Guides

Plain-English guides to contractor insurance, bonds and licenses, based on official state sources. For homeowners hiring a contractor, and for contractors keeping their records current.

State requirements

• California contractor insurance and bond requirementsWhat California's CSLB requires: the $25,000 license bond, workers' comp rules (including roofers), LLC liability insurance, the liability-insurance disclosure, and how to check a license.
• Washington contractor insurance and bond requirementsWhat Washington requires of registered contractors: the $30,000 or $15,000 bond, liability insurance minimums, workers' comp through L&I, and what happens when coverage lapses.
• Oregon contractor insurance and bond requirementsWhat Oregon's Construction Contractors Board requires: bond and liability insurance amounts for each license type, workers' comp, lead-safe licensing for pre-1978 homes, and how to check a contractor.
• Oklahoma roofing contractor insurance and registration requirementsWhat Oklahoma requires of roofers: annual CIB registration, $500,000 or $1 million liability insurance, workers' comp or an exemption, the 2027 residential endorsement, and your rights after a storm.

For homeowners and contractors

• What a certificate of insurance is, and how to verify oneA certificate of insurance shows a contractor had coverage when it was printed. Here is what it can and can't prove, what "certificate holder" and "additional insured" mean, and how to confirm it's real.
• General liability vs. workers' comp for contractorsGeneral liability covers damage and injuries a contractor causes to others. Workers' comp covers the contractor's own workers. What each covers, when states require them, and why homeowners should check both.
• What "expired on file" means, and how to fix itWhen a state record shows a contractor's insurance as expired, the policy may have lapsed, or the renewal may simply not be on file yet. What it means for homeowners and agents, and how contractors fix it.
• How to check a roofer before hiring after a stormAfter hail or wind damage, roofers knock on doors fast, and so do scammers. A step-by-step way to check a roofer's license and insurance, with official warnings from the FTC, FEMA and state agencies.
• What happens if you hire an unlicensed contractorHiring an unlicensed or unregistered contractor can cost you the bond, the state's help with disputes, and protection if a worker is hurt. What California, Washington, Oregon and Oklahoma say.
• How often contractor insurance renews, and what to do before it lapsesContractor policies run for a set term and must be renewed, and in many states the license is suspended the day coverage ends. How renewals work and a checklist to avoid a lapse.