How to verify a Washington contractor's license in 2026 (3-minute guide)
Washington maintains two separate public lists every homeowner should check — the L&I Contractor Verify portal (registration status, bond, insurance) and the Debarred & Struck list (enforcement outcomes, wage theft, safety violations). A clean first check is not a clean record — you need both.
The source of truth: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)
Washington RCW 18.27 requires contractor registration under L&I. Unlike many states, Washington separates registration (Verify portal) from enforcement (Debarred list) — and homeowners frequently check only the first. Always check both.
Six steps to verify
- Step 1
Get the contractor's L&I registration number
Ask the contractor for their 12-16 character alphanumeric registration number (it looks like ECOSTSC758NN, not a plain integer). Washington RCW 18.27 requires every contractor to display this number on contracts, advertising, and vehicles. Sole proprietors and LLCs both register under this single system.
- Step 2
Open the L&I Contractor Verify portal
Navigate to secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/ or the equivalent 'Verify a Contractor' link on lni.wa.gov. No account needed. Paste the registration number and click Search. You can also search by business name, UBI number, or phone.
- Step 3
Read the registration status and type
Look for ACTIVE. The registration type will be General Contractor ($12,000 bond minimum) or Specialty Contractor ($6,000 bond minimum). Specialty contractors can only perform work in their declared specialty (electrical, plumbing, etc.). If the type is Specialty and the contractor is bidding multi-trade residential work, the scope does not fit the license.
- Step 4
Confirm bond and insurance
Washington requires a $12,000 GC bond or $6,000 specialty bond, plus general liability of $250,000 property damage + $200,000 bodily injury per occurrence. The Verify detail page lists the bond company, expiration, and insurance carrier. Check that insurance expiration is in the future. A lapsed bond or insurance gap voids the contractor's right to work in Washington.
- Step 5
Check the debarred contractor list (separate lookup)
Washington publishes a separate DEBARRED + STRIKED list at secure.lni.wa.gov/debarandstrike/. A contractor whose registration is Active on Verify can still appear on this list if they owe wages, have been criminally cited, or have been barred from state contracts. This is the step that catches what the main portal misses. Do it every time.
- Step 6
Review the 'Lawsuits and Judgments' section
The Verify detail page surfaces any active lawsuits against the contractor's bond. Unresolved bond claims are a severe red flag — they indicate prior customers or subcontractors have filed verified claims that have not yet been paid or settled. Consult an attorney before signing if you see any open claims.
Red flags
- Registration Status not ACTIVE on Verify
- Registration Type is Specialty but contractor is bidding multi-trade work
- Any entry on the Debarred & Struck list
- Open lawsuits or bond claims in the “Lawsuits and Judgments” section
- UBI or business name on L&I record does not match the contract
- Bond or insurance expiration date in the past
Use AskBaily's free tool
Our /tools/contractor-check queries the L&I Socrata feed (the data source behind the Verify portal) and surfaces registration status, bond, and insurance. Important caveat: our tool does NOT yet pull the separate Debarred & Struck list — the feed is distinct and cadenced separately. Always cross-check that list manually at secure.lni.wa.gov/debarandstrike.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Washington have two separate lists — Verify and Debarred?
The Verify portal shows license registration status. The Debarred list tracks enforcement outcomes — wage theft, public-works violations, safety violations. A contractor can be Active on Verify (paying their registration fees) while also being Debarred from taking state contracts or cited for wage theft on the separate list. Most homeowners never check the second list. You should.
What does 'UBI' mean on the L&I record?
Unified Business Identifier — Washington's 9-digit company ID. Every registered business has one. If the UBI on the L&I record does not match the UBI on the contractor's invoice, proposal, or COI, the license number and the company don't match. That's a red flag.
The bond minimum is only $12,000 for a GC. Is that enough for a $100K remodel?
No, and Washington does not pretend otherwise. The bond is a floor for registration, not a ceiling. For projects over $12K, ask whether the contractor carries additional performance bonding or an umbrella policy. Also ask that you be named as a Certificate Holder on their general liability insurance so you're notified of lapses during your project.
What if the contractor says their license is 'pending renewal' and the portal shows Expired?
Do not sign a contract. Do not make a deposit. Washington does not recognize 'pending' — a license is either Active or it is not. The contractor can renew in 10-15 minutes online. Ask them to renew first, then verify the new status on secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/ before signing.
Can AskBaily's tool check Washington?
Yes. Our /tools/contractor-check queries the L&I Socrata open-data feed, which is the same underlying data that powers the Verify portal. It does NOT currently pull the separate Debarred list automatically (the feed is separate and updates on a different cadence). Cross-check the Debarred list manually at secure.lni.wa.gov/debarandstrike/ for every project.