How to Check a Contractor's License in Washington (and Why It Matters)
In Washington, construction contractors must be registered with the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), and you can check any contractor in about a minute.
Use the "Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business" tool on the L&I website, lni.wa.gov. Search by the business name, the owner's name or the registration number, and check four things: the registration is active, the bond is current, insurance is on file, and there are no unresolved infractions or lawsuits against the bond.
Step by step
- Find the registration number. Washington requires registered contractors to put their registration number on their advertising, so it should be on the contractor's website, truck, estimate or business card.
- Search the L&I tool. Enter the number, or the business name if you don't have it.
- Check the status. It should say active. An expired or suspended registration is a red flag.
- Check the bond and insurance. The record lists the contractor's bond and liability insurance. Both should be current.
- Look at the history. The record shows infractions and any lawsuits filed against the contractor's bond.
- For electrical or plumbing work, check that the trade is licensed too. Electrical contractors and plumbers have separate state licenses and certifications on top of contractor registration.
What registration protects
The bond
gives you a limited financial backstop if a contractor breaks the contract or the law.
Liability insurance
covers damage to your property or injuries to others caused by the work.
A record
means L&I knows who the contractor is and tracks violations.
An unregistered contractor has none of that. If the work is also unpermitted, it can complicate insurance claims and make the house harder to sell.
Prefer to talk first? Call (206) 860-6901
Beyond the registration
Registration is the minimum. When you compare contractors, also look for:
Workers' compensation coverage
for anyone working on your property.
Reviews across more than one site
read for patterns rather than single stories.
A written contract
with the scope, payment schedule and timeline.
References
from recent, similar projects.
Permits pulled
for work that needs them.
How we handle it
Pacific West is a Seattle general contractor, and we hold ourselves to the same checklist. We pull permits for work that needs them, schedule the inspections, and put our workmanship terms in writing. You can read what our warranty covers, which comes with every job, or learn more about Pacific West.
Ready when you are
Tell us what you're planning. We'll set up a free walk-through and send an estimate with every cost listed, so you decide what's in.
- No obligation
- Takes about a minute
- Photos optional