Maryland Roofing Contractor Faces Five Charges. In Maryland, a Deposit Stops at One Third

A contractor faces five criminal charges in Calvert County, Maryland. According to charging documents reported by The BayNet on October 24, 2026, investigators with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) allege the following. The contractor collected a $4,750 down payment on a roof replacement. The work never started, and the homeowners were not refunded. Two of the five charges are about the license. These are charges, not convictions, and the case is still open.

This article covers what was reported and what Maryland law says about the home improvement license, the deposit limit and the written contract. It also covers what MHIC tells homeowners to check, and what this means for companies that want to work in Maryland. We do not name the contractor. For the full picture of how the state licenses contractors, start with the Maryland contractor license page.

At a glance

• Who: a contractor charged in Calvert County District Court. Not named here. A charge is an accusation, not a finding.
• Reported: October 24, 2026, by The BayNet, from the charging documents.
• The contract: a roof replacement at a Calvert County home, $9,500 total, with $4,750 (50%) paid up front on or about June 9, 2026.
• Alleged: the work never began and the money was not returned.
• The five charges: felony theft of $1,500 to $25,000, contracting without a license, selling home improvement services without a license, failing to perform a contract, and collecting an excessive down payment before the contract was executed.
• Next in court: a preliminary inquiry on November 9, 2026.
• The law: Maryland does not allow a deposit of more than one third of the contract price before or at signing.

What the charging documents say

The BayNet reports that two Calvert County homeowners filed a complaint with MHIC on August 6, 2026. According to the application for a statement of charges, they made an agreement with the contractor on or about June 9, 2026. It called for a roof replacement at their home for a total price of $9,500. They paid $4,750 up front, half of the price.

The charging document says the roofing work never began. The homeowners reportedly contacted the contractor several times to ask when the project would start. Investigators allege the contractor gave excuses, then stopped responding, and never returned the $4,750 despite repeated requests for a refund.

MHIC searched its licensing records. According to the statement of charges, the search showed the contractor did not have a valid Maryland home improvement contractor license. An application for criminal charges was filed in Calvert County District Court on September 23, 2026, and court records show a preliminary inquiry scheduled for November 9, 2026.

What is charged, and what is not decided

The five charges are felony theft of property valued at $1,500 to $25,000, plus four home improvement offenses. Two are about the license: contracting without one and selling home improvement services without one. The other two are failing to perform a contract and collecting an excessive down payment before the contract was executed. The BayNet does not report an arrest, a plea or a trial date.

The report ties the theft charge to the money, not to the license. Investigators allege that keeping the $4,750 supports a felony theft charge under Section 7-104 of Maryland's Criminal Law Article. The license is a separate pair of charges. The theft statute also sets a rule on intent. A person's intention or knowledge that a promise would not be performed may not be established or inferred solely from the fact that the promise was not performed. A charge is an accusation, and the court decides.

In Maryland, a roof counts as home improvement

Maryland's Business Regulation Article defines home improvement as the addition to or alteration, conversion, improvement, modernization, remodeling, repair or replacement of a building or part of a building used as a residence, or of a structure next to it. New home construction, apartment buildings with four or more single family units, and the common areas of condominiums are not home improvement under that definition.

MHIC's own page on what counts as home improvement lists roofs among the exterior work usually required to be licensed. The list is not all inclusive. MHIC's license page lists two categories, contractor and salesperson, and no separate roofing license.

Section 8-301 says a person must have a contractor license whenever the person acts as a contractor in Maryland, and a salesperson or contractor license to sell a home improvement. Section 8-601 goes a step further: a person may not act or offer to act as a contractor, or sell or offer to sell a home improvement, without the license. In Maryland, the offer counts, not only the work.

Section 8-301(c) lists exemptions. They include a licensed electrician, plumber, or heating, ventilation, air conditioning or refrigeration contractor working within that trade. They also include an employee who works for a contractor for wages and is not a salesperson, and a solicitor for a contractor who calls an owner by telephone only.

The one third deposit limit

Section 8-617 of the Business Regulation Article has two rules. A person may not demand or receive any payment for a home improvement before the contract is signed. And a person may not receive a deposit of more than one third of the contract price before or at the time the contract is executed.

On a $9,500 contract, one third is about $3,167. The reported $4,750 is half of the price. Investigators allege it violated the one third restriction, and The BayNet's math puts it about $1,583 over. MHIC gives homeowners the same number in plain words: "Pay no more than 1/3 of the contract price as down payment."

The contract itself has rules too. Section 8-501 says a home improvement contract must be in writing, be legible and be signed by each party. It must carry the contractor's name, address, telephone number and license number, the approximate start and completion dates, a description of the work and materials, and the agreed price. The homeowner must receive a copy signed by the contractor before the work begins. MHIC's advertising page says each home improvement ad must carry the contractor's name and license number, and Section 8-615 sets the form the license number takes.

The penalties in the statutes

These are the maximums the statutes set for a conviction. They do not predict what happens in any one case.

• Acting or offering to act without a license, or selling without one (Section 8-601): a misdemeanor. A first conviction carries a fine of up to $1,000, up to 6 months in jail, or both. A second or later conviction carries a fine of up to $5,000, up to 2 years in jail, or both.
• Theft of $1,500 to under $25,000 (Criminal Law Section 7-104): a felony, with up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. A person convicted must also restore the property or pay its value.
• MHIC civil penalty (Section 8-620): up to $5,000 for each violation of the Home Improvement Law in Title 8, whether or not the person is licensed.

Failing to perform a contract without justification is also prohibited under Section 8-605. How any one case is charged and decided is up to prosecutors and the court.

What homeowners are being told

MHIC's consumer advice is direct: "Make sure the contractor you choose is licensed. It is a criminal offense to do home improvements without a license, and there is no protection from the Guaranty Fund for the homeowner who uses an unlicensed contractor." Its advice to homeowners includes:

• Check a contractor's license status, or call MHIC at 410-230-6231 or 1-888-218-5925 and ask whether complaints have been filed.
• Ask for references, and get a copy of the contractor's current liability insurance certificate.
• Always get a written contract.
• Pay no more than 1/3 of the contract price as a down payment.
• If a building permit is needed, ask to see it before work starts.

MHIC also says its investigators coordinate with local prosecutors' offices throughout the State, and that it depends on homeowners and licensed contractors filing written complaints against unlicensed contractors. A complaint can be filed even if you did not hire or pay the contractor.

That advice favors licensed contractors. A license number that checks out, a written contract and a deposit within the limit are what homeowners are being told to look for.

For companies that want to work in Maryland

Maryland has no statewide general contractor license. Home improvement work on existing homes is licensed by MHIC, and one MHIC contractor license covers home improvement work of any size. Applicants must show at least two years of experience in home improvement, construction or related education, and every applicant passes Maryland's own exam. The license is tied to a designated qualifying individual, who is a sole proprietor, partner, officer or full time employee of the business. The Maryland contractor license page covers the licensing board, the exam, the qualifier rule and how Maryland splits its trades.

An owner with the experience can qualify the company personally. A company whose owner does not yet have the experience or the exam can be qualified by a licensed qualifying agent who is a real employee of the company. Contractor qualifier services explains how The Licensing Company helps with that. Whether an application is approved is up to the Maryland Home Improvement Commission.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to replace a roof on a house in Maryland? Under Sections 8-301 and 8-601, a person must have an MHIC contractor license to act as a contractor on home improvement work, and MHIC's list of work usually required to be licensed includes roofs. Section 8-301(c) lists exemptions, so a specific job is a question for MHIC.

How much can a Maryland contractor take as a deposit? Section 8-617 says no more than one third of the contract price before or at the time the contract is executed, and no payment at all before the contract is signed.

Is it illegal in Maryland to offer home improvement work without a license? Section 8-601 says a person may not act or offer to act as a contractor, or sell or offer to sell a home improvement, without a license. A violation is a misdemeanor.

How do homeowners check a Maryland contractor's license? Through MHIC's online license search, or by calling MHIC at 410-230-6231 or 1-888-218-5925.

Does a charge mean the contractor is guilty? No. A charge is an accusation. The BayNet reports a preliminary inquiry scheduled for November 9, 2026, and nothing is decided.

This article is general education, not legal advice. The Maryland Home Improvement Commission or a Maryland construction attorney can confirm how the law applies to a specific job.

Marshall Schofield, one of the nation's leading contractor exam prep instructors, has helped thousands upon thousands of contractors get licensed. Jeremiah Jaskulski is a licensed contractor who has lived the licensing process across multiple states. Together they founded The Licensing Company, and they help contractors get licensed the right way in Maryland and nationwide. Sources: Maryland Home Improvement Commission, consumer advice, license and advertising pages, Maryland Business Regulation Article, Title 8 (sections 8-101, 8-301, 8-501, 8-601, 8-605, 8-615, 8-617 and 8-620), Maryland Criminal Law Article, Section 7-104, and The BayNet, October 24, 2026.