Ohio roofing contract rules
What an Ohio roofing contract must say, how long you can back out, how much a roofer may ask up front, when a lien can follow and what a roofer may do about your insurance claim. Each rule is quoted from the statute or agency rule. Checked 2026-10-09.
Short answer: An Ohio buyer can cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after signing the agreement (3 business days, Ohio Rev. Code §1345.22(A)). The federal rule adds 3 business days for sales made at your home (16 CFR 429). An Ohio home construction contractor may take no more than ten percent of the contract price as a down payment before it starts the work (Ohio Rev. Code §4722.04). A contractor, subcontractor or supplier on a one- or two-family home in Ohio must file its lien affidavit within sixty days of the last work or materials (Ohio Rev. Code §1311.06(B)(1)). 14 rules on this page are quoted from official statutes, agency rules or regulator pages; 8 more are marked not confirmed.
State cancel period
3 business days
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.22(A)
Deposit rule
10% of the price
Ohio Rev. Code §4722.04
Lien filing deadline
60 days
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.06(B)(1)
Written contract
Rule quoted
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.23(A)
Find your last day to cancel
Only the signing date is needed for the cancel dates. Add the other dates when they happen and the rules that start from them get a calendar day too. Counting starts the day after the date you enter.
Enter the signing date to see your dates.
Days are counted the way each rule defines them: federal “business days” skip Sundays and federal holidays and count Saturdays; where a state rule defines business days as Monday to Friday we skip Saturdays and Sundays; where a rule says business days without defining them, or just says “days”, we count every calendar day and show the earliest possible date. State holidays are not subtracted, so a real deadline can fall a day or two later than shown. If the last day lands on a weekend, do not wait for it. General information from public rules, not legal advice.
Ohio against the other states
Calendar-day equivalents are used for the bars only (business days scaled by 7/5, months by 30, years by 365); the exact unit is in the tables.
Before you sign: Ohio checklist
Every line below comes from a rule on this page. Tick a line as you check it.
Ohio: written contract
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Every Ohio sale made at your home must be written down, dated on the day you actually sign, and show the seller's name and address. | Ohio Rev. Code §1345.23(A) Covers: Home solicitation sales. | |
| An Ohio contractor may not do home construction work costing $25,000 or more unless it signs a written contract with you first. | $25,000 | Ohio Rev. Code §4722.02(A) Covers: Work on a one-, two- or three-family home, including repair and remodeling, by a supplier that carries at least $250,000 of general liability insurance. Smaller jobs are not covered by this chapter. |
| An Ohio home construction contract must state a general description of the work, start and finish dates, and the total estimated cost. The same list also requires the supplier's name and address, a copy of its certificate of insurance, and the dated signatures of both sides. |
Ohio Rev. Code §4722.02(A)(4)-(6) Covers: Home construction service contracts of $25,000 or more. |
Ohio: right to cancel
The federal rule (16 CFR §429.1(a)) gives 3 business days for a sale made at your home. Rules of Ohio below are added to it.
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| An Ohio buyer can cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after signing the agreement. The chapter does not define business day, so the calculator counts every day, shows the earliest possible date, and the real last day can be later; confirm the date with the seller in writing. |
3 business days counted from the day you sign |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.22(A) Covers: A sale of consumer goods or services made at the buyer's residence or away from the seller's place of business, with a total price of $25 or more. |
| The Ohio three-day right covers a sale where the seller solicits you at your home, including when you invited the seller, unless the total price is under $25. The same section lists exclusions, for example a sale after you visited the seller's retail business location, or a sale you started yourself for a genuine emergency when you sign a separate dated statement waiving the right. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.21(A) Covers: Consumer goods or services sold for personal use. | |
| The Ohio seller must give you a signed copy of the written agreement and attach a two-copy notice of cancellation that you can tear off. | Ohio Rev. Code §1345.23(A)-(B) Covers: Home solicitation sales. | |
| An Ohio roofer who sells to you at home may not begin the work while you can still cancel. | Ohio Rev. Code §1345.22(B) Covers: Home solicitation sales that require services; the statute makes an exception only for home security and automation systems. | |
| After you cancel, the Ohio seller has ten business days to refund every payment you made, and failing to do so is prohibited. | 10 business days counted from the day the notice is given |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.23(D)(4) Covers: A valid notice of cancellation of a home solicitation sale. |
Ohio: deposits and down payments
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| An Ohio home construction contractor may take no more than ten percent of the contract price as a down payment before it starts the work. | 10% of the price | Ohio Rev. Code §4722.04 Covers: Home construction service contracts of $25,000 or more. A supplier may take up to seventy-five percent of the cost of a special-order item that cannot be returned or used elsewhere; cost-plus contracts are exempt. |
Ohio: Mechanic's lien
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A contractor, subcontractor or supplier on a one- or two-family home in Ohio must file its lien affidavit within sixty days of the last work or materials. | 60 days counted from the last day of work or delivery of materials |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.06(B)(1) Covers: Liens on a one- or two-family dwelling or a residential condominium unit; the affidavit is recorded with the county recorder. |
| An Ohio mechanic's lien lasts six years after the affidavit is filed, and a lawsuit filed in that time keeps it alive until the case ends. You can also force the lienholder to sue: after a notice to commence suit is served, the lien is void if no suit is filed within sixty days (section 1311.11). |
6 years counted from the date the rule names |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.13(C) Covers: Liens under the mechanic's lien chapter. |
| Whoever files an Ohio lien affidavit must serve a copy on the owner within thirty days after filing it. | 30 days counted from the date the rule names |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.07 Covers: Anyone who files a mechanic's lien affidavit under section 1311.06. |
| If you pay your Ohio roofer in full before you receive a copy of a lien affidavit, no contractor, subcontractor or supplier can hold a lien on your home for that job. Paying in full is not a cure if the owner is guilty of fraud, and a subcontractor's lien is also capped at the unpaid balance of the contract. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.011(B)(1) Covers: Home construction contracts on a one- or two-family home used as the owner's residence; roofing is named in the definition. |
Ohio: insurance claims and your roofer
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| In Ohio only a certified public insurance adjuster may be paid to act for you in negotiating or settling a property insurance claim. | Ohio Rev. Code §3951.02 and §3951.01(B) Covers: Anyone who does this for compensation, including a roofer; lawyers and insurer employees and agents are excluded by section 3951.01(E). |
The insurer’s own deadlines are on the Ohio claim deadlines page.
Ohio roofing license
The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses only commercial electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics and refrigeration; local building and health departments regulate residential contractors. Source, checked 2026-10-07.
What we could not confirm in Ohio
- A separate Ohio cancellation right if your insurer denies the roof claim: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (Revised Code chapter 1345 read in full, chapters 4722, 3951 and sections 1311.011 to 1311.13).
- A ban on an Ohio roofer waiving or rebating the insurance deductible: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (Revised Code chapters 1345, 4722 and 3951); the word deductible does not appear in them.
- Rules on assigning insurance benefits to a roofer in Ohio: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (chapters 1345, 4722 and 3951).
- A required warning in an Ohio roofing contract that is paid from an insurance claim: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (chapters 1345, 4722 and 3951).
- A price-gouging ban after a declared emergency in Ohio: not confirmed. Not found in Revised Code chapter 1345, which was read in full; no price-gouging section appears in it.
- Extra registration or licensing for roofers after a disaster in Ohio: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (chapters 1345, 4722 and 3951).
- A limit on roofing deposits after a declared emergency in Ohio: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read; the general down-payment limit in section 4722.04 applies to larger home construction contracts.
- A rule that an Ohio roofer must hold your deposit in trust: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (chapters 1345, 4722).
Ohio contract questions
- How long can I cancel a roofing contract in Ohio?
- Ohio Rev. Code §1345.22(A): 3 business days, counted from the day you sign. The federal rule gives 3 business days for sales made at your home. The median across the 25 of 27 states with a confirmed number is about 4 calendar days (business days scaled by 7/5). The chapter does not define business day, so the calculator counts every day, shows the earliest possible date, and the real last day can be later; confirm the date with the seller in writing.
- What are the deposit rules for a roofing job in Ohio?
- Ohio Rev. Code §4722.04: An Ohio home construction contractor may take no more than ten percent of the contract price as a down payment before it starts the work.
- What is a mechanic's lien on a house in Ohio?
- Ohio Rev. Code §1311.06(B)(1): A contractor, subcontractor or supplier on a one- or two-family home in Ohio must file its lien affidavit within sixty days of the last work or materials.
- Can a roofer in Ohio handle my insurance claim for me?
- Ohio Rev. Code §3951.02 and §3951.01(B): In Ohio only a certified public insurance adjuster may be paid to act for you in negotiating or settling a property insurance claim.
Why contracts get signed fast after an Ohio hailstorm
NOAA lists 10 Ohio cities in our data with 125 city-days of hail at 1 inch or more since 2014; the largest stone was 2.5 inches and the busiest month is May.
Ohio cities we cover
| City | Cost | Roofers |
|---|---|---|
| Akron | Roof age | Roofers in Akron |
| Canton | Roof age | Roofers in Canton |
| Dayton | Roof age | Roofers in Dayton |
| Hamilton | Roof age | Roofers in Hamilton |
| Lorain | Roof age | Roofers in Lorain |
| Mansfield | Roof age | Roofers in Mansfield |
| Newark | Roof age | Roofers in Newark |
| Springfield | Roof age | Roofers in Springfield |
| Toledo | Roof age | Roofers in Toledo |
| Youngstown | Roof age | Roofers in Youngstown |
Where each Ohio rule comes from
| Rule | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract: no fixed number Every Ohio sale made at your home must be written down, dated on the day you actually sign, and show the seller's name and address. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.23(A) statute text Quote“Every home solicitation sale shall be evidenced by a written agreement or offer to purchase in the same language as that principally used in the oral sales presentation and shall contain the name and address of the seller” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-14 |
| Written contract: $25,000 An Ohio contractor may not do home construction work costing $25,000 or more unless it signs a written contract with you first. |
Ohio Rev. Code §4722.02(A) statute text Quote“no home construction service supplier shall perform any home construction service the cost of which equals or exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars unless the supplier enters into a written home construction services contract with the owner” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-06 |
| Written contract: no fixed number An Ohio home construction contract must state a general description of the work, start and finish dates, and the total estimated cost. |
Ohio Rev. Code §4722.02(A)(4)-(6) statute text Quote“(4) A general description of the home construction service, including the goods and services to be furnished as part of the service; (5) The anticipated date or time period the home construction service is to begin and the anticipated date or time period it is to be completed; (6) The total estimated cost of the home construction service” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-06 |
| Right to cancel: 3 business days An Ohio buyer can cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after signing the agreement. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.22(A) statute text Quote“the buyer has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the buyer signs an agreement or offer to purchase” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-04-11 |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number The Ohio three-day right covers a sale where the seller solicits you at your home, including when you invited the seller, unless the total price is under $25. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.21(A) statute text Quote“engages in a personal solicitation of the sale at a residence of the buyer, including solicitations in response to or following an invitation by the buyer ... is less than twenty-five dollars” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-07-21 |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number The Ohio seller must give you a signed copy of the written agreement and attach a two-copy notice of cancellation that you can tear off. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.23(A)-(B) statute text Quote“The seller shall leave with the buyer a copy of the writing which has been signed by the seller ... A completed form, in duplicate, captioned "notice of cancellation", shall be attached to the contract signed by the buyer and be easily detachable” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-14 |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number An Ohio roofer who sells to you at home may not begin the work while you can still cancel. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.22(B) statute text Quote“where a home solicitation sale requires a seller to provide services, the seller shall not commence performance of such services during the time in which the buyer may cancel” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-04-11 |
| Right to cancel: 10 business days After you cancel, the Ohio seller has ten business days to refund every payment you made, and failing to do so is prohibited. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1345.23(D)(4) statute text Quote“Fail or refuse to honor any valid notice of cancellation by a buyer and within ten business days after receipt of such notice to: (a) Refund all payments made under the contract or sale” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-14 |
| Deposits and down payments: 10% of the price An Ohio home construction contractor may take no more than ten percent of the contract price as a down payment before it starts the work. |
Ohio Rev. Code §4722.04 statute text Quote“may take as a down payment not more than ten per cent of the contract price before the supplier's performance that is required by the contract begins” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-06 |
| Mechanic's lien: 60 days A contractor, subcontractor or supplier on a one- or two-family home in Ohio must file its lien affidavit within sixty days of the last work or materials. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.06(B)(1) statute text Quote“within sixty days from the date on which the last labor or work was performed or material was furnished by the person claiming the lien” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-05-10 |
| Mechanic's lien: 6 years An Ohio mechanic's lien lasts six years after the affidavit is filed, and a lawsuit filed in that time keeps it alive until the case ends. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.13(C) statute text Quote“Liens under sections 1311.01 to 1311.22 of the Revised Code continue in force for six years after an affidavit is filed in the office of the county recorder under section 1311.06 of the Revised Code. If an action is brought to enforce the lien within that time, the lien continues in force until final adjudication thereof” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-06-19 |
| Mechanic's lien: 30 days Whoever files an Ohio lien affidavit must serve a copy on the owner within thirty days after filing it. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.07 statute text Quote“shall serve a copy of the affidavit on the owner, part owner, or lessee of the improved property or his designee, within thirty days after filing the affidavit” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-06 |
| Mechanic's lien: no fixed number If you pay your Ohio roofer in full before you receive a copy of a lien affidavit, no contractor, subcontractor or supplier can hold a lien on your home for that job. |
Ohio Rev. Code §1311.011(B)(1) statute text Quote“improvement of driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools, porches, garages, carports, landscaping, fences, fallout shelters, siding, roofing, storm windows ... if the owner, part owner, or lessee paid the original contractor in full or if the purchaser has paid in full for the amount of the home construction or home purchase contract price, and the payment was made prior to the owner's, part owner's, or lessee's receipt of a copy of an affidavit of mechanics' lien” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2025-07-09 |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number In Ohio only a certified public insurance adjuster may be paid to act for you in negotiating or settling a property insurance claim. |
Ohio Rev. Code §3951.02 and §3951.01(B) statute text Quote“No person, firm, association, partnership, or corporation shall act within this state as a public insurance adjuster, or receive, directly or indirectly, compensation for services rendered in the adjustment of any claim ... unless he, or it, is the holder of a certificate of authority ... who, for compensation, acts on behalf of or aids in any manner, an insurer or insured or another in negotiating for, or effecting the settlement of a claim or claims for loss or damage under any policy of insurance covering real or personal property” |
2026-10-09 archived copy of official page Archived copy, 2026-06-07 |
Nearby states
Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa or all states.
Related: Ohio claim deadlines, Ohio roofers, insurer roof-age rules.