Find a licensed contractor
Data downloaded: October 21, 2026
Search active contractor licenses from the state licensing boards by ZIP code. Every result links to the state's own license check so you can confirm it.
How to vet a contractor
- Verify the license with the state (use the link on each result) and make sure it covers your kind of job.
- Ask for proof of insurance: liability, and workers' comp if they have employees.
- Get two or three written bids with the same scope, materials and timeline.
- Ask who pulls the permit. Licensed contractors normally do.
- Check recent reviews and ask for references from similar jobs.
- Keep the deposit small and pay as work is completed. In California, the down payment on home improvement jobs is generally capped at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less (CSLB).
- Get it in writing: a signed contract with price, scope, start and finish dates, and warranty.
Where this data comes from
- Texas: TDLR – All Licenses on the Texas Open Data Portal. We include A/C (HVAC) Contractor and Electrical Contractor licenses that haven't expired and list a business ZIP. TDLR doesn't license plumbers (that's the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners), and Texas has no state license for roofers or general contractors, so those aren't here. Records without a business address can't be searched by ZIP and aren't shown. TDLR's data has no status field, so "active" means the expiration date hasn't passed.
- California: the CSLB Public Data Portal License Master file. We include only licenses with status CLEAR that haven't expired. Trades: C-20 HVAC, C-36 plumbing, C-10 electrical, C-39 roofing, B general building, C-33 painting, C-27 landscaping, C-46 solar.
Listings come from public state license records and are not endorsements. Licenses can change at any time, so check the state's site before hiring. Are you a contractor? Claim or update your listing.