Two Years, Three Years or Five?
The term on a certification is the estimated remaining service life the contractor is willing to state. Longer is not automatically better — it has to be defensible.
Why two years is the common floor
Lender and appraisal guidance frequently turns on whether a roof has at least two years of remaining life, which is why the two-year certification became the standard product in residential transactions.
Requirements vary by loan programme, investor and lender overlay. Confirm with the lender on your specific file rather than assuming — and ask them what term they require in writing, because an assumption here can cost a closing date.
When a longer term makes sense
- A newer roof in genuinely good condition, where three or five years is straightforwardly defensible
- An insurer asking for a longer remaining-life statement before binding or renewing
- A buyer negotiating, who wants more than the minimum on paper
What we will not do
Write a longer term than the roof supports. If a roof has two defensible years, we will certify two and say why. Inflating the number to smooth a transaction transfers the risk to the buyer and puts our licence behind a statement we do not believe.
Tell us what term the lender or insurer actually requires, and we will tell you honestly whether this roof can carry it.
If the roof cannot carry the term
- Repairs may bring it up to a certifiable condition — we will scope and price them
- A shorter term may satisfy the requirement; ask the lender before assuming it will not
- Replacement may be the answer, in which case a new roof with its permit and warranty resolves the issue outright
- A credit to the buyer in lieu of work is a transaction decision for the parties and their agents, not for us
Common questions
How long is a roof certification good for?
The term is the estimated remaining life stated in the document, commonly two, three or five years. It speaks to the condition observed on the inspection date; storm damage afterwards is a new condition, not a breach of the certification.
Does FHA require a two-year roof certification?
FHA appraisal guidance has long turned on whether a roof has at least two years of remaining life, and lenders commonly resolve a flagged roof with a two-year certification. Requirements and overlays vary by lender — confirm on your file in writing.