What a “certified pro” badge actually certifies

What the badge covers, and what it does not

Read the right-hand column again with our trades in mind. Whether someone is licensed to work on your gas line, your electrical service, or your water heater’s venting is the single most consequential fact about them — and it is the item the platform leaves to the contractor’s word.

Verify a Washington contractor yourself in about ninety seconds

This is the part the platforms quietly handed back to you. It is genuinely fast.

1. 1. Look them up at L&I

   Search the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries contractor registration database by business name or license number. You will see registration status, bond, liability insurance, and whether the license has lapsed or been suspended. This is the authoritative record, not a badge on a directory. Ours is ECOELEP765P5.

   Verify any WA contractor at L&I →

2. 2. Ask for the license number before the appointment

   Any legitimate Washington contractor gives it immediately. Confirm the number matches the company name on the quote, not a different entity.

3. 3. Ask who is actually coming

   Employee or subcontractor? Is that person covered under the company’s insurance?

4. 4. Compare scope, not totals

   Ask every bidder the same five questions: what equipment and what size, which code-required components are included, who pulls any permit, who removes the old equipment, and who honors the workmanship warranty. Quotes that looked thousands apart usually converge once those answers are written down.

Common questions

Does a referral site verify that a contractor is licensed?

Generally, no. Reporting by WSMV4 in October 2024 found that Angi relies on contractors to self-report whether they are licensed and insured. Angi told reporters it investigates when it receives a report that a professional is not licensed, and blocks those who cannot provide proof. The check happens after a complaint, not before the listing.

Is the background check performed on the technician coming to my house?

The screening these platforms describe covers the business owner or principal, not every employee. A clean record for an owner tells you nothing about the person standing in your utility room. Ask the company directly what its own employee screening policy is.

Has this actually failed in practice?

Yes, and it has been documented. A 13News investigation in Indianapolis (April 2024) found referral services promising background-checked professionals had connected customers with people who had significant criminal histories. WSMV4 in Nashville found contractors carrying a certified designation who were not licensed at all.

Why did several contractors call me after I filled out one form?

Because these platforms are lead brokers — a single homeowner request is commonly sold to multiple contractors. In 2023 the Federal Trade Commission finalized an order requiring HomeAdvisor, Inc., affiliated with Angi, to pay up to $7.2 million to settle allegations it made false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims about the quality and source of the leads it sold to service providers.

How do I verify a Washington contractor myself?

Search the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries contractor registration database by business name or license number. You can confirm registration status, bond, liability insurance, and whether a license has lapsed or been suspended. It takes under two minutes and it is free. Ours is ECOELEP765P5.