How license checks work.
We check licenses against state boards that publish data. Profiles that pass show a Verified license badge with the license number, the board, and the date of the check.
License checks are still rolling out, so most profiles do not show the badge yet. Until a profile does, look the license up yourself with the state license guides. We do not run background checks.
Searching is free for customers. Contractors pay to get listed.
Four checks before you hire
Use this checklist for any contractor you consider, on or off this site.
Verify the license record
Match the business name on the official state licensing board site and confirm the status reads active with current dates.
Check insurance and bond details
Where the state publishes insurance or bond fields, confirm they are on file. Where it does not, treat the status as unknown and ask the contractor directly.
Review recent work and customer feedback
Read recent customer reviews and look for photos of past work before you reach out.
Put scope, price, and changes in writing
Agree on the work, the timeline, and how changes are handled before work starts. Keep every revision in writing.
What each badge proves
Each badge below shows what was checked and where the proof comes from. When a record is missing, the status stays unknown.
License number matched a state board record in our latest check
Shown only after our latest check matched the license to a record on the state board's site. The profile lists the license number, the board, and the check date. A license number the contractor typed in starts the lookup; it is not proof.
Insurance on file with the state board in our latest check
Shown only when a license check found insurance on file in the board record. Self-reported insurance never earns it. Where the state does not publish insurance, the status stays unknown.
Bond on file with the state board in our latest check
Shown only when a license check found a bond on file in the board record. Where the state does not publish bonds, the status stays unknown.
Average rating of 4.5+ with at least 5 reviews
Computed from customer reviews left on the profile. Paid placement does not change the score.
What a profile shows after it passes a license check
Proof in context: the badge, the license number, the board, the check date, and the fields that stay unknown.
Example Plumbing Co.
Verified licenseExample City · 4.8 (12 customer reviews)
Verified License
License number matched a state board record in our latest check
License 042-EXAMPLE · Example State Board · Checked Sep 14, 2026
- Verified
License
Matched to a record on the state board's site.
- Unknown
Insurance
Not published by the state board — ask the contractor directly.
- Unknown
Bonding
Not published by the state board — ask the contractor directly.
How we keep license checks honest
Only a board record earns the badge
The badge appears only when a record on the state licensing board's site matches. No badge means the license has not passed a check yet, not that it failed one.
Every check has a date
A board record can change after we check it. The badge shows the check date, so confirm with the board before you sign.
We say what we do not check
We do not run background checks. Boards publish different fields, so where a field is missing or a state is not covered yet, the status stays unknown.
Where to go next
License Guides by State
When a contractor needs a state license and where to check it.
Browse by Trade
Find contractors by the trade your project needs.
Browse Locations
Find contractors working in your area.
Start a Project Request
Share project details so contractors can respond.
Project Ideas
Browse project photos to shape your scope.
Put your business in front of customers who are looking.
Build a public profile, collect customer reviews, and add your license number so we can check it, so customers can find you through the categories and local pages that match your work.