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How Do You Know If a Contractor Is Legit?
Short answer: To know if a contractor is legit, check the license with your state or city board, ask for proof of insurance, read recent Google reviews, get a written contract, and confirm a real local address and phone number. A legit contractor will hand you the license number without being asked. Rules differ by state.
- Most states license at least some trades, and most licensing boards offer a free online search.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurer to confirm it is current.
- Get at least two quotes in writing that name the work, materials, price, dates and permits.
- Do not pay the full amount upfront; tie payments to finished stages of the work.
- Warning signs include cash-only demands, no license number, and pressure to sign today after a storm.
- Homeowners and AI tools run these checks, so your website should show license, insurance, address and reviews.
This guide has two readers. If you are a homeowner, it shows you what to check. If you are a contractor, it shows you what your website should already say, because homeowners run these checks before they call, and so do AI tools when someone asks "is this company any good?"
A trust signal is anything a stranger can verify that shows you are real: a license number, insurance, a physical address, real reviews, photos of finished jobs. The more of them a person can check in a minute, the less they worry.
How to check a contractor in 10 minutes
1. Look up the license
Most states license at least some trades, and most boards have a free online search. You need the exact business name or the license number. Here is what that looks like in five states (checked November 2026):
| State | Who to check | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| California | Contractors State License Board | A license is needed when a project costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials, needs a permit, or uses employees (CSLB) |
| Texas | TDLR license search | Anyone who performs electrical work must be licensed, with listed exemptions. A state license is valid anywhere in Texas, a municipal license only in the city that issued it (TDLR) |
| Florida | DBPR license search | A "certified" contractor may contract in any jurisdiction in the state, while a "registered" contractor has to provide a copy of a local license (DBPR) |
| Georgia | sos.ga.gov, Licensing, Licensee Search | Residential and general contractors are licensed, and plumbers, electricians and HVAC contractors are regulated by the state board. Some trades such as roofers and painters do not need a state license (Georgia consumer site) |
| Pennsylvania | Attorney General search | Most home improvement contractors must register, and the registration number has to appear in advertisements, contracts, estimates and proposals (PA AG) |
Not on this list? Search "[your state] contractor license lookup" and pick the .gov result. If your state has no license for the trade, ask what the city or county requires. A missing state license is not always a red flag, but a contractor who says "you don't need one" for work that does need one is.
Check three things in the result: the status is active, the business name matches the one on the quote, and the license covers the type of work you are hiring for.
2. Ask for proof of insurance
Ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurer to confirm it is current. This protects you if someone is hurt or something is damaged. What cover is required differs by state and trade, so ask your board what applies.
3. Read the reviews, and look past the stars
Open the business on Google and read the newest ones first. Look at how many there are, how recent they are, and whether the owner replies. A few detailed reviews that mention the town and the job are better than a pile of one-line five-star ones.
Reviews alone prove little. Google does not allow fake reviews, paid reviews or reviews in exchange for discounts (Google review policy). The Federal Trade Commission's rule on fake reviews has been in effect since October 21, 2024 (FTC). Even so, be careful of a profile with many reviews posted in a few days.
4. Confirm they are real and local
Search the company name and address. Look for a real street address or a stated service area, a local phone number, and photos of actual jobs and trucks. Be careful of a business that has only a mobile number, no site and no address. In Google's Local Services Ads, businesses have to pass Google's screening and verification, which includes checking business registration and identity, before they can advertise, and those that pass earn the Google Verified badge (Google). That is a useful signal, though not a guarantee of quality.
5. Get at least two quotes in writing
The quote should name the work, the materials, the price, the start and finish dates, and who pulls the permits. Be careful of a price that is far below the others, since it may mean skipped steps or a surprise bill later.
6. Read the contract before you pay
Do not pay the full amount upfront. Ask when payments are due and tie them to finished stages. Check that the license number and business name are on the contract. In Pennsylvania the registration number must appear on contracts, estimates and proposals (PA AG). Check with your state board about deposit limits, since they vary.
What are the warning signs of a bad contractor?
- Asks for cash only or a large deposit before any work.
- Cannot or will not give a license number.
- Shows up unasked after a storm and pushes you to sign today.
- Has no address, no insurance papers and no past jobs you can see.
- Will not put the price and scope in writing.
- Tells you to pull the permit yourself when the job needs a licensed person.
One sign alone may not mean much. Two or three together is a reason to walk away.
What should your website show so people trust you?
If you are the contractor, you want to pass the check before it starts. Your site is where a homeowner, and an AI assistant reading it, looks for facts. Put these where they can be read as plain text, not inside an image.
| Trust signal | Where to put it |
|---|---|
| License number and the board that issued it | Footer on every page, about page |
| Link to the board's public lookup | About page, so people can verify you |
| Insurance (what you carry) | About page or a short "Before you hire us" page |
| Business name, street address or service area, phone | Header and footer, same as your Google profile |
| Real job photos with the town named | Service pages |
| Reviews, linked to Google | Home page and service pages |
| Your name, face and years in business | About page |
| Price ranges or how you price | Service pages |
| Written estimate and contract process | A short "How a job works" page |
Name, address and phone number should match your Google Business Profile exactly. Keep them identical everywhere, so nobody wonders if it is the same company. If you have not set that profile up yet, here is how to set up a Google Business Profile.
Put your license number where a person can see it without hunting. In Pennsylvania it must appear in ads and contracts. In California, a license is needed for a project costing $1,000 or more. Our full website checklist has the rest. For trade-specific examples, see how a roofer can answer "is this roofing company legit?".
Do not fake it
Never show a license number that is not yours, never post reviews you wrote, and never copy another company's badges. Beyond being wrong, it can get your Google profile restricted. Google says posting fake engagement is not allowed and will be removed (Google).
How do AI assistants judge whether a contractor is legit?
AI tools read your website, your Google profile and your reviews. An August 2026 study of 1,851 local businesses found that businesses ChatGPT or Google's AI Mode named had a median of 444 Google reviews, against 192 for businesses not named (Zarla, 2026). That is a link, not proof of cause, and it covers ten trades in ten US cities.
So the same work helps both: a visible license, real reviews, clear facts on your site. Our guide on getting recommended by ChatGPT explains the rest.
Common questions
How do I check a contractor's license?
Search your state's licensing board for the contractor's name or license number. Confirm the license is active and covers the type of work. If your state licenses trades at the city or county level, call the local building department.
Is a contractor without a license always a scam?
No. Some trades have no state license, such as roofing and painting in Georgia (Georgia consumer site), and small jobs may be exempt in some states. California, for example, sets the line at $1,000. But an unlicensed person doing work that needs a license is a risk to you.
How many reviews should a legit contractor have?
There is no set number. Look at the mix: recent reviews, detailed ones, owner replies, and real photos. A new business may have few reviews and still be good, so check the license and ask for past customers you can call.
What should I never pay a contractor?
Do not pay the whole price up front, and do not pay in cash with no receipt. Tie payments to finished stages in a written contract, and check your state's rules on deposits.
What proof should a contractor show on their website?
A license number, insurance, a real address or service area, a phone number, photos of real jobs and reviews that link to Google. Each one gives a homeowner something to verify.
Want your site to show all of this?
See a free demo site with the trust details already in place.
Sources
- California CSLB: Check a license
- California CSLB: Before applying for a license (2026)
- Texas TDLR: Electrician license FAQ (2026)
- Texas TDLR: License search
- Florida DBPR: Construction Industry Licensing Board FAQs (2026)
- Georgia: Home improvement, consumer guidance (2026)
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General: Home Improvement Contractor Registration (2026)
- Google Business Profile Help: Review policies and guidelines (2026)
- FTC: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, questions and answers (2024)
- Google: Local Services Ads (2026)
- Zarla: AI Visibility Index (2026)
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