What Is GAF Certified Plus™ and Why Does It Matter?

Date Posted:

June 29, 2026

Author:

Daryl Gentry

By Daryl Gentry, Owner — TK Roofing and Gutters, LLC | 20+ years serving Northeast Ohio 3256 South Main St, Akron, Ohio 44319 | 330-858-2616 |

GAF Certified Plus™ is a contractor credential issued by GAF, North America's largest roofing shingle manufacturer, that sits between the entry-level GAF Certified™ status and the top-tier GAF Master Elite® designation. It matters because it determines which warranty protections you can access on materials installed on your home.

For a complete breakdown of how all three manufacturer certification programs — GAF, CertainTeed and Owens Corning — connect to warranty access, see roofing certifications and warranties explained.

Quick Answer

GAF Certified Plus™ is a GAF's contractor certification program, sitting between GAF Certified™ and GAF Master Elite®.
GAF Certified Plus™ requires verified insurance, active licensing, multi-year experience, a satisfactory BBB rating and ongoing factory training — re-verified by GAF every year.
GAF Certified Plus™ unlocks two enhanced warranty products: the System Plus Limited Warranty and the Silver Pledge™ Limited Warranty.
The Silver Pledge™ adds 10 years of GAF-backed workmanship coverage, including a guarantee that GAF will honor the workmanship warranty even if the contractor goes out of business during the coverage period.
TK Roofing and Gutters holds active GAF Certified Plus™ status, verifiable through GAF's online contractor locator at gaf.com.

Roofing contractor installing GAF asphalt shingles during a residential roof replacement using proper installation techniques and roofing underlayment.

The Three Core GAF Tiers — and Where Certified Plus™ Sits

GAF operates a tiered contractor certification program, and each level unlocks a different warranty product for the homeowner — making the contractor's current certification status a direct determinant of what coverage you can access on your roof.

GAF's program includes additional rungs — an entry-level Authorized designation below GAF Certified™ and a President's Club recognition above GAF Master Elite® — but the three tiers most relevant to residential homeowners evaluating warranty access are Certified™, Certified Plus™ and Master Elite®.

Feature	GAF Certified™	GAF Certified Plus™	GAF Master Elite®
Material Warranty	50 years	50 years	50 years
Workmanship Warranty	None	Up to 10 years	Up to 25–30 years
Warranty Product	System Plus	System Plus + Silver Pledge™	System Plus + Silver Pledge™ + Golden Pledge®
GAF Backs Workmanship if Contractor Closes	No	Yes	Yes
Insurance and Licensing Verified	Yes	Yes	Yes
BBB Standing Required	Yes	Yes	Yes

The material warranty is 50 years across all three tiers. The meaningful difference is workmanship coverage. A GAF Certified™ contractor can offer the System Plus warranty, which covers materials only. A GAF Certified Plus™ contractor can offer the Silver Pledge™, which adds 10 years of workmanship protection backed directly by GAF. A GAF Master Elite® contractor can offer the Golden Pledge®, which extends that workmanship coverage to 25 or 30 years depending on the shingles installed.

The contractor's certification tier at the time of installation is what counts. You cannot upgrade your warranty after the job is complete by switching contractors.

What GAF Certified Plus™ Unlocks for the Homeowner

A GAF Certified Plus™ contractor can offer two enhanced warranty products — the System Plus Limited Warranty and the Silver Pledge™ Limited Warranty — both of which provide protections unavailable from uncertified contractors.

System Plus Limited Warranty

The System Plus covers material defects in GAF shingles and qualifying accessories for 50 years, non-prorated, including tear-off costs if a covered defect requires full removal. It requires GAF Lifetime Shingles plus at least three qualifying GAF accessories — ridge cap shingles, starter strips, leak barrier, roof deck protection or attic ventilation products.

Silver Pledge™ Limited Warranty

The Silver Pledge™ builds on System Plus and adds 10 years of workmanship coverage backed directly by GAF. It requires GAF Lifetime Shingles plus at least four qualifying accessories — one more than System Plus requires. If a leak develops because of how the roof was installed — improper nailing, inadequate flashing, missed step flashing at a chimney — GAF covers the cost of labor and materials to correct it for the full decade.

The most distinctive feature of the Silver Pledge™ is what happens if the installing contractor goes out of business during the coverage period. GAF steps in and honors the workmanship warranty directly. Standard contractor-issued workmanship warranties are only as durable as the company that issued them. The Silver Pledge™ removes that dependency.

This protection is not abstract in Northeast Ohio. The Ohio Attorney General's office has prosecuted home improvement contractors who collected deposits or performed work and disappeared — including cases involving dozens of affected homeowners and six-figure losses. For the patterns to watch for before you hire, see roofing scams to watch for in Northeast Ohio. A GAF-backed workmanship warranty means the manufacturer stands behind the installation regardless of what happens to the contractor.

Both the System Plus and Silver Pledge™ are transferable to one subsequent owner within the first 20 years of coverage — a verifiable selling point at closing.

For what warranty documentation should look like in a written estimate and contract, see understanding roofing estimates and contracts.

What a Contractor Must Prove to Earn It

GAF Certified Plus™ status requires a contractor to pass a multi-point vetting process and re-verify against those standards annually — it is not a credential earned once and held indefinitely.

The specific requirements GAF verifies:

Insurance. Active workers compensation coverage and a minimum of $1 million in general liability insurance, both current at time of verification.
Licensing. All applicable state and municipal roofing licenses for the areas where the contractor operates.
Experience. A multi-year track record of roofing installations verified by GAF.
Financial standing. GAF runs a credit verification through Experian to confirm financial stability. A contractor with serious financial instability cannot hold the credential.
BBB standing. A satisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau is required. Contractors with unresolved complaint patterns do not qualify.
Ongoing training. Installers must complete factory-trained testing on current GAF installation standards and product technologies on a continuing basis.

Annual renewal is what makes the credential meaningful. A GAF Certified Plus™ badge on a website tells you that contractor met the standards the year they applied. The GAF contractor directory at gaf.com tells you whether they still meet them today. For a broader look at what distinguishes accountable contractors from those who are not, see what makes a roofing company trustworthy in Northeast Ohio.

For what insurance documentation to request before hiring any contractor, see what insurance documentation to request before hiring a roofing contractor in Ohio. For how certification connects to accountability during the project itself, see how certification connects to accountability when a contractor uses subcontractors.

GAF Certified Plus roofing contractor installing Timberline HDZ shingles on a residential roof with synthetic underlayment and proper safety equipment.

How to Verify a Contractor's GAF Status Before You Sign

GAF maintains a publicly searchable contractor directory at gaf.com where homeowners can confirm a contractor's current certification tier and active status before committing to any work.

Search by zip code. Results display each contractor's current tier level — GAF Certified™, GAF Certified Plus™ or GAF Master Elite® — along with contact information and service area. The directory reflects current standing, not historical credentials.

If a contractor claims GAF Certified Plus™ status but does not appear at that tier in the directory, ask for a current GAF certificate of certification before proceeding. A contractor who holds the credential will produce it without hesitation.

TK Roofing and Gutters holds active GAF Certified Plus™ status and appears in the GAF contractor directory. Our status is current, verifiable and renewed annually. Once you have confirmed certification status for the contractors you are considering, see how many roofing estimates to get before signing for guidance on comparing them effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GAF Certified Plus™?

GAF Certified Plus™ is the mid-tier of GAF's contractor certification program, sitting between the entry-level GAF Certified™ designation and the top-tier GAF Master Elite® status. Contractors who hold it have passed GAF's vetting requirements for insurance, licensing, experience, financial standing and BBB rating, and are authorized to offer the System Plus and Silver Pledge™ enhanced warranty products to homeowners.

What warranty does a GAF Certified Plus™ contractor offer?

A GAF Certified Plus™ contractor can offer two enhanced warranties: the System Plus Limited Warranty covering material defects for 50 years non-prorated, and the Silver Pledge™ Limited Warranty adding 10 years of GAF-backed workmanship coverage. The Silver Pledge™ is backed directly by GAF — meaning GAF will honor the workmanship warranty even if the contractor goes out of business during the coverage period. Both warranties are transferable to one subsequent owner within the first 20 years.

What is the difference between GAF Certified Plus™ and GAF Master Elite®?

GAF Certified Plus™ unlocks the Silver Pledge™ warranty with up to 10 years of GAF-backed workmanship coverage, while GAF Master Elite® unlocks the Golden Pledge® warranty with up to 25 to 30 years of workmanship coverage depending on the shingles installed. Both tiers require verified insurance, licensing and BBB standing. The material warranty is 50 years at both levels. The primary difference is the length of GAF-backed workmanship protection available to the homeowner.

What does the Silver Pledge™ warranty cover?

The GAF Silver Pledge™ Limited Warranty covers material defects in GAF Lifetime Shingles and at least four qualifying accessories for 50 years non-prorated, plus 10 years of GAF-backed workmanship coverage including tear-off and disposal costs. If the installing contractor goes out of business during the workmanship coverage period, GAF honors the warranty directly. The Silver Pledge™ is transferable to one subsequent owner within the first 20 years of coverage.

How do I verify a contractor's GAF Certified Plus™ status?

Verify directly through GAF's contractor locator at gaf.com before signing anything — the directory shows each contractor's current certification tier and reflects active standing, not historical credentials. GAF certifications require annual renewal, so a badge on a website is not sufficient confirmation. If a contractor claims GAF Certified Plus™ status but does not appear at that tier in the directory, ask for a current certificate of certification before any work begins.

What GAF Certified Plus™ Means at TK Roofing And Gutters

GAF Certified Plus™ is not a logo. It is a set of verified standards — insurance minimums, licensing compliance, financial stability, customer satisfaction standing and ongoing training — that GAF re-confirms every year.

For a homeowner in Northeast Ohio, it means two things. The contractor earned the right to offer you the Silver Pledge™ warranty, including the GAF-backed workmanship protection that remains in force even if the contractor closes. And GAF verified, independently of anything the contractor told you, that they meet the baseline standards for operating a legitimate roofing business.

TK Roofing and Gutters holds active GAF Certified Plus™ status, verifiable at gaf.com. We also hold CertainTeed Select ShingleMaster™ certification — earned by approximately 3% of roofing companies — and Owens Corning certified roofer status. Every roof we install is backed by our 10-year workmanship warranty, double the 5-year standard common in the Akron market. When you call us, you talk to Daryl. Not a call center. The owner.

For everything to look for when hiring a contractor in Northeast Ohio, see the complete guide to hiring a roofing contractor in Northeast Ohio. Before you sign, see what a fair deposit for a roofing job looks like in Ohio.

Call us at 330-858-2616 for a free inspection and estimate.