alone - the 5280 Council above it is a relative ranking, not a threshold. Getting here means stacking every lower requirement: the Peak-level business vetting (licensing in all states of…
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Johns Manville
Johns Manville 5280 Council™
The 5280 Council - named for the mile-high elevation of JM's Denver headquarters - works differently from every level below it. Peak, Summit Club, and Pinnacle Council are earned by clearing fixed bars; 5280 is earned by outproducing nearly everyone else. A member must satisfy the full Pinnacle stack - business vetting with licensing, $1,000,000…
Carlisle SynTec Credentials
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Carlisle SynTec
Carlisle Authorized Applicator
Carlisle SynTec Systems, headquartered in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and part of Carlisle Companies, is one of the dominant manufacturers of low-slope commercial roofing in North America. Its product lines - Sure-Seal EPDM, Sure-Weld TPO, Sure-Flex PVC, and the FleeceBACK family of fleece-reinforced membranes - cover most of the single-ply systems installed on warehouses, schools, offices, and…
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Carlisle SynTec
Carlisle Hall of Fame
Carlisle SynTec Systems inspects the warranted roofs its Authorized Applicators install, and a field service representative can score an installation a Perfect 10 - a flawless inspection. The Hall of Fame is the program that counts those perfect scores over a company's whole history with Carlisle. An applicator enters the Hall of Fame at the…
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Carlisle SynTec
Carlisle ESP Award (Excellence in Single-Ply)
Excellence in Single-Ply (ESP) is the annual award Carlisle SynTec Systems has used since 1998 to name the top ranks of its Authorized Applicator network, and Carlisle describes it as one of the most recognizable achievements in commercial roofing. ESP status is re-earned every year: standings are driven by the applicator's Carlisle installation volume and…
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Carlisle SynTec
Carlisle Perfection Award
Carlisle SynTec Systems maintains detailed records of every Authorized Applicator's warranty claims history - when a warranted Carlisle roof develops a problem, the manufacturer knows which contractor installed it. The Perfection Award is drawn each year from exactly that data: it recognizes the applicators whose installation quality produced warranty-claim performance in the top 5% of…
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Carlisle SynTec
Carlisle Perfection Council
The Perfection Council sits at the very top of Carlisle SynTec Systems' applicator honors. Its members are chosen annually, and only from the pool of that year's Perfection Award winners - companies whose warranty-claim performance already ranked in the top 5% of all US and Canadian Authorized Applicators. From that group, Carlisle selects a small…
NRCA Credentials
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NRCA
NRCA Membership
The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) is the leading trade association for the U.S. roofing industry. Established in 1886, it sets industry standards, publishes the technical and safety guidance that contractors, architects, and inspectors reference nationwide, and advocates for roofing professionals in Washington. It is one of the oldest and most recognized professional bodies in…