Last reviewed October 31, 2026.
It tends to land late, after the inspection and the back and forth on price, tucked into a closing checklist. The seller calls a roofer and asks for “the certification.” The roofer asks right back what the buyer needs it to say. Know which rule sits behind the request and that call stays short.
A roofer’s letter, not a permit or a county form
A roof certification is a written opinion on one roof, at one address, on one date. The National Roof Certification and Inspection Association describes its own certificate as “a dated record” that a roof met published criteria after inspection, and says plainly that it is not insurance, not a service contract and not a promise that water will never get in (January 2026). A clean letter describes the roof on inspection day. It promises nothing about the next storm.
Tom Jannace Roofing in Stony Brook describes what goes into its inspection reports: shingles, flashing, gutters, decking and the connection points, plus an attic ventilation review, with photographs, measurements and condition ratings (August 2025). For a sale, ask for a few more lines on the letter: the roofing material, the number of layers if they can be seen, an estimate of remaining life, any repairs needed, and the roofer’s license number.
The buyer, the lender or the insurer
Three parties ask for it, and each wants something different. The buyer wants to know whether a roof replacement is waiting just after closing. The lender wants the house to hold its value for the life of the loan. The insurer wants to know what it is covering. Tom Jannace says insurance companies increasingly want documented inspections before approving coverage, and the NRCIA notes that some lenders and insurers ask for roof condition records before a closing or before binding a policy.
When the buyer’s agent or attorney sends the request, ask two things: who needs it, and what it must state. A letter for an insurer’s underwriter and a letter for an FHA appraiser answer different questions.
The two-year test in FHA appraisals
The clearest rule comes from HUD. Handbook 4000.1, in the edition HUD issued on August 12, 2026, still carries a roof covering section dated September 14, 2015. It tells the FHA appraiser to notify the lender when the roof covering does not keep moisture out, does not offer reasonable future utility, durability and economy of maintenance, and does not have a remaining physical life of at least two years.
The handbook then says the appraiser “must report if the roof has less than two years of remaining life, and make the appraisal subject to inspection by a professional roofer.” That sentence is where a roofer’s letter enters the loan file. If the appraiser cannot see the roof, the handbook requires an explanation and a report on the underside of the roof, the attic and the ceilings instead.
What VA appraisers check on the roof
The VA Lender’s Handbook sets its roof standard in Chapter 12, Topic 26. The text below comes from the version of Chapter 12 that VA’s KnowVA site labels effective until May 1, 2026. The roof covering must prevent the entrance of moisture and provide reasonable future utility, durability and economy of maintenance. When a defective roof with three or more layers of shingles has to be replaced, all of the old shingles must come off first. The handbook also states that the appraiser is not required to climb onto the roof.
VA’s Change 46, dated February 27, 2026, announced the removal of five property requirements from Chapter 12 for appraisals ordered after May 1, 2026. Its list of changes covers Topics 1, 23, 32 and 34. The roof covering topic was left as it was.
Price and shelf life of the letter
We found no Long Island roofer that publishes a price for a certification letter. Tom Jannace advertises free inspections across Suffolk County. A free look from a company that would also bid the replacement is worth having. Just read it with that in mind. The roof inspection guide lists what Long Island companies charge for a paid, written inspection.
How long the letter stays good is up to whoever writes it. Neither the HUD roof text nor the VA one sets a term. For its LeakFREE certification, the NRCIA sets the term by the inspection findings, slope, materials and condition, and caps it at ten years. It also advises confirming in writing with the specific lender or insurer whether a certificate will satisfy them, since requirements vary.
When the letter comes back with bad news
Sometimes the roofer will not certify. The sale can still go ahead. The seller can fix what the letter lists and ask for a new one, offer the buyer a credit, or replace the roof before closing. The guide to how long a roof lasts helps judge whether a repair buys enough time.
If the roof is fairly new, the more useful paper may be the manufacturer warranty, since some can pass to a buyer only within a short window after the sale. The roof warranty guide explains those transfer rules. Whoever writes the letter, vet the company the way the contractor checks page lays out before you hand the letter to a lender.
