Hire smart
How to check any contractor, including us
Run these five checks on every contractor you talk to. Ask us for our L&I registration number and check it the same way.
- 1
Look up the registration
Search the business name or registration number on the free L&I Verify tool. L&I says it shows whether the license is active, any safety or construction citations, and any “lawsuits against their bond.” It also lists the business owners.
- 2
Check the bond
Washington law sets the bond at $30,000 for general contractors and $15,000 for specialty contractors (RCW 18.27.040). Make sure the bond on the Verify page is current.
- 3
Get the Disclosure Statement
On a bid or contract of $1,000 or more, the contractor must give you a Disclosure Statement before work starts (RCW 18.27.114). It warns that your property may be liened and you could pay twice for the same work.
- 4
Get bids and the contract in writing
L&I’s Hire Smart guide tells homeowners to get bids in writing and to ask for the price with sales tax in the contract.
- 5
Pay as the work gets done
L&I says, “Don’t pay in full until the job gets done.” Tie each payment to a finished phase, and ask for lien releases before the last one.
The City of Bellevue will not issue a building permit until it verifies that the contractor is registered. For each screen of the lookup, read how to verify contractor registration in Washington.