How to check a contractor’s registration in Idaho

To check a contractor in Idaho, search their name or registration number on the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) public license search. Look for an active status, a current expiration date and any posted disciplinary actions. For electrical, plumbing or HVAC work, check that the company holds the right trade license too. It takes about five minutes and is worth doing before you sign anything.

Here’s how the lookup works, what registration does and doesn’t tell you, and what else to ask for before hiring anyone in the Magic Valley.

Who has to be registered in Idaho?

Under the Idaho Contractor Registration Act, it’s illegal to work as a contractor in Idaho without registering with the state (Idaho Code 54-5204). Registration is handled by the Idaho Contractors Board, which is part of DOPL.

The law has exemptions (Idaho Code 54-5205). The main ones homeowners run into:

• Small jobs. A project under $2,000 in total, as long as it isn’t part of a bigger project or split up to dodge the rule.
• Licensed trades. People licensed under other Idaho laws, such as electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors, work under their trade license instead.
• Employees. Workers paid wages by a registered contractor don’t need their own registration. Independent subcontractors do.
• Homeowners. You can work on your own residential property without registering, with limits if you’re building to sell.

Roofing, fencing, landscaping, siding, window replacement and remodeling companies working on jobs over $2,000 generally need to be registered.

How do I look up a contractor on the DOPL website?

1. Go to the DOPL Online Services public search. You can also get there from the Idaho Contractors Board page by clicking “Search for a Registration.”
2. Search by the business name, the owner’s name or the registration number. Idaho contractor registration numbers usually start with “RCE-“.
3. Check that the name matches the company on your estimate. Watch for similar names or a different business entity.
4. Look at the status and expiration date. It should be active and current.
5. Check for any formal actions or discipline listed on the record.

If you can’t find a company, ask them for their registration number and search again. If they won’t give you one for a job over $2,000, that’s a red flag.

What does registration prove, and what doesn’t it?

Registration is a baseline, not a quality rating. To register, a contractor applies to DOPL with (Idaho Code 54-5210):

• A certificate showing general liability insurance of at least $300,000, including completed operations coverage.
• Proof of workers’ compensation insurance, or a statement explaining why it isn’t required.
• The names of the business owners.
• A statement about any past contractor license or registration that was denied, surrendered or revoked in any state.

What registration doesn’t do: the application doesn’t include a trade skills test, and it doesn’t tell you whether the company does good work, shows up on time or finishes jobs. That’s why registration is a starting point, not the whole check.

Registration also matters for you in one practical way. Under Idaho Code 54-5208, a contractor who should be registered and isn’t loses the right to file a lien. That protects homeowners, but it’s no reason to hire an unregistered company.

Which trades need a separate license in Idaho?

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work is licensed through separate DOPL boards, not just registered. Each board offers its own license search:

• Idaho Electrical Board: electricians and electrical contractors.
• State Plumbing Board: plumbers and plumbing contractors.
• HVAC Board: heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractors.

If a general contractor is managing a project that includes wiring for landscape lighting, a new outlet or plumbing work, ask who will do that part and check that person’s trade license.

You may also see “public works contractor license.” According to DOPL, that license is for publicly funded projects. A contractor working only on private homes doesn’t need one, but should be registered.

What is the Idaho residential disclosure, and when do I get it?

If a general contractor signs a contract with you for more than $2,000 to build, alter or repair your home, Idaho Code 45-525 requires them to give you a written disclosure statement before you sign the contract. You sign an acknowledgment that you received it. The disclosure must tell you that you have the right to:

• Require the contractor to get lien waivers from subcontractors and suppliers, at your reasonable expense.
• Get proof that the contractor has general liability insurance, including completed operations, and workers’ compensation insurance as required by law.
• Learn about buying an extended title insurance policy that covers certain unfiled liens.
• Require a surety bond, at your expense, up to the value of the project.

Before you make the final payment, the contractor also has to give you a signed list of the subcontractors, suppliers and equipment rental companies it hired directly that supplied more than $500 in work or materials. Failing to make these disclosures counts as an unlawful practice under the Idaho Consumer Protection Act. The law doesn’t apply to emergency repairs you requested, or to necessary repairs to your electrical, plumbing or water system.

If a contractor hands you a contract over $2,000 with no disclosure, ask for it. Our guide to hiring a general contractor vs. managing the trades yourself explains why lien waivers matter.

What else should I check before I hire?

• Insurance certificate: Ask for a current certificate of insurance. For more certainty, ask the insurance agent to send it to you directly.
• Written contract: Scope, materials, price, payment schedule, start and finish dates, and how changes are handled should all be in writing.
• Permits: Ask who pulls the permit. The contractor usually should.
• References: Ask for recent local jobs, and call them.
• Who does the work: Ask whether crews are employees or subcontractors, and whether those subs are registered.

What are the red flags?

• No registration number, or a number that doesn’t match the company name.
• Cash only, or a large payment before any work or materials arrive.
• No written estimate or contract.
• Pressure to sign today, or a price that’s only good “right now.”
• Door-to-door offers right after a wind or hail storm, from a company with no local address.
• Asking you to pull the permit in your name.

If you have a problem with a registered contractor, you can file a complaint through the DOPL Contractors Board page.

How does Zircon handle registration and vetting?

We’re a general contractor. Before a trade partner works on our jobs, we check their Idaho registration, trade licenses where required, and insurance certificates. Our how we work page explains how we vet subcontractors. You’re welcome to look us up on the DOPL search too. When you’re ready, request a free estimate, or read more about working with a general contractor.