How to Check a Contractor's License in Georgia
Search the contractor's name or license number on the Georgia Secretary of State's license lookup (verify.sos.ga.gov). Check that the license is active, that its type covers the work you are hiring for, and that the name on it matches the business on your contract.
Look it up
- Open the Georgia Secretary of State license lookup site: https://verify.sos.ga.gov/verification/
- Search by the license number the contractor gives you, or by the business or individual name.
- Open the record itself rather than trusting a number printed on a truck, a website or a listing — including a listing on this site, where license details are supplied by the contractor.
What to compare
- Status: the license should be active, not expired, lapsed or disciplined.
- Type: residential and general contractor licenses are issued by one board; electrical, plumbing, conditioned air (HVAC), low-voltage and utility licenses by another. The license should match the work.
- Name: the licensed person or business should be the one named on your contract and the one you pay.
What a license does not tell you
A license shows the state issued it. It does not show the contractor carries insurance, does good work, or is right for your job. Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you, recent references for similar work, and a written estimate.
Sources
- Georgia Secretary of State license lookup
- O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 (electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low-voltage, utility)
- O.C.G.A. § 43-41-2 (residential and general contractors)
Sources last checked September 29, 2026. This guide summarises Georgia law as published; it is not legal advice. For a decision that matters, ask the Georgia Secretary of State's licensing division or a lawyer.