How to verify an Oregon contractor's license in 2026 (3-minute guide)
Oregon requires every contractor to be licensed by the Construction Contractors Board. The license register is free, public, and live at search.ccb.state.or.us. This six-step guide walks you through the exact check AskBaily's free tool automates.
The source of truth: Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
Oregon Revised Statute 701 requires every residential and commercial contractor to be licensed by CCB. The board publishes every license publicly, including bond, insurance, and enforcement history. AskBaily's automated check uses the same CCB open-data feed that powers the search portal. You are welcome to self-verify — and you should.
Six steps to verify
- Step 1
Get the CCB license number from the contractor
Ask the contractor for their Oregon CCB license number. It is 5-7 digits with no prefix. Oregon law (ORS 701.021) requires every contractor to display this number on contracts, proposals, advertising, and vehicles. If they won't share it, walk away — unlicensed contracting above $1,000 is a misdemeanor in Oregon.
- Step 2
Open the CCB license search portal
Navigate to search.ccb.state.or.us/search/search.aspx. You can also reach it from oregon.gov/ccb by clicking 'License Search.' The portal is free, no account needed. Enter the license number and click 'Search.' You can also search by business name if the number is missing.
- Step 3
Read the license status
The detail page shows ACTIVE, INACTIVE, or SUSPENDED. Only ACTIVE contractors can legally perform work in Oregon. Also read the 'Endorsement' — Oregon classifies licenses as Residential General Contractor (RGC), Residential Specialty Contractor (RSC), Commercial General Contractor (CGC), etc. An RSC cannot legally bid your full kitchen remodel; you need an RGC for multi-trade residential work.
- Step 4
Check the bond and insurance amounts
Oregon requires a $20,000 surety bond for Residential General Contractors ($75,000 for commercial) and $500,000 in general liability insurance. The CCB detail page lists the bond company, bond number, bond amount, and expiration date — plus the insurance carrier, policy number, coverage amount, and expiration. Lapsed bond or expired insurance is grounds to pause the conversation until the contractor produces current paperwork.
- Step 5
Read the enforcement / complaint history
CCB publishes every Final Order, civil penalty, and settled complaint tied to the license number. Click 'Enforcement History' on the detail page. One resolved complaint from years ago is usually noise. Open orders, multiple resolved complaints, or a pattern of claims against the bond is a serious red flag — consult an Oregon construction attorney before signing.
- Step 6
Confirm the business name matches
The CCB record lists the legal business name and any registered DBAs (doing-business-as names). Compare this to the name on the proposal, the name on the truck, and the name on the business card. Mismatches mean the license belongs to a different company — a contractor may be borrowing or subcontracting under another company's license, which is generally prohibited under ORS 701.098.
Red flags — walk away if you see any of these
- Status is Suspended, Inactive, or absent from the register
- Endorsement is RSC but the contractor is bidding a full remodel (multi-trade work needs RGC)
- Bond or insurance expiration is in the past
- Enforcement history shows an open Final Order or unresolved civil penalty
- Business name on CCB does not match the proposal
- Contractor hesitates or refuses to give you the license number
Or use AskBaily's free tool
Our /tools/contractor-check queries the Oregon CCB open-data JSON (the same source the state portal uses) and returns a clean scorecard. Free. No sign-up. Same data. If the two ever disagree, trust the CCB portal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a CCB license check take?
About three minutes once you have the license number. The portal at search.ccb.state.or.us is fast and returns every detail on one page.
What's the difference between RGC, RSC, and CGC on the CCB record?
RGC (Residential General Contractor) can coordinate multi-trade residential projects — kitchens, bathrooms, ADUs, additions. RSC (Residential Specialty Contractor) is a single-trade license for something like siding or roofing. CGC (Commercial General Contractor) is for commercial work. For a residential kitchen remodel, you want RGC. An RSC bidding your kitchen remodel is a qualification mismatch.
Oregon's bond is only $20,000. Is that enough?
It's the statutory minimum for an RGC. If your project value is under $20,000, a bond claim has full recourse. For larger projects, ask the contractor if they carry a separate performance bond, and confirm they carry sufficient general liability ($500,000 is the CCB minimum). The bond is a floor, not a ceiling.
The CCB portal shows an 'Active' status but the contractor's insurance says expired. Which is right?
CCB updates when insurance carriers report changes — sometimes with a lag of days or weeks. If the ACORD 25 certificate shows expired coverage, trust the ACORD. Ask the contractor to produce a current COI before you sign anything, and confirm the carrier by phone if the project is material.
Can I use AskBaily's tool instead of the CCB portal?
Yes. Our /tools/contractor-check queries Oregon's CCB open-data feed (the same source the CCB portal uses) and returns a scorecard with status, bond, insurance, and any endorsements. If our read ever differs from the CCB portal, trust the CCB portal — it is the source of truth. We are a read-only mirror.