Ohio Contractor License Lookup & OCILB License Verification
Look up an Ohio commercial trade license free. Then keep each sub's OCILB license, certificate of insurance and W-9 in one place, with alerts before any of them lapses.
Ohio contractor license lookup
Enter an OCILB license number such as EL.10724, the five digits alone, or a company or person's name.
Ohio has no statewide general contractor license
The state licenses five commercial trades. Everyone else — general contractors, roofers, remodelers, and residential trade work in most places — is licensed or registered by the city or county where the work is. A sub who works in Columbus and Cincinnati can need two local registrations and an OCILB license at the same time.
TrackMyVendor tracks all of them on the sub's record: the OCILB license against the board's roster, and each local license by its expiration date. Set it up free →
The five trades the OCILB licenses
The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board, part of the Department of Commerce's Division of Industrial Compliance, licenses commercial contractors in five trades under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4740. The trade is the first two letters of the license number:
| Prefix | Trade | Example |
|---|---|---|
| EL | Electrical | EL.10724 |
| PL | Plumbing | PL.26257 |
| HV | Heating, ventilating and air conditioning | HV.29578 |
| HY | Hydronics (hot-water and steam heating) | HY.10546 |
| RE | Refrigeration | RE.10606 |
One person often holds several trades under the same five digits — EL.12345 and HV.12345 can belong to the same contractor. Searching the digits alone returns every trade that number is licensed in.
The license belongs to a person, not the company
An OCILB license is issued to an individual, who qualifies the company that trades on it. When that person leaves, the company's ability to work in the trade leaves with them. That is why a lookup here shows both names — "JANE A SMITH DBA LAKESIDE ELECTRIC LLC" — and why it is worth re-checking a sub whose key person has changed.
What an Ohio lookup result means
The OCILB roster lists current licenses. Here is how each result reads, and what to do about it. For the general picture, see the contractor license status guide.
On the roster, expiration date ahead.
The board lists licenses in their renewal window as "active in renewal"; they still count as current until the date passes. Licenses renew for one or three years, so expiration dates are spread across the calendar.
The license is held in escrow.
An Ohio licensee can place a license in escrow — keep it without using it, typically while not working as a contractor. A license in escrow does not authorize contracting, so a sub whose qualifier's license is in escrow cannot do licensed work on it.
The printed expiration date has passed.
Renewal needs continuing education and proof of at least $500,000 in contractor liability insurance, so a lapsed date can mean either is missing. Ask for proof of renewal before work starts.
The license and the insurance are tied together
Ohio is one of the few states where the trade license itself depends on the contractor's insurance. To renew, an OCILB licensee certifies at least $500,000 of contractor liability coverage (Ohio Admin. Code 4101:16-2-07). The license tells you the coverage existed at renewal — the certificate of insurance tells you it exists today.
Collect the certificate, not just the number
Subs upload their COI from a link — no login, from a phone. AI COI parsing reads the limits and dates so you see a policy below your minimum without opening the PDF.
Workers' comp works differently here
Ohio is a monopolistic state: workers' compensation comes from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, not a private carrier, so it often won't appear on the COI. Ask for the BWC certificate and track it as its own document.
See how COI tracking software handles a full roster, or the workers' comp premium audit guide for why the comp certificate matters at audit time.
Track Ohio licenses automatically
What TrackMyVendor matches against the OCILB roster, and what it tracks by the expiration date you record.
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, hydronics and refrigeration contractor licenses. A sub's license is matched to the board's record, so the expiration date on file is the state's, and a license placed in escrow shows as suspended.
City and county contractor registrations, general contractor and roofing licenses, and the BWC certificate — add each with its expiration date and the same reminders apply.
Every plan gets the Monday summary of anything expiring; per-deadline alerts at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days are on Starter and above.
First 25 subs free — no credit card
Ohio contractor license lookup FAQ
Does Ohio have a state contractor license?
How do I verify an Ohio OCILB license?
What does it mean when an Ohio contractor license is in escrow?
What insurance does an Ohio OCILB contractor need?
State license, local registrations and insurance — one record per sub
For GCs and property managers working in Ohio: look up an OCILB license now, then keep every sub's documents current in one place.
Verify an Ohio license freeNo credit card required
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