Why this matters in Washington
Every contractor in Washington is required to register with the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Registration is what backs your consumer protections. Hiring an unregistered contractor is illegal here, and if the job goes wrong you lose the ability to make a claim against their bond. So the very first step, before references or bids, is to confirm registration.
Step by step: using the L&I Verify a Contractor tool
- Go to lni.wa.gov and open the "Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business" tool.
- Search by company name or, better, by the contractor's L&I registration number. The number is the most reliable way to land on the right business, since company names can be similar.
- Open the matching record and read it top to bottom rather than just glancing at the status line.
What each field means
Registration status. You want to see "Active." Expired or inactive means the contractor is not currently legal to work in Washington, and the protections behind their registration may not be in force.
Surety bond. The record shows the bond and the bonding company. General contractors in Washington carry a $12,000 bond and specialty contractors a $6,000 bond, though you should confirm current amounts on the L&I site. The bond is a limited backstop, not full coverage. Our guide on what a contractor bond is explains how far it actually goes.
Liability insurance. A registered contractor carries general liability insurance. The record lists the policy and whether it is current.
Lawsuits and bond violations. This is the field most homeowners skip and shouldn't. L&I shows lawsuits and violations filed against the contractor's bond. One old dispute may mean nothing; a pattern is a clear signal to walk away.
Red flags to watch for
- No record at all. If you cannot find the business, they may be unregistered, or operating under a different name than they gave you. Ask directly.
- Expired registration or lapsed bond/insurance. Do not let work begin until everything is active.
- A name that does not match the business on their truck, card or contract.
- Multiple lawsuits filed against the bond.
- Refusal to give you a registration number. A legitimate pro will hand it over without hesitation.
Verifying the license is one piece of the puzzle. Pair it with our full checklist for choosing a remodeler and the list of questions to ask at the bid stage. And if anything about a contractor feels pushy or off, review the warning signs in how to avoid contractor scams.
Once you have confirmed a few contractors are registered and in good standing, the easy next move is to get free quotes and compare bids from pros who have already cleared this bar.