Free tool — official WA L&I search
In Washington, contractors register with L&I rather than taking a trade exam — but registration, bond, and insurance are mandatory, and L&I's free Verify tool shows all of it: registration status, bond and insurance accounts, workers' comp standing, and any violations or lawsuits against the bond.
Search by contractor or business name, or license/registration number (UBI). This is the board's live database — the same record building departments and insurers check.
Open the official WA L&I license search →https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/
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.
Search the WA L&I database
Open the official search above and look up the record by contractor or business name, or license/registration number (UBI).
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.
Verify shows whether a contractor's registration is active, their bond and insurance status, whether they are current on workers' compensation premiums, safety citations, and any lawsuits against their bond. If a business you hire is behind on workers' comp, L&I can hold you liable for the unpaid premiums — which is why this check matters.
General and specialty contractors register with L&I (with a bond and insurance), while electricians and plumbers hold actual licenses. Both appear in the same Verify tool, so one search covers the whole crew.
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.
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.
A license lets a contractor work — a permit lets the project start. Browse Washington permit portals for the official building department links, or look up a contractor in another state.
Permit Warden keeps every license, permit, and renewal date in one place and reminds you before anything expires — across every state you work in.
Start tracking licenses free