UPDATED FOR 2025
3 Essential Roofing Certifications to Look for In a Reputable Roofing Company
Learn about GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred certifications—the key certifications to look for when searching for a reputable roofing company.
Key Takeaways:
- Roofing certifications prove that contractors have passed rigorous manufacturer training, maintain proper licensing and insurance, and meet strict quality standards that basic roofers don’t.
- GAF Master Elite (top 3%), CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster (top 1%), and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred (top 1%) represent the highest certifications available—contractors with these credentials can offer warranties unavailable through non-certified companies.
- Certified contractors provide access to enhanced warranties covering both materials and workmanship for 25-50 years, while non-certified contractors typically offer only 1-5 years of basic coverage.
- County Roofing Systems holds all three top-tier certifications simultaneously, making us one of the few Long Island contractors qualified to offer the strongest protection from all three major manufacturers.
You’re hiring a roofing contractor to replace the most expensive exterior component of your home.
That contractor will install materials worth $15,000 to $30,000 or more. They’ll guarantee that roof will protect your family for decades. But how do you know they’re actually qualified to deliver on those promises?
Manufacturer certifications separate professional roofing companies from basic contractors who simply install shingles. These certifications prove training, verify insurance, confirm business stability, and unlock warranty protection that non-certified contractors can’t offer.
Below, we’ll break down the three most important roofing certifications to look for—and explain exactly why they matter for your Long Island home.
What Are Roofing Certifications?
Roofing certifications are credentials awarded by major manufacturers to contractors who meet strict qualification standards.
GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning—the three largest roofing material manufacturers in North America—all run structured certification programs. These programs require contractors to complete manufacturer training, pass technical examinations, maintain proper licensing and insurance, demonstrate financial stability, and prove consistent customer satisfaction.
Basic contractors can buy and install any manufacturer’s shingles. They don’t need permission or certification to purchase materials from distributors.
Certified contractors have been vetted by manufacturers. They’ve proven they know how to install products correctly, they carry adequate insurance coverage, they maintain stable businesses, and they deliver quality results.
Think of it like the difference between someone who cooks at home versus a chef with culinary school credentials. Both can make food, but only one has been trained and tested to professional standards.
The certification levels create a hierarchy. Entry-level certifications confirm basic qualifications. Mid-tier certifications require ongoing training and proven track records. Top-tier certifications—Master Elite, SELECT ShingleMaster, and Platinum Preferred—represent the elite contractors who’ve achieved the highest standards in the industry.
These top certifications aren’t available to everyone who applies. Manufacturers handpick contractors based on years of proven excellence, customer satisfaction ratings, financial stability, and commitment to ongoing education. Contractors must submit documentation and qualifications to a certifying body for review and approval. Ongoing education and training through these certification programs also support professional growth for roofing contractors.
Why Are Roofing Certifications and Roof Warranties Important?
Certifications protect you from the most common problems homeowners face when hiring roofing contractors.
Insurance and licensing verification: Certified contractors must carry minimum $1 million general liability insurance and proper workers’ compensation coverage. Manufacturers verify this annually. When you hire a non-certified contractor, you’re trusting their word about insurance—and many homeowners discover too late their roofer wasn’t properly covered.
Financial stability screening: Certified contractors undergo credit checks and financial reviews. Manufacturers want to ensure the contractor won’t go bankrupt mid-project or disappear after collecting your deposit. Non-certified contractors might be operating on the edge of insolvency, putting your project and deposits at risk.
Installation quality assurance: Manufacturers train certified contractors on proper installation techniques. Many also conduct random job site inspections to verify work meets standards. A roof inspector conducts a detailed inspection and detailed examination of both the exterior and roof interior to assess the roof’s condition and integrity.
This catches installation errors that cause premature roof failure—improper flashing, incorrect ventilation, wrong nailing patterns—mistakes that void manufacturer warranties and lead to expensive repairs. During the inspection process, issues such as damaged shingles, improper venting, uneven decking, roof protrusions, vent pipes, and ventilation ridges are specifically checked to ensure the roof’s integrity.
Enhanced warranty access: This is where certifications create the biggest difference. Standard material warranties cover 10-25 years and exclude labor costs. Enhanced warranties available only through certified contractors cover 50 years of materials plus 25 years of workmanship warranty including labor, tear-off, and disposal.
If your roof fails due to installation error after 15 years and you used a basic contractor, you’re paying $15,000+ out of pocket. If you used a certified contractor, the manufacturer covers everything. A certification document and defined certification period provide proof of the roof’s condition for the duration of the warranty.
Proven customer satisfaction: Manufacturers track customer reviews and satisfaction ratings. Contractors who consistently disappoint customers lose certifications. This ongoing monitoring ensures certified contractors maintain quality standards year after year. Routine annual inspections and having your roof inspected by a professional help maintain certification and warranty eligibility.
For Long Island specifically, certifications matter even more. Our coastal climate, freeze-thaw cycles, heavy snow loads, and humidity create challenging conditions that expose installation errors quickly. Assessing the overall structural stability and structural stability of the roof is especially important in these environments.
A certified contractor trained in Long Island’s specific requirements installs your roof correctly the first time. Insurance provider and insurance claims processes are facilitated by having a current roof certification, which documents any pre existing conditions or pre existing problems before storm-related roof damage occurs.
Now let’s look at the three specific certifications that represent the highest standards available. Certification serves as official documentation for property owners, real estate transactions, and the insurance claim process.
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1. GAF Master Elite (GAF Certified Contractors)
GAF is North America’s largest roofing manufacturer, and their Master Elite certification represents the top 3% of roofing contractors nationwide.
GAF certification levels include:
GAF Certified™: Entry-level certification requiring proper licensing, insurance, and completion of GAF training programs. Certified contractors can offer the System Plus Limited Warranty with 50 years of material coverage.
GAF Certified Plus™: Mid-tier certification requiring Better Business Bureau verification, ongoing professional training commitments, and proven installation quality. These contractors can offer both System Plus and Silver Pledge warranties, with Silver Pledge adding 10 years of workmanship coverage.
GAF Master Elite®: The highest tier, awarded to just 3% of contractors nationwide. Requirements include everything from lower tiers plus exceptional customer satisfaction ratings, financial stability verification, minimum $1 million liability insurance, and proven multi-year track record. Only contractors with this certification are authorized to offer GAF’s enhanced warranties and exclusive services.
What Master Elite contractors can offer that others can’t:
Master Elite contractors have exclusive access to the Golden Pledge® Limited Warranty—the strongest warranty in the roofing industry. GAF services, including access to business tools and support, are also available to Master Elite contractors.
This includes 50 years of non-prorated material coverage, 25 years of workmanship protection covering labor and installation errors, full tear-off and disposal cost coverage, and transferability to new homeowners. GAF rewards and GAF rewards points are earned by certified contractors through qualifying purchases, supporting their professional growth and business development.
GAF also offers the President’s Club Award to Master Elite contractors who demonstrate the longest and most consistent track record of excellence. These contractors receive additional recognition for sustained performance over multiple years. The GAF Community Contractor Program allows certified contractors to participate in community service projects, such as Habitat for Humanity, by donating labor and materials.
For Long Island homeowners, GAF Master Elite certification means working with a contractor who’s been thoroughly vetted by the industry’s largest manufacturer and can offer warranty protection that basic contractors simply can’t access. In cases of severe roof damage, replacing the entire roof may be more practical and is covered under the Golden Pledge warranty.
2. CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster™ (CertainTeed Certified Contractors)
CertainTeed’s SELECT ShingleMaster certification is even more exclusive—representing the top 1% of roofing contractors in each region.
CertainTeed certification levels include:
Master Shingle Applicator (MSA): Individual installer certification proving knowledge of CertainTeed’s installation manual and proper techniques. This is a personal credential, not a company-wide certification.
ShingleMaster™: Company-level certification requiring at least one Shingle Quality Specialist on staff plus one crew with Master Shingle Applicator credentials. ShingleMaster companies can offer enhanced warranties but not the top-tier coverage.
SELECT ShingleMaster™: The highest tier, requiring 5+ years in business (or 1 year as a ShingleMaster), Master Shingle Applicator certification for all supervisors and minimum 50% of installation crews, at least one Shingle Quality Specialist on staff, business owner must pass Business Fiscal Responsibility exam, proper liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and customer satisfaction rating of 4.0 or higher on five-point scale.
What SELECT ShingleMaster contractors can offer that others can’t:
SELECT ShingleMasters have exclusive access to SureStart™ PLUS extended warranties, including the 5-Star option providing 50 years of non-prorated material coverage, 25 years of workmanship protection, full coverage for labor, materials, tear-off, and disposal, 15-year transferability if you sell your home, and 10-year StreakFighter algae resistance.
The SELECT designation means CertainTeed has verified this contractor maintains the highest installation standards, employs extensively trained crews, operates a financially stable business, and consistently delivers exceptional customer satisfaction.
For Long Island homes, SELECT ShingleMaster certification matters because CertainTeed’s products perform exceptionally well in our humid coastal climate when installed correctly—and this certification proves the contractor knows exactly how to handle Long Island’s specific challenges.
3. Owens Corning Platinum Preferred (Owens Corning Certified Contractors)
Owens Corning’s Platinum Preferred certification is invitation-only, awarded to less than 1% of roofing contractors nationwide.
Owens Corning certification levels include:
Preferred Contractor: Mid-tier certification requiring proper licensing and insurance, good Better Business Bureau standing, minimum 3 years in business, adherence to industry installation standards, clean credit record, and no bankruptcies in past 7 years. Preferred Contractors can offer System Protection and Preferred Protection warranties.
Platinum Preferred Contractor: The highest tier, awarded by invitation only to contractors who’ve demonstrated exceptional performance as Preferred Contractors. Additional requirements include minimum $1 million general liability insurance, financial stability screening and verification, proven track record of outstanding customer service, passing random workmanship inspections at job sites, commitment to ongoing Owens Corning training, and operation under same business name for minimum 3 years (proving stability).
What Platinum Preferred contractors can offer that others can’t:
Platinum Preferred contractors have exclusive access to the Platinum Protection Limited Lifetime Warranty, which includes 50 years of TRU PROtection® period covering both materials and labor at 100%, lifetime workmanship coverage (prorated after initial 25 years), 130 mph wind resistance when properly installed, 10-year StreakGuard® algae resistance, full roofing system component coverage, and transferability with proper notification.
Owens Corning’s screening process is notably rigorous. They don’t just check qualifications once—they conduct ongoing job site inspections to verify contractors maintain installation standards. Contractors who slip in quality lose Platinum status.
For Long Island roofs, Platinum Preferred certification demonstrates the contractor has been handpicked by Owens Corning as among the absolute best in the industry—and can deliver warranty protection that extends decades beyond what typical contractors offer.
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We’ve met the toughest requirements in the residential roofing industry- and we use only the best materials.
That’s why we stand behind our work with the best guarantee in the industry– including warranties only 2% of roofing companies can offer.
Your house deserves the best roofing warranty on the market. Give us a call today and get a brand new roof with a 50-year material, 25-year labor warranty from the best roofing contractor in Long Island and New York.
Choose County Roofing Systems: Long Island’s Triple-Certified Roofing Experts
You now understand why roofing certifications matter and what the top three certifications represent.
But here’s what makes County Roofing Systems unique: we hold all three top-tier certifications simultaneously.
GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor. Very few roofing companies anywhere—and especially on Long Island—maintain this triple certification status.
This means when you work with County Roofing Systems, you’re not limited to one manufacturer’s products or warranty programs. We can offer you:
GAF Golden Pledge with 50 years of material coverage and 25 years of workmanship protection
CertainTeed SureStart PLUS 5-Star with comprehensive coverage and 15-year transferability
Owens Corning Platinum Protection with 50-year TRU PROtection® and lifetime workmanship coverage
We help you choose which manufacturer and warranty program best fits your specific needs, preferences, and budget—because we’re qualified to offer the absolute best from all three.
Why County Roofing Systems stands apart:
35+ years serving Long Island since 1988: We’ve been protecting Nassau and Suffolk County homes for more than three decades. This longevity proves our business stability and commitment to the community—exactly what manufacturers look for when awarding elite certifications.
Own trained employees—never subcontractors: Every person working on your roof is a County Roofing Systems employee who receives ongoing manufacturer training from GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning. We maintain the highest certification levels because we control quality at every step—something impossible when using subcontractors.
25-year labor warranty on all installations: Beyond manufacturer workmanship coverage, County Roofing Systems backs every roof with our own comprehensive 25-year labor warranty. This dual protection means you’re covered through both manufacturer programs and our company guarantee.
Premium materials exclusively: We install only GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning products—never economy shingles or off-brand accessories. This commitment to quality is required for certification maintenance and ensures you get the performance these manufacturers designed their products to deliver.
Fully licensed in Nassau, Suffolk, all 5 NYC boroughs, and Westchester: Our comprehensive licensing across Long Island and the greater New York area proves we meet every jurisdiction’s standards—additional verification of our professionalism and credibility.
Proper warranty registration handled automatically: We manage all warranty registration with manufacturers within required timeframes. You receive confirmation that your enhanced warranty coverage is active—no paperwork headaches or missed deadlines.
Don’t settle for basic contractors who can’t offer the industry’s strongest warranties. Choose the only Long Island contractor holding all three elite certifications from GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning.
Call (888) 366-6619 or visit countyroofingsystems.com
Get a free roof inspection and warranty comparison from Long Island’s triple-certified roofing experts—GAF Master Elite, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor. Experience the difference that elite certification makes for your home’s protection.
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