Getting Started

The 5-Minute Contractor Verification Checklist

Before any contractor starts work, you need answers to four questions. This checklist gets you there in five minutes — without calling anyone or waiting on email.

Why this matters: Most compliance failures aren't from bad contractors — they're from GCs and property managers who assumed a contractor's credentials were in order. A 5-minute check before work starts prevents weeks of headaches later.

Check the contractor license (2 min)

Go directly to the state licensing board — don't accept a copy of the license as proof of current status. Licenses can be suspended or revoked after the paper was printed.

Texas (TDLR/TSBPE): search by contractor name or license number at the relevant board site
Florida (DBPR): search at myfloridalicense.com
California (CSLB): search at cslb.ca.gov
Washington (L&I): search at lni.wa.gov
Oregon (CCB): search at oregon.gov/ccb

What to confirm: License status is "Active", license type covers the work being done, expiration date is in the future.

Review the Certificate of Insurance (1 min)

Ask for a current COI from their insurer — not a PDF they emailed you last year. The COI should come directly from the insurance agent or be verifiable.

Required coverage

General Liability
Workers' Compensation
Commercial Auto (if applicable)

Check these

Expiration dates
Your org as additional insured
Minimum coverage limits met

Confirm a W-9 is on file (30 sec)

If you'll pay this contractor $600 or more in a calendar year, you need a signed W-9 before the first payment — not after. This is a tax requirement, not a formality.

Quick check: Does your vendor file have a completed W-9 with a matching entity name to the contract? If not, get one before you cut the first check.

Scan for red flags (1 min)

A few quick checks can surface problems that slip through formal verification:

License in a different name than the contract or W-9
COI expiring within 30 days (and no renewal in sight)
Contractor claims a license type that doesn't match the work scope
Business registered in a state different from where work is being performed
No workers' comp and they're bringing a crew

If anything doesn't match: Ask before they start, not after. Most mismatches are innocent — but the ones that aren't can expose you to serious liability.