License Status Check

Board directories and license status, with the official lookup linked on every guide.

License Status Check

How To Check Contractor License

Quick answer. To check a contractor license, use the state licensing board for contractors, then confirm the classification covers the work. Local building departments may require registration on top of the state license. A license status check means opening the issuing board’s lookup and copying the status word and the expiration date. Active, expired, inactive, suspended, and revoked are not synonyms. A third-party site can be weeks behind.

Official office

USA.gov — State governments

Open the official search

Steps

  1. Confirm which board issued the license

    Profession and state. Compact privileges are not a second license number unless the board says so.

  2. Search the official lookup

    Prefer the license number.

  3. Copy status, expiration, and discipline

    Use the board’s words.

  4. Date the printout

    The status is true as of that day.

Contractor license check, state by state

California’s board is CSLB. Texas trades often run through TDLR, while other trades use different Texas boards. The state page names the board we have on file. Confirm you are on that board’s own site before you trust a result.

Write down the license number, classification, expiration, and any public discipline. A business-entity status from the corporations office is not a contractor license.

Status is the board’s word

Boards define their own statuses. “Inactive” might mean the person may not practice but can renew. “Expired” might mean the license lapsed. “Suspended” and “revoked” are discipline. Read the board’s glossary instead of translating from another state.

Always capture the date you viewed the page. Status changes. A screenshot without a date is a weak record. If the lookup shows disciplinary documents, download them or note the document number rather than summarizing from memory.

Common mistakes

  • Treating inactive as active.
  • Ignoring a suspension because the expiration date is in the future.
  • Relying on an undated screenshot.
  • Using a national aggregator that does not show the source timestamp.

Questions

What does active license status mean?

Whatever that board’s definition says — usually that the license is current and the person may practice, subject to any listed limits. Read the page.

Can a license be active and still have discipline?

Yes. Read the actions. Active does not mean a blank history.

How current is a status?

As current as the board’s site at the moment you looked. Write that timestamp down.

Sources reviewed