Free tool — official GA SOS search

Georgia Contractor License Lookup

Georgia licenses residential and general contractors through the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards. The state's free verification search covers contractors plus the major trades — electrical, conditioned air, plumbing, and low voltage — in one database.

The official lookup: Secretary of State — Professional Licensing Boards (State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors)

Search by profession, license type, license number, or the licensee's name. This is the board's live database — the same record building departments and insurers check.

Open the official GA SOS license search →

https://verify.sos.ga.gov/verification/Search.aspx

What the GA SOS licenses

  • ✓ Residential and general contractors (individual and qualifying-agent licenses)
  • ✓ Electrical contractors, conditioned air (HVAC) contractors, and plumbers
  • ✓ Low voltage contractors and other Title 43 professions

How to verify a Georgia contractor in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Get the license number

    Ask the contractor for it — in most states it must appear on their contracts, bids, and advertising. No number? The search also works by business or owner name.

  2. 2

    Search the GA SOS database

    Open the official search above and look up the record by profession, license type, license number, or the licensee's name.

  3. 3

    Read the record like an inspector

    Status must be active, the name must match your contract, the classification must cover your project, and the expiration date must be in the future. Check disciplinary actions before you sign.

Georgia license lookup FAQs

How do I verify a Georgia contractor's license?

Use the Secretary of State verification search linked above: choose the profession (for example "Residential/General Contractor"), then search by the licensee's name or license number. Confirm the status is active and the license type matches the work — a qualifying agent's license covers the business entity named on the record.

Does a Georgia business license prove a contractor is licensed?

No. A local business license (occupational tax certificate) only registers the business locally — it is not a state contractor license. Always verify the state license itself in the Secretary of State search before hiring.

What if the contractor isn't in the board's database?

Either the license isn't active, the details were entered differently (try the owner's name, not just the business name), or the contractor isn't licensed. Ask the contractor for their license number and search by number — if it still doesn't appear, do not hire them for work that requires a license.

How often should I re-check a license?

Verify before you sign, and again before final payment on long projects. Licenses can be suspended mid-project, and a lapsed license can void insurance coverage and leave you outside the board's complaint process.

Working in Georgia? You'll also need the permit office.

A license lets a contractor work — a permit lets the project start. Browse Georgia permit portals for the official building department links, or look up a contractor in another state.

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Managing licenses for a whole crew or sub roster?

Permit Warden keeps every license, permit, and renewal date in one place and reminds you before anything expires — across every state you work in.

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