Roofing Qualifications in the UK: NVQs, CSCS and Manufacturer Certification

There's no single licence you need to work as a roofer in the UK. Most roofers end up holding two kinds of roofing qualification: a recognised one, usually an NVQ, that gets them a CSCS card and onto bigger sites, and manufacturer certification for the systems they actually install. The first shows you're a competent roofer. The second shows you can fit a particular product properly, and it's what product guarantees depend on.

We run manufacturer training days at RESTEC Academy, so every week we meet roofers working out which qualification to get next. Here's how the different routes fit together.

What roofing qualifications are there in the UK?

Route	How long it takes	Who it's for	What you get
Roofing apprenticeship	Usually two years or more, mostly on site	New starters	A full trade qualification and site experience
NVQ in roofing occupations	Depends on experience; experienced roofers can often be assessed on site	Roofers who need formal proof of competence	A recognised qualification, often used to apply for a CSCS card
Manufacturer certification	Usually one day	Roofers adding a new system to their work	Hands-on skills and certification on that system

You don't have to choose between them. Plenty of the roofers on our courses already hold an NVQ and come to us to add a liquid roofing system to what they offer.

Do you need qualifications to be a roofer in the UK?

Legally, no. In practice, most main contractors and larger sites won't let you on without a CSCS card, and the skilled-worker cards are normally tied to an NVQ or equivalent. Homeowners rarely ask to see an NVQ. They're far more likely to ask what guarantee comes with the roof.

What's required changes from site to site and between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check with the contractors you work for. For questions about qualifications and funding, the CITB and the NFRC are the places to start.

NVQ or manufacturer certification: what's the difference?

An NVQ in roofing assesses your general competence. It isn't tied to any product, so it goes with you from job to job. NVQs are assessed by approved centres and colleges.

Manufacturer certification covers one system. You're trained by the people who make the product to prepare the roof, apply the system and finish the details properly. With liquid roofing, that's where jobs go wrong: poor surface preparation, the wrong coverage rate, or rushed detailing at upstands, outlets and edges.

Everyone who completes a RESTEC training day gets an attendance certificate and a personal Trainer ID card. With a valid Trainer ID you can offer customers RESTEC's 20-year materials guarantee on qualifying roofs you install and register. An NVQ on its own won't give you that, and on domestic work the guarantee is often what wins the job.

What does a manufacturer roofing course cover?

Our courses are hands-on. You spend the day on training rigs at one of our centres with an experienced trainer, in a group of no more than 12. Most courses run for a full day; Coatings is a half-day. Each course covers one system:

• Flexitec: our flexible MPEC liquid roofing system for new build and overlay flat roofs. From £120 + VAT.
• RESTEC & VELUX Specialist Flat Roof Training: Flexitec plus VELUX flat roof windows and rooflights. From £150 + VAT.
• Flexitec Platinum: our most advanced liquid waterproofing system, aimed at specification and commercial work. From £200 + VAT.
• Coatings: roof coatings for refurbishment, such as protecting ageing metal roofs and adding anti-slip surfaces. From £150 + VAT.

Prices are per delegate, before VAT. Each training day shows its exact price when you book.

Which roofing qualification should you get?

• New to roofing: start with an apprenticeship or a college course, then add system training once you're on the tools.
• Experienced, but kept off bigger sites: look at the NVQ experienced-worker route and the CSCS card that goes with it.
• Already roofing and want to offer a new system: a manufacturer course is the quickest way to add a guaranteed product. If you're not sure which system suits your work, give the training team a call.
• Running a team: we can arrange group, merchant and on-site training.

Where can you get roofing certification near you?

We run training days at 22 centres across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, including Bristol, Manchester, Doncaster, St Albans, Plymouth, Belfast, Glasgow (Uddingston) and our head office in North Wales. Search by postcode on the training centre locations page to find your nearest centre and its dates. With 12 places a day, popular dates fill early.

Booking a roofing course

You can see every upcoming training day and book online in a few minutes. If you'd rather talk it through, call the training team on 01352 748 600 (Monday to Thursday 08:30–17:00, Friday 08:30–15:00).