How do I check a contractor in Washington State?

Question

Two bids, one much cheaper, and the cheap one has no registration number on the paperwork.

LokalMatch Editorial · Answer

Every construction contractor in Washington has to register with Labor and Industries, so a missing number is not a paperwork oversight. Registration is the baseline, and it comes with money attached.

The bond is where the amounts live. A general contractor must carry a continuous surety bond of 30,000 dollars; a specialty contractor, 15,000. On top of that they need general liability cover of either 200,000 dollars public liability and 50,000 property damage, or 250,000 combined single limit.

That bond is not a guarantee you will be made whole — it is a pool, and other claimants can get there first — but it is the difference between a claim and a wish.

Use the state's verification tool rather than the certificate he emails you. L and I's own advice is to confirm the license is active, that the contractor is bonded and insured for damages, that the job site record is clean or the violations corrected, and to read the license history for previous lawsuits and violations. That history is the single most useful thing on the page, and it is free.

How do I check a contractor in Washington State?

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