North Carolina Contractor Deposit Rules (2026): No Roofing Payment Until Day Five
North Carolina sets no general cap, but since October 1, 2024 an insurance roofing contractor can't start work or collect any payment until five business days after a denial. From G.S. 14-401.13(b1).
Not legal advice. General information from each state's statutes, checked Oct 20, 2026. Local rules and the facts of your contract can change the answer; for a specific contract, ask a lawyer licensed in your state.
Set the deposit
Every payment tied to a stage
The deposit and payment schedule in the Clamp app: a $1,000 deposit due when the customer signs, then every other payment tied to a stage of the job. $1,000 on this $17,699 bathroom is under every state's cap. Sample data.
What the law says
“the seller shall not begin work or collect any payment until the five business days have expired”
The maximum deposit, worked
| Contract price | How it works out | Maximum deposit |
|---|---|---|
| $8,000 | Insurance-paid roofing: nothing can be required until five business days after a denial | $0 |
| $25,000 | Insurance-paid roofing: nothing can be required until five business days after a denial | $0 |
| $60,000 | Insurance-paid roofing: nothing can be required until five business days after a denial | $0 |
Who it covers and the penalty
Covers
Roof replacement or repair contracts paid from an insurance claim, entered on or after October 1, 2024.
Emergency work
Emergency services the insured acknowledges in writing as necessary to prevent further damage can be collected.
The penalty
A violation of the subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Other work
The general contractor licensing law (G.S. 87, Article 1, jobs of $40,000 or more) has no deposit rule.
Also in the law
- A 2022 national roofing-law summary that lists North Carolina as having no roofing rule is out of date since this 2024 law.
North Carolina deposit questions
Can a North Carolina roofer take a deposit on an insurance job?
Not until five business days after a claim denial, except emergency work the owner acknowledges in writing. Contracts signed before October 1, 2024 are not covered.
Compare other states
How we checked
We read each state's statute or licensing rule on the official legislature or agency site and quote it as written. Where the official site would not load, the row says so and names the copy we read. A state stays "still being checked" until we have read the full rule; we never mark it "no cap" before then. Last checked .
This guide explains what the statutes say. It is not legal advice; for a specific contract, ask a lawyer licensed in your state.