A valid home improvement contractor will have a registration number that should be found on all client correspondence, such as business cards, website, quotes, invoices etc. The consumer affair laws in New Jersey require that if a business makes more than $500 on any job in the year, they must be registered and this is backed by the State Attorney Generals Office. If you go to their website and search the Reg #, it will provide lawsuit info, and most requirements that are helpful in judging a company’s morality. Never hire without checking first. There are many “one hit wonder” types of contractors - hire one who sees their future in every job they do!
In order to maintain a contractor’s license you must be current with liability insurance ($1,000,000.00), and have a minimum $6-$12,000.00 bond in Washington State. If a contractor is not current, the bonding agency inform the state’s Dept. of Labor and Industry and they will cancel said contractor’s license.
In other words, a contractor has to be bonded, and insured. PERIOD!
In Ohio, trade contractors must be licensed for Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, Hydronics, and Refrigeration (PL, HV, EL, HY, RE.) This varies by state, however almost every community building department will have information about state requirements. It is easy enough to check with any city building department about what is important in hiring a contractor. In Ohio, at the State level, it is the OCILB (The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board). Your local building department is your friend in navigating the information your state holds.
In California you would just need to go to the CSLB website and enter the company name, personal name, or their license number.
The best way for the home owner to check is through a government site. Its a quick online check.
Here in CA, its CSLB.gov.ca
All you have to do is write the license number in the check license box and all the information will appear.
Its the fastest and safest way.
In North Carolina, one can go to www.nclbgc.org to verify a general contractor’s license is current as well as the classification rating. Most states have licensing board websites that contractor information is accessible on. Trade licensing boards should have their own sites as well-i.e. plumbing, mechanical, electrical, engineering and surveying, etc. A Google search for the licensing site that pertains to your state is a good starting point.
Most states have this information online now. You should be able to search in your state website to see license, business name, monetary limits, expiration and find where they keep contractors records, a lot of states are listed under the department of commerce.
In California all you have to do is go online to http://www.cslb.ca.gov/ to check their License by entering their name. Very easy and simple to do.