MONTGOMERY, Ala. — With Hurricane Isaias damage spread across south Alabama, the state's Home Builders Licensure Board is warning contractors and homeowners that storm repair work now carries higher legal stakes in 40 counties.
Gov. Kay Ivey issued an emergency proclamation on Oct. 7, ahead of the storm. Under Alabama law, that declaration triggers tougher penalties for contractors who take advantage of storm victims. The Board announced the warning on Oct. 8.
"Taking advantage of fellow Alabamians who suffer damage or loss of property will not be tolerated," said Seth Gowan, the Board's executive director.
The storm
Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, on the evening of Oct. 9 as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds, then tracked into south and central Alabama. At least two people died in Alabama, according to the Alabama Reflector, one in a crash involving fallen trees in Barbour County and one when a tree fell on a house in Birmingham.
Alabama Power reported more than 275,000 customers lost power. Houston, Coffee, Geneva and Conecuh counties were among the hardest hit, and the National Weather Service said some inland counties saw total power loss. FEMA approved federal disaster assistance for Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile counties.
Downed trees and damaged roofs mean a wave of repair work, and the out-of-town crews that often follow it.
Who needs a license
Work | License required | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
Residential construction and repair | Home builder license | Jobs over $10,000 |
Replacing a storm-damaged roof | Roofer license | Jobs over $2,500 |
Both licenses are issued by the Home Builders Licensure Board. The Board encourages homeowners to hire licensed professionals even for jobs under $10,000. State law also requires licensed home builders to use a written contract that lists the contractor's full name, address and phone number, a description of the work, start and estimated completion dates, and the total price.
What the law actually says
The Board's warning rests on Alabama's State of Emergency Consumer Protection Act, passed in 2021 as Act 2021-272. It created the crime of aggravated home repair fraud, a Class C felony, which applies to repair work on homes damaged during a declared state of emergency.
Under the law, a contractor can face that felony charge for:
- Lying about material facts, making promises they don't intend to keep, or using deception to win a repair contract
- Hiding their name or business address
- Using deception, coercion or force to change a contract's terms
- Damaging property to create repair work
- Posing as a government or utility worker to land a job
- Knowingly misrepresenting or hiding that they don't have a required license, or repeating a licensing violation after a prior conviction
The Board's release puts it more broadly, saying unlicensed homebuilding offered after an emergency declaration is a Class C felony. Roofing without a license is normally a Class A misdemeanor, the Board says, but becomes a felony when someone takes advantage of homeowners after a severe weather emergency.
The practical takeaway for contractors is the same either way: working without the required license is already illegal, and adding any dishonesty about it during a declared emergency can turn a licensing problem into a felony.
Counties covered
The emergency proclamation covers 40 counties: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Chambers, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Escambia, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Washington and Wilcox.
What contractors should do
- Check your license before you take storm work. If a roof replacement is over $2,500 or a repair job is over $10,000, you need the matching Board license.
- Out-of-town crews face the same rules. The same dollar thresholds apply, and the Board is telling homeowners to check references on contractors from out of town.
- Put it in writing. Use a full written contract with your license number, contact information, scope, dates and total price.
- Carry your license card. The Board's license is a paper or digital card the size of a credit card, and homeowners are being told to ask for it.
- Work with the insurer. The Board is urging homeowners to coordinate repairs with their insurance companies, so expect more questions about estimates and paperwork.
- Don't overpromise. Promising a start date or scope you can't deliver is exactly the kind of conduct the felony law targets.
How homeowners can check and report
Homeowners can verify a contractor's license at hblb.alabama.gov or by calling 1-800-304-0853. The Board also recommends getting several written quotes, checking references, especially for contractors who show up unannounced or come from out of town, and calling law enforcement if a contractor seems to be in the area for the wrong reasons.
Suspected fraud or price gouging can be reported to the Alabama Attorney General's Consumer Interest Division at 1-800-392-5658 or through the consumer complaint link at alabamaag.gov.
Gowan urged residents to be cautious and patient as they hire help.