How to check if a contractor is licensed in Washington
Edited by John Voll. Last verified .
In Washington, the state keeps license or registration records for general contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC contractors and roofing contractors, and each has an official lookup or board listed below. Check the record before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, and treat the board's own record as final.
Which board covers which trade
| Trade | Who keeps the record | Official lookup |
|---|---|---|
| General contractor | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Contractor Registration | Search general contractor licenses |
| Electrical | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Electrical Program | Search electrical licenses |
| Plumbing | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Plumbing Program | Search plumbing licenses |
| HVAC | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) | Search HVAC licenses |
| Roofing | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Contractor Registration | Search roofing licenses |
Step by step
- Open the official Washington lookup run by L&I and search the contractor by name or number.
- The L&I Verify tool shows whether the contractor has an active license, a bond and insurance, safety violations, and license history including previous lawsuits. source Official lookup: L&I Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business. source
- Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (General Contractor or Specialty Contractor). The board's own record governs.
- Check the bond and insurance on the record against the state minimums: Continuous contractor surety bond of $30,000 (general contractor). source General liability insurance: $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, or $250,000 combined single limit. source
If the contractor is not licensed, or you have a complaint
- Report a fraudulent or unregistered contractor to L&I online or by phone. source
Homeowner protections in Washington
- L&I suspends a registration when the bond or insurance cancels or expires, or for an unsatisfied judgment. source
- For contracts over $1,000 the contractor must have the homeowner sign a disclosure statement (RCW 18.27.114). source
- A residential homeowner must sue on the contractor bond within two years from substantial completion or abandonment of the work. source
- Claimants other than residential homeowners can take at most one-half of the bond, reserving the rest for homeowners. source
- Homeowner Recovery Fund: beginning July 1, 2026, a homeowner with an unpaid final judgment against a registered contractor on their primary residence, after proceeding against the bond, can receive up to $25,000 per contractor per parcel, subject to available funds. source
- Homeowner Recovery Fund applications are due within 90 days after the court case ends (90 days). source
Questions
- How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Washington?
- Search the contractor by name or license number on the official Washington lookup run by L&I, then confirm the record is active and covers the type of work. For electrical, plumbing, HVAC or roofing work, use that trade's lookup in the table on this page.
- What can I do if a contractor in Washington is not licensed?
- Report a fraudulent or unregistered contractor to L&I online or by phone.
All Washington licensing rules by trade
Sources
- https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/register-as-a-contractor/
- https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/
- https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/electrical/
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.28.041
- https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/plumbing/
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.106.400
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-200A-016
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.040
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.060
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-200A-900
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.28.191
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-46B-940
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-46B-909
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.106.070
- https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/plumbing/plumber-certification/
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.106.410
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.106.420
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-400A-045
- https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/hiring-a-contractor/
- https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/problems-with-a-contractor/
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.410
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-400A-012
- https://data.wa.gov/d/m8qx-ubtq
- http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/pddl/1.0/
This is not a government site. The licensing board's own record governs; always confirm on the official lookup. Information as of October 6, 2026.