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Search a state license database

In this article: Look a contractor up by name or licence number against the state's own records.

License Search in the sidebar queries the state records we import, and lets you attach what you find straight to a contractor.

  1. Open License Search

    Click License Search.

  2. Search by number where you can

    Pick the state, then search by license number if you have it, or by name if you don't.

    The number is far more reliable. Business names in state records are the legal entity — "J R Electric LLC" where you know them as "JR Electric" — and partial name searches on a common surname return a lot of rows.

  3. Identify the right record

    Results show the licence type, its status as the state reports it, and the expiry. Match on the number or the address rather than the name alone.

  4. Attach it

    Attach the right record to a contractor. You can attach to an existing contractor, or create one from the licence if they're not on your roster yet.

License search results showing licence type, status and expiration date

Careful

Attach the wrong licence and you're tracking a stranger's expiry date while your contractor's real licence goes unwatched — worse than tracking nothing, because the screen says everything is fine. Confirm the number or the address before attaching.

Nothing found?

  • Check the state. Contractors near a border are often licensed in the neighbouring one.
  • Try the legal name. Search the entity name from their certificate or W-9, not the name on their van.
  • They may not need one. Plenty of trades don't require a state licence in a given state — that's a fact about the trade, not a gap in the data.
  • We may not cover them. Seven states; elsewhere, add the licence manually.

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