How to vet subcontractors and check a state license before bidding
Vetting a sub before the bid saves you from carrying a number you can’t use. Here is the checklist, the official license lookups, and what Struvia checks for you.
The checklist
- Confirm it is a real business: name, trade and location, and a contact that answers.
- Look up the license on the state board for the state the job is in, and check it is active, in the right classification, and free of discipline.
- Check the SAM.gov exclusions list, especially on public work.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance and check the dates and limits against your contract.
- Ask for comparable past projects and references.
Official state license lookups
Always search the board for the state where the project is, not where the sub is based. Licensing rules differ by state and by trade.
- Arizona: Registrar of Contractors
- California: Contractors State License Board
- Florida: Department of Business and Professional Regulation
- Idaho: Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
- Nevada: State Contractors Board
- Oregon: Construction Contractors Board
- Tennessee: Department of Commerce & Insurance
- Texas: Department of Licensing and Regulation (electricians, HVAC and other licensed trades)
- Utah: Division of Professional Licensing
- Washington: Department of Labor & Industries
What Struvia checks
Every sub on Struvia carries a tier: Checked, Vetted or Proven, or none. Checked means a real business you can reach, not on the SAM.gov exclusions list, and with no disciplinary action on record with the state license board. Vetted and Proven add license, insurance and track-record checks. The exact list, and what the checks can't tell you, is on the How we vet page.
Questions
- How do I check a subcontractor’s license?
- Search the contractor license board for the state where the project is, by license number if you have it, and confirm the license is active, in the right classification, and has no discipline on record.
- What should I check before inviting a sub to bid?
- That the business is real and reachable, its state license is active for the trade, it is not on the SAM.gov exclusions list, and its insurance meets your contract.
- Does Struvia check subcontractor licenses?
- Struvia shows each sub’s vetting tier. The Checked tier includes no disciplinary action on record with the state license board, and the higher tiers add license and insurance checks. See How we vet for the exact list.
- Is a license lookup enough to vet a sub?
- No. A license lookup does not tell you about workmanship, capacity or how a sub runs a job. Check references and past projects too.