How to Choose a Licensed Plumber Without Getting Burned
License verification, insurance, and the questions that filter out drain-cleaning truck rollers.
Plumbing is one of the most heavily regulated trades — and one of the trades where unlicensed work creates the most expensive problems. Verifying credentials takes 5 minutes and prevents the bad outcomes that dominate consumer complaints.
Verify these before any major work
State plumbing contractor license, verified online with current expiration. Master plumber on staff (required by most jurisdictions for permitted work). General liability insurance ($1M+) AND workers comp.
BBB record with the legal business name (not just DBA). Search Google for the company name plus 'complaint' or 'lawsuit.'
Questions that filter out parts-swappers
'Will you pull a permit?' (Should be yes for any major work — sewer, water heater, repipe, gas.) 'Will the work be inspected by [your municipality]?' (Should also be yes.) 'What's your written warranty?' (Should be at least 1 year on labor.)
Hesitation or excuses on any of those three signals an operator who routinely does unpermitted work — bad outcomes either way.