Guides and research on verifying contractors before you hire.
864 articles · Page 6 of 44
April 2026 · 6 min read
Pennsylvania has no statewide electrician license — licensing is municipal. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have their own systems. Here's how to verify electrical credentials in PA, including HICPA registration that applies statewide.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Pennsylvania licenses plumbers statewide through the PA State Plumbing Board at dos.pa.gov. Residential plumbers also need HICPA registration with a $50,000 bond. Here's how to verify both and what each protects you from.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Pennsylvania has no statewide HVAC license, but residential HVAC contractors must register under HICPA with a $50,000 bond. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have additional local requirements. Here's what to verify before hiring.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Illinois requires a statewide Roofing Contractor license through IDFPR — one of the stronger roofing license laws in the country. Here's how to look up a roofer's IDFPR license, what each status means, and the $10,000 bond requirement.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Illinois electrician licensing is split between IDFPR statewide and a separate Chicago Department of Buildings system — here's how to verify credentials in both, plus what bond and insurance requirements apply.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Illinois licenses plumbers statewide through IDFPR — here's how to search the database, what the $10,000 bond requirement means, and what to check before hiring.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Illinois requires HVAC contractors to be licensed through IDFPR — here's how to verify credentials, what EPA Section 608 certification means, and what insurance to require before any equipment installation.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Ohio requires a roofing contractor license through the OCILB for projects over $5,000 — here's how to search the eLicense database, what the $25,000 bond covers, and how to avoid storm-chaser fraud.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Ohio electrician licensing is handled locally, not statewide — here's how to verify credentials in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and what to do when a contractor works across jurisdictions.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Ohio has no statewide plumber license — plumbing is regulated locally in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and beyond. Here's how to verify credentials in each city before hiring.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
Ohio HVAC contractors must be licensed through the OCILB — a single statewide database makes verification straightforward. Here's how to search eLicense, what the $25,000 bond covers, and what else to check before a system replacement.
Read more →April 2026 · 5 min read
Georgia requires roofing contractors to hold a state license. Learn which license class covers your project, how to verify at verify.sos.ga.gov, and what bond and insurance to require before any roofer starts work.
Read more →April 2026 · 5 min read
Georgia licenses electricians through the Georgia State Electrical Board at sos.ga.gov. Learn the difference between Journeyman and Master Electrician licenses, how to verify at verify.sos.ga.gov, and what insurance to require.
Read more →April 2026 · 5 min read
Georgia licenses plumbers through the Georgia State Plumbing Board at sos.ga.gov. Learn how to verify a plumber's license at verify.sos.ga.gov, what the Journeyman vs. Master distinction means, and what insurance to require.
Read more →April 2026 · 5 min read
Georgia requires HVAC contractors to hold a Conditioned Air Contractor license through the Secretary of State. Learn how to verify at verify.sos.ga.gov, what EPA certification to require, and what bond and insurance coverage to confirm.
Read more →April 2026 · 5 min read
North Carolina requires a general contractor license for roofing projects above $30,000. Learn how to verify at nclbgc.org, what license classifications mean, and why hiring an unlicensed roofer is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Read more →April 2026 · 5 min read
North Carolina licenses electricians through the NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors at ncbeec.org. Learn how to verify any electrical contractor, what license classifications mean, and what bond and insurance to require.
Read more →April 2026 · 5 min read
North Carolina licenses plumbers through the NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors at nclicensing.org. Learn how to verify any plumber, what the Journeyman vs. Master distinction means, and what to require before work starts.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
California requires roofers to hold a CSLB Class C-39 license for any job over $500. Learn how to verify a roofer's license, bond, and insurance before signing a contract.
Read more →April 2026 · 6 min read
California electricians must hold a CSLB Class C-10 license for work over $500. Learn how to verify an electrician's license, what the C-10 classification covers, and why it matters.
Read more →