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How to verify a Washington contractor on L&I
Google reviews help you hear from neighbors. Washington's Department of Labor and Industries tells you whether the contractor is registered to work. Do both.
Open L&I Verify
Use Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business. Search the business name or license number. Confirm:
- Active registration
- Bond and liability insurance on file
- Citations or bond lawsuits, if any
For plumbing and electrical work, L&I also expects you to confirm the person on site holds the right certification. Tacoma Power handles some electrical permits and inspections inside its service area. Ask the shop who pulls the permit before work starts.
Hire Smart, step by step
L&I's Hire Smart path is plain: plan the job, collect written bids, run Verify, watch scam signs, then sign a written contract. The contract should name scope, materials, payment schedule, and warranties. Pay by phases. Ask for lien releases on larger jobs.
Scam signs L&I and the FTC both flag: cash-only pressure, huge upfront deposits, "sign today" urgency, door-knock leftover-materials pitches, and jobs where the homeowner is told to pull the permit alone.
For plumbing specifically, L&I's Hiring a Plumbing Contractor flyer repeats: verify at Lni.wa.gov/Verify, get at least three written bids, require the plumber certification badge on site, and confirm permits and inspections.
Where reviews fit
Read recent, specific Google reviews and owner replies as described by the FTC and NARI. Then open L&I. A glowing Maps thread does not replace registration. An empty Maps thread does not mean an unlicensed shop either. Check the state record.
We do not invent star counts. We do not paste review text. We do not claim a shop is "L&I approved" on our cards unless your own Verify search says so.
After you verify, call
Browse a list, verify the trade you need, then dial:
- House cleaners (ask bond and insurance; UBI at business.wa.gov)
- Lawn care
- Tree service
- Pet care
- Emergency plumbers (hosts shipping): Tacoma, Puget Sound
You call the shop. We list operators. We do not book jobs, pull permits, or rank by stars.