Contractor License Lookup: How to Verify a Contractor in Any State
Who licenses contractors (state, city or nobody), how to check a license in 11 states, and what a valid license does and does not tell you.
To verify a contractor license, get the license number and exact business name, then search it on the state licensing board's official site (for example CSLB in California, DBPR in Florida, ROC in Arizona). Many states license only certain trades, so also check with your city or county. Confirm the license is active, matches the work, and that insurance and any bond are current.
Updated October 2026State vs. local licensing: why there is no single lookup
There is no national contractor license. Each state decides what to license, and many leave general contracting to cities and counties. In practice you will run into three setups:
- Statewide contractor licensing for general and trade contractors, as in California, Florida and Arizona.
- State licenses for specific trades only, usually electricians and plumbers, with general contractors licensed or registered locally (Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Missouri).
- State registration, which records who is in business and their insurance but does not test skill (Nebraska; New Jersey home improvement contractors).
So "no license found" on a state site does not always mean a contractor is unlicensed. It may mean the license lives with your city. The reverse also happens: a contractor licensed in one city may not be licensed in yours.
How to verify a contractor license, step by step
- Ask for the license number in writing. Many states require it on bids, contracts and advertising.
- Search the official board site from the table below. Do not rely on a license number printed on a truck or a third-party review site.
- Match the name. The license should be in the name of the business on your contract, or a qualifying person tied to it.
- Check status and class. "Active" or "current" is what you want. Confirm the license type covers your job; a pool license does not cover roofing.
- Read discipline and complaints. Many lookups show public disciplinary actions.
- Verify insurance yourself. Ask for certificates of general liability and workers' compensation and call the insurer listed to confirm they are current.
- Confirm the permit. For work that needs a permit, make sure the contractor pulls it in its own name with your local building department.
Contractor license lookup by state
| State | Official lookup | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | TDLR License Search; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners | TDLR licenses electricians and electrical contractors, and air conditioning and refrigeration contractors; its search shows active licenses only. TSBPE licenses plumbers. Texas has no statewide general contractor or remodeler license; some cities register contractors. |
| Florida | DBPR License Search | Search by name, license number, city or license type. The Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) licenses general, building, residential, roofing, plumbing, HVAC, pool and other contractors. "Certified" contractors can work statewide; "registered" contractors only where they hold local competency. Some trades are licensed only by counties. |
| California | CSLB Check a License | The Contractors State License Board covers general and specialty contractors. A license is required when a job's total (labor plus materials) is $1,000 or more, or for any job that needs a permit or where the contractor has employees. The lookup shows bond and workers' comp status. |
| New York | NYC: DCWP license check; NYC Buildings license search | No statewide general contractor license. In New York City, residential home improvement work over $200 requires a DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license; the Department of Buildings licenses master plumbers, electricians and other trades. Several counties outside NYC license home improvement contractors locally. |
| Arizona | Registrar of Contractors (ROC) contractor search | Statewide licensing for residential, commercial and dual contractors by license class. The search shows license status, complaints and bond information. Homeowners hiring a licensed residential contractor may be eligible for the Residential Contractors' Recovery Fund. |
| Colorado | DORA license lookup | The state (DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations) licenses electricians, electrical contractors, plumbers and plumbing contractors. General contractors are licensed by cities and counties, such as Denver, so check your local building department too. |
| Nebraska | NDOL contractor registration search | Contractors and subcontractors working in Nebraska must register with the Department of Labor. Registration tracks workers' comp coverage but, per the department, does not ensure quality of work. Electricians are licensed by the State Electrical Division; plumbers are licensed locally. |
| Georgia | Secretary of State GOALS: Verify a License | The State Licensing Board for Residential and Commercial General Contractors (renamed in 2024) licenses residential and general contractors. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and low-voltage contractors are licensed by a separate construction industry board under the same office. |
| Illinois | IDFPR license lookup | No statewide general contractor license; cities such as Chicago license or register contractors. Roofing contractors must hold a state license from IDFPR. Plumbers are licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health. |
| New Jersey | NJ Consumer Affairs license verification | Home improvement contractors must register with the Division of Consumer Affairs; unregistered contractors cannot get municipal construction permits. A 2024 law created a State Board of Home Improvement and Home Elevation Contractors that is moving the trade toward licensing. Electrical and plumbing contractors are licensed by separate state boards. |
| Missouri | Your city or county; Office of Statewide Electrical Contractors | No statewide general contractor license. Cities and counties such as Kansas City and St. Louis County license some contractors and trades locally, and rules differ by jurisdiction. Missouri offers an optional statewide electrical contractor license that local jurisdictions must recognize. |
Thresholds, board names and lookup addresses change. Confirm details on the board's own site before you sign.
What a license proves, and what it does not
A valid license usually means the contractor (or its qualifying person) met the state's experience and exam requirements, filed required insurance or bond paperwork, and has not had the license revoked. It gives you somewhere to complain, and in some states it is the key to recovery funds.
A license does not prove:
- That the work will be good, on time or on budget.
- That insurance is still in force today. Policies lapse between renewals.
- That the person at your door works for the licensed company. Ask for ID and call the number on the board record, not the one on the flyer.
- That a bond will cover your loss. Contractor bonds are often small and are shared among all claimants.
Checking insurance and bonds
Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers' compensation, and ask the agent to send it directly to you. If the contractor says it has no employees, check whether your state allows a workers' comp exemption and get it in writing. Where a state requires a bond (California and Arizona show bond details on the license record), note the surety company and bond number. For larger jobs, ask about lien waivers so you are not stuck paying a supplier the contractor failed to pay.
Business license lookup vs. contractor license lookup
A "business license" from your city or county is usually a general permission to operate, often tied to local taxes. It does not test skill. A contractor or trade license is a professional credential. To confirm a company legally exists and see its registered agent, use the secretary of state business search in our business lookup guide. To confirm it is qualified to do the work, use the licensing board.
FAQs
How do I do a DBPR license check in Florida?
Go to the DBPR license search at myfloridalicense.com, choose search by name, license number, city or license type, and look for an active certified or registered contractor license. If you find nothing, check with your county, because some trades are licensed locally.
Does Texas require a general contractor license?
No. Texas has no statewide general contractor or remodeling license. It does license electricians and A/C contractors (TDLR) and plumbers (TSBPE), and some cities require contractor registration.
Is a registered contractor the same as a licensed contractor?
Not always. Registration (as in Nebraska) records the business and its insurance. Licensing usually requires experience, exams and ongoing standards. Florida uses "registered" for a locally qualified contractor, which is a real license limited to certain areas.
What if a contractor's license is expired or suspended?
Do not sign or pay until it is reinstated. In many states, unlicensed work can void your access to recovery funds and complicate permits and resale.
Can I check complaints against a contractor?
Most state lookups show public disciplinary actions. In New York City, call 311 and ask for a business background check on the DCWP complaint history.
Do handymen need a license?
It depends on the state and the job. California exempts work under $1,000 total that needs no permit and uses no employees; other states set different limits or none. Electrical, plumbing and gas work almost always requires a licensed trade.
Find businesses near you
Browse contractors and other local businesses by state, then verify their license with the board above. We list businesses; we do not verify licenses.
Own a business? Add it free
Licensed contractor? List your business on USA Business Search at no cost and include your license number so customers can check it.