Contractor license lookup.
Official sources for all 50 states. Find the right license, registration, or local guidance, then check the business behind the credential.
Check the record. Keep the evidence.
Choose where the work will happen, open the official source, and record what you find. No account needed.
- Match the business
- Check status and scope
- Check the trade and local authority
- Review bond and insurance
- Read public disclosures
- Save evidence and open questions
State licensing, registration and local requirements differ. Choosing a state provides the relevant official starting point.
Browse the full 50-state source directory
50 of 50 states shown · Search a contractor on the official site. Some states use trade-specific searches or local licensing.
Alabama
Licensing Board for General ContractorsUse the board’s license roster for general contractors. Residential home builders are handled by a separate board; choose the source that fits the work.
General contractor licensesAlaska
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional LicensingSelect the construction contractor profession. Check the credential and any residential endorsement separately from the business’s entity registration.
Contractor credentialsArizona
Registrar of ContractorsChoose Search for a Contractor to look up the ROC license by name or number. Review the classification and the full license record.
Contractor licensesArkansas
Department of Labor and LicensingChoose the Contractors Licensing Board roster. Use the relevant commercial, residential, or specialty agency for the work you are checking.
Contractor & trade licensesCalifornia
Contractors State License BoardSearch by contractor license number, business name, or personnel name. Review the matching record on CSLB.
Contractor licensesCalifornia search guide →Colorado
Division of Professions and OccupationsUse the state search for regulated credentials such as electrical and plumbing. Check the project’s city or county for general contractor licensing; this is not an all-contractor roster.
Trade licenses / local checksConnecticut
Department of Consumer ProtectionFollow the eLicense verification link and select the relevant home improvement, new home construction, or trade credential. Registration and a trade license are different records.
Registrations & trade licensesDelaware
Department of LaborSearch the construction contractor registry by business name or certificate information. Individual professional licensing is handled separately by the Division of Professional Regulation.
Contractor registrationFlorida
Department of Business and Professional RegulationOpen DBPR’s verification portal. Check the individual contractor and the business qualification relationship, along with the applicable license category.
Contractor licensesGeorgia
Secretary of State — Professional Licensing BoardsChoose the residential or general contractor profession and match the license to the business or individual. Review the relevant board’s classification and scope.
Residential & general licensesHawaii
DCCA — Professional and Vocational LicensingSearch the public license database for the contractor credential. DCCA also provides business and complaint-history resources for separate checks.
Contractor licensesIdaho
Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses — Contractors BoardUse the board’s Online Services public search for contractor registrations. Public works and regulated trades have separate licensing programs.
Registration / separate trade licensesIllinois
Department of Financial and Professional RegulationUse IDFPR for roofing contractor credentials. Check the local building department for general contractor requirements and the appropriate state agency for other trades.
Roofing licenses / local checksIndiana
Professional Licensing AgencySearch state-regulated professions such as plumbing. Contact the city or county where the work is located for its contractor requirements; a state professional search is not a complete local roster.
Trade licenses / local checksIowa
Department of Inspections, Appeals, and LicensingUse DIAL’s contractor registration resources to find the current registration search. Plumbing, mechanical, and other regulated work may also need separate credentials.
Contractor registrationKansas
Office of the Attorney General — Roofing Registration UnitSearch the official roofing registration directory. This covers roofing registration, not every contractor or trade; confirm other requirements with the local building department.
Roofing registration / local checksKentucky
Department of Housing, Buildings and ConstructionUse the license-search links for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and other listed specialties. Ask the city or county about general contractor requirements.
Trade licenses / local checksLouisiana
State Licensing Board for ContractorsSearch contractor records by name or license number. Check the license or registration type and the classifications shown in the board’s record.
Contractor licenses & registrationsMaine
Office of the Attorney General / Professional and Financial RegulationMaine’s guidance explains that general contractors are not state-licensed. Use the separate professional search for regulated trades, and check local permit requirements.
State guidance / trade licensesRegulated trade license search ↗Maryland
Maryland Home Improvement CommissionChoose Check the License Status of a Contractor or Salesperson for home improvement work. MHIC is not a universal search for new-home builders or all specialty trades.
Home improvement licensesMassachusetts
Office of Consumer Affairs and Business RegulationUse MA Contractor Hub to check Home Improvement Contractor registration. A Construction Supervisor License is a separate credential and may also be relevant.
Registration / supervisor licensesConstruction Supervisor License search ↗Michigan
Department of Licensing and Regulatory AffairsSelect the appropriate license lookup for residential builders or maintenance and alteration contractors. Match the individual or company and check trade credentials separately.
Builder & trade licensesMinnesota
Department of Labor and IndustryOpen iMS and choose Continue as guest. Search the license or registration and confirm its type; construction registration does not replace a required trade or residential building license.
Licenses & registrationsMississippi
State Board of ContractorsChoose Search Contractors and match the business or license number. Review the residential or commercial category and classification in the record.
Contractor licensesMissouri
Secretary of State / local licensing authoritiesState guidance directs business-license questions to local government. Check the project’s city or county for contractor requirements; a company’s corporate registration is not a contractor license.
Local licensing guidanceMontana
Department of Labor and Industry — Construction Contractor ProgramUse Look Up a License for the Construction Contractor License program. Montana transitioned from contractor registration to licensing in 2026; consult the current program’s scope and exceptions.
Construction contractor licensesNebraska
Department of LaborSearch contractor registrations by business name or registration number. Registration does not establish work quality or replace any applicable trade credential.
Contractor registrationNevada
State Contractors BoardSearch by license number, company name, or principal or qualified individual. Review the license classification and any limitations in the source record.
Contractor licensesNew Hampshire
Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationChoose License Search for regulated professions such as electrical and mechanical trades. Check with the local authority for project-specific contractor and permit requirements.
Trade licenses / local checksNew Jersey
Division of Consumer AffairsChoose Verify a Contractor Business Registration for home improvement businesses. Review current board guidance and check separately for other regulated trade credentials.
Home improvement business registrationNew Mexico
Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries DivisionSelect the Construction Industries Division verification link. The department directs contractor searches to its PSI-hosted public search; choose the correct division rather than an unrelated professional board.
Contractor licensesNew York
Office of the Attorney General / local licensing authoritiesHome improvement licensing is handled by named cities and counties. Use the state’s guidance to identify the local authority, then verify with the jurisdiction where the work is located.
Local licensing guidanceNorth Carolina
Licensing Board for General ContractorsSearch by license number, name, county, or address. Distinguish the licensed contractor from the qualifying individual and check the scope of the license.
General contractor licensesNorth Dakota
Secretary of StateFollow the contractor-search link to check license standing. Use the contractor record rather than assuming a business entity filing establishes construction credentials.
Contractor licensesOhio
Construction Industry Licensing BoardSearch companies associated with OCILB trade licenses. This is a specialty-trade search; check the local building department for general contractor and residential requirements.
Trade licenses / local checksOklahoma
Construction Industries BoardUse Find Licensee for regulated trades or Search Registered Roofing Contractors for roofing. Ask the local authority about requirements outside those programs.
Trade licenses & roofing registrationOregon
Construction Contractors Board / Building Codes DivisionUse the CCB license search for the construction contractor. Electrical and plumbing work may also require the appropriate BCD contractor license, available through this page.
Contractor & trade licensesPennsylvania
Office of the Attorney GeneralUse the Home Improvement Contractor registration resources and search linked by the Attorney General. A home improvement registration is not an endorsement or an all-trade license.
Home improvement registrationRhode Island
Contractors’ Registration and Licensing BoardFind the State Building Office / Contractors Registration Board section and choose Search a Registrant/Licensee. Contractor registration and specialty licenses are separate credential types.
Registrations & specialty licensesSouth Carolina
Department of Labor, Licensing and RegulationUse Licensee Lookup for the Contractor’s Licensing Board. Residential builders and residential specialty contractors are handled through the separate Residential Builders Commission.
General & residential credentialsResidential Builders Commission lookup ↗South Dakota
Department of Labor and Regulation — Trade CommissionsUse the Plumbing Commission’s published licensee lists for plumbing work and the Electrical Commission for electrical work. Check other contractor requirements with the project’s local authority.
Trade licenses / local checksElectrical Commission licensing ↗Tennessee
Department of Commerce and InsuranceChoose the relevant contractor profession in the state’s license, permit, and registration search. Review the credential type and any classification or monetary limit.
Contractor licensesTexas
Department of Licensing and RegulationUse TDLR for regulated trades such as electrical and air conditioning. This is not an all-contractor search; plumbing has a separate state board, and local requirements may also apply.
Trade licenses / local checksUtah
Division of Professional LicensingSearch by name and profession or license number. Use license verification for status; the separate opt-in Construction Business Registry does not list every licensee.
Contractor licensesVermont
Secretary of State — Office of Professional RegulationUse Find a Professional for residential contractor registrations. Electrical and plumbing credentials are handled separately by the Division of Fire Safety.
Residential contractor registrationVirginia
Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationSearch the DPOR license database. Match the business identity, license class, and specialty to the work you are researching.
Contractor licensesWashington
Department of Labor and IndustriesUse L&I’s Verify tool to review contractor registration and available trade credentials, bond, and insurance information.
Registration & trade credentialsWashington search guide →West Virginia
Division of Labor / Contractor Licensing BoardChoose Contractor License Search. HVAC technician and plumber certifications are separate searches listed on the same official page.
Contractor licensesWisconsin
Department of Safety and Professional ServicesFollow the current public license-lookup links for dwelling contractor, dwelling contractor qualifier, and trade credentials. A business credential and its qualifier are different records.
Dwelling contractor & trade credentialsWyoming
Secretary of State / Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical SafetyRead the general contractor licensing FAQ and check with the local authority where the work is located. Electrical contractors have a separate state licensing program.
Local guidance / electrical licensesElectrical contractor licensing ↗Official search links and guidance for all 50 states, reviewed September 8, 2026. A state listing does not mean every trade or local jurisdiction is covered. ObservedWork does not currently return license records or linked permit activity here. Source-link review is not a contractor status check.
How to look up a contractor license
- Choose the state where the work will happen. Start with the relevant agency. Licensing and registration are different credentials; the right search depends on the state and trade.
- Search the official record. Use a license number where available, or the business name. Match the legal entity and location to the contractor’s proposal.
- Read beyond the status. Review the credential type, classification, expiration information, and any public bond, insurance, or disciplinary fields the agency supplies.
- Save the source and your check date. Recheck the current agency record before relying on an earlier search.
License status and observed work answer different questions
A license record helps you investigate a credential. A permit record may connect a named participant to a project. One does not establish the other: a permit listing does not verify a license, and a license does not show that work has started.
When reviewing activity, keep the issuing jurisdiction, source link, issue date, and observation date together. An applicant or permit contact is not automatically a verified employee or purchasing decision-maker.
What if no record matches?
Check the spelling, legal business name, identifier, trade, and agency. Ask the contractor for the credential under which they propose to work. A failed search is not enough to label someone unlicensed.
In a dataset with limited coverage, “no matching record in our covered jurisdictions” describes the search result. It does not establish an absence of work or a licensing violation.
Is this a national contractor database?
This directory covers all 50 U.S. states, but it is not a national database of contractor records. Some entries link to a statewide contractor search; others cover registrations, particular trades, or guidance for local licensing. Searches and current records stay with the responsible agencies. ObservedWork does not currently provide live license verification or contractor-to-permit matches here.