Before you hire · New York

Verify a contractor license in New York.

Thirty seconds on the official lookup beats a year of regret. Here is where New York keeps the records, and what to actually check.

The official source

Local licensing (no statewide GC board) — www.ny.gov/

Licensing is local — NYC's Dept. of Consumer & Worker Protection, and county offices elsewhere (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester all license). Check where the job is.

What to check, in order

  • The license exists and is active — not expired, not suspended. Match the exact business name or license number from the bid.
  • The classification fits your job — a handyman registration is not a roofing license; several states cap the dollar size of jobs by license class.
  • Bond and insurance are current — where the state lookup shows them, read them. Where it doesn't, ask for certificates and call the carrier.
  • Complaint or discipline history — one old complaint means little; a pattern means everything.

Three questions that expose problems fast

  • "What name is your license under?" — evasive answers here end conversations.
  • "Who carries your liability policy?" — legitimate pros answer instantly.
  • "Will the permit be pulled under your license?" — a contractor asking you to pull the permit is often working around a license they don't have.

Keep going

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We list top-rated pros in hundreds of cities — and every listing exists to be verified, not taken on faith. That is the point.