How to Find a Licensed Electrician You Can Trust
License lookups, insurance verification, and the questions that filter out unqualified bidders.
Every state licenses electricians, and every state license is verifiable online in under 60 seconds. Yet uninsured, unlicensed 'handymen' do an enormous amount of residential electrical work — leaving homeowners holding the bag when problems surface.
Verify before you quote
Search '[your state] electrical contractor license lookup' and verify the company name and license number. Confirm the license is active, not expired or suspended. Ask for a current certificate of insurance — general liability ($1M minimum) and workers compensation. Email the COI from the insurance agent directly, not a PDF the contractor sends.
Check the contractor's name against your state attorney general's consumer complaints database. Multiple complaints with similar themes (no-show, abandoned projects, billing disputes) are disqualifying.
Questions that filter out part-timers
Ask: 'Do you pull the permit, or do I?' (Answer should be them, in their name.) 'What load calculation will you do for this work?' (Should reference NEC Article 220.) 'Will the work be inspected by [your municipality]?' (Should be yes for any major work.)
Anyone hesitant on those three questions either isn't really licensed or routinely does unpermitted work — bad answers either way.