Contractor Vetting & Verification Policy

Last updated: July 28, 2026

Before a business can appear as a matched professional on ContractorsFinder, it goes through an onboarding verification process. This page explains what that process checks, what it does not check, and what homeowners should independently confirm before hiring.

What onboarding verification covers

Business identity. We confirm the business is a real, operating entity by collecting a legal business name, physical service address or service area, and a working phone number or email that we can reach independently of the number listed on marketing materials.
Self-reported licensing. Contractors attest, in writing, to holding any license required for their trade in the states or municipalities where they work, and agree to provide license numbers on request. See our State Licensing Disclaimer For why license requirements vary so widely by state and trade.
Self-reported insurance. Contractors attest to carrying general liability insurance appropriate to their trade, and, where they employ workers, workers' compensation coverage as required by law.
Platform conduct history. We track homeowner complaints, unresolved disputes, and policy violations reported through our Complaints process, and a pattern of unresolved issues can result in suspension or removal.

What onboarding verification does not cover

Important limitation. ContractorsFinder is a directory and matching service, not a licensing authority, background-check company, or insurer. We do not independently run criminal background checks on business owners, employees, or subcontractors, and we do not confirm license or insurance status directly with every state board or carrier before a business is listed. Attestations are self-reported by the business at signup and periodically thereafter.

This is a meaningful limitation, and we would rather state it plainly than let a badge or checkmark imply more than it means. A profile appearing on ContractorsFinder should never be treated as a substitute for the homeowner's own verification steps below.

What we ask every homeowner to verify directly

Ask the contractor for their license number and look it up yourself using your State's official licensing lookup tool.
Ask for a certificate of insurance and, if the job is significant, call the insurer listed on it to confirm the policy is active.
For larger projects, ask for at least two references from jobs completed in the last twelve months and, if possible, visit a completed job in person.
Get the scope of work, price, and payment schedule in writing before any deposit changes hands.
Avoid contractors who ask for full payment up front or who pressure you to sign the same day.

Ongoing monitoring and removal

After onboarding, a contractor profile can be suspended or removed if we receive credible evidence of expired or fraudulent licensing claims, a pattern of unresolved homeowner complaints, deceptive advertising, or violations of our Terms of Use. Removal decisions are made by our trust and safety staff, not automatically, and a business may respond to a complaint before a final decision is made. See How Contractors Are Evaluated For how ongoing quality signals separately affect how a profile is displayed and ranked.

How this differs from “How Contractors Are Evaluated”

This page covers the identity and verification checks a business must pass to be listed at all. Our separate Contractor evaluation page Covers the ongoing signals. Profile completeness, responsiveness, and homeowner feedback. That affect how an already-listed profile is organized and surfaced. The two policies work together but answer different questions.

Questions or a report to make

If you believe a listed contractor is misrepresenting their license, insurance, or identity, please use our Contact page Or the Complaints process So our team can review it.