# Multi-State Contractor & Trade License Lookup (`scrapebench/multistate-contractor-license-lookup`) Actor

Verify & search contractor and trade licenses across US states (WA, OR, TX, CT) by license number, business, or person. Official open-data sources; pay only per match.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/scrapebench/multistate-contractor-license-lookup.md
- **Developed by:** [ScrapeBench](https://apify.com/scrapebench) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation
- **Stats:** 47 total users, 19 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$0.004 / license match

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Multi-State Contractor & Trade License Lookup

### Pain points

- Checking a contractor's license means visiting each state's board site, one at a time.
- Every state board has a different website, search form, and data format.
- Hard to confirm a subcontractor or vendor is licensed — and still current — across the states you work in.

### What we solve

- One search across multiple states' official license registries at once.
- Results normalized to the same fields no matter which state they came from.
- Look up by license number or business name; the person on the licence (principal, RMI or owner) is returned on the row.
- Returns status, license type, expiration, location, plus bond/insurance where the state publishes it.
- Pay only per match — searches with no matches are free.

### Summary

Check a contractor or tradesperson's license across several states at once, instead of visiting each state board by hand. Give a license number or business name and the actor searches every selected state's official open-data license registry, returning one normalized row per match: license number, business/person, license type, status, expiration, location, and (where the state publishes it) bond and insurance. Built for subcontractor vetting, insurance/KYC checks, compliance, and lead enrichment. Covers Washington, Oregon, Texas, and Connecticut; coverage grows as more states are added.

### Who it's for

- General contractors vetting subcontractors before a hire
- Insurance underwriters and KYC / onboarding teams
- Compliance and risk teams verifying vendors across states
- RevOps, agencies, and data teams enriching contractor lists

### How to use

Set the input, run the actor, and collect results from the run's dataset (export to JSON/CSV/Excel, or pull via the Apify API). Example input:

```json
{
  "query": "construction",
  "states": [
    "WA",
    "OR",
    "TX",
    "CT"
  ]
}
```

See **Inputs** below for every available field.

### What you get

One row per record:

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `state` | State the license is from (2-letter code) |
| `license_number` | The license/registration number |
| `business_name` | Licensed business name |
| `person_name` | Associated person (owner/principal/responsible individual), where published |
| `license_type` | License classification / trade |
| `status` | License status (where the state publishes it) |
| `issue_date / expiration_date` | Issue and expiration dates |
| `city / county / address / zip_code` | Location fields the state exposes |
| `phone` | Listed phone, where available |
| `bond_amount / bond_company / insurance_company` | Bond & insurance, where the state publishes them (e.g. OR) |
| `matched_by` | Whether the match came from a license-number or name search |
| `source_url` | The state's official license-verification page |

Sample:

```json
{
  "state": "OR",
  "license_number": "100362",
  "business_name": "GARY EPPING CONSTRUCTION CO INC",
  "person_name": "GARY EPPING",
  "license_type": "Residential General Contractor",
  "status": "Active",
  "issue_date": "1990-05-01T00:00:00.000",
  "expiration_date": "2026-05-01T00:00:00.000",
  "city": "SALEM",
  "county": "MARION",
  "bond_amount": "25000",
  "bond_company": "Western Surety Company",
  "insurance_company": "Oregon Mutual",
  "matched_by": "business_name",
  "source_url": "https://search.ccb.state.or.us/search/"
}
```

### Inputs

| Field | Required | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `query` | yes | string | `"construction"` | A license number or business name to verify/search. We search every selected state and return all matches. The person on the licence is returned on the row but is not searchable. |
| `states` | no | array | — | Which states to search (2-letter codes). Leave empty to search all supported states. Supported: WA, OR, TX, CT. |
| `maxResults` | no | integer | `50` | Cap on matches returned across all states (bounds cost). Each state is queried for up to this many rows and the combined result is trimmed to it. |
| `proxyConfiguration` | no | object | `{"useApifyProxy": false}` | Optional. The state open-data APIs are reachable directly; a proxy is not needed. |

### Pricing (Pay Per Event)

You pay per result (`dataset-item`) — **no charge for empty runs**. Example: **1000 license matches** at *$0.004/result* ≈ **$4.00**.

You're only charged per license match returned — searches with no matches are free. Apify platform usage (compute) is billed separately per your plan.

### Use cases

- Subcontractor vetting — a GC confirms a sub is licensed and current before signing, across every state they operate in.
- Insurance & KYC — underwriters verify a contractor's license at onboarding without checking each state board by hand.
- Compliance & due diligence — risk teams pull license status, type, and (where published) bond/insurance in one call.
- Lead enrichment — RevOps and agencies append verified license data to a list of contractor businesses.

### Why this actor

- One search across multiple states' official registries — no visiting each board by hand.
- Normalized output: the same fields regardless of which state a license came from.
- Official open-data sources; pay only per match, and searches with no matches are free.

### Limitations & updates

Covers only the states listed (currently WA, OR, TX, CT) — each backed by that state's official Socrata open-data registry; more states are added over time. Some states license only specific trades (e.g. CT covers Home Improvement Contractors; electrician/plumber may require separate state actors), and expose different fields — anything a state doesn't publish (e.g. TX has no street address or status; WA's dataset has no bond; CT has no person name or address) comes back null. Data is as-published by each state and may lag the board's live record. Not all US states are covered; states without open data are handled by separate per-state actors.

### FAQ

**Which states are covered?**

Washington, Oregon, Texas, and Connecticut today, with more open-data states added over time. Pick states with the `states` input, or leave it empty to search all.

**Where does the data come from?**

Each state's official open-data license registry (WA L\&I, OR CCB, TX TDLR, CT DCP). It's public, non-personal license data — not a third-party copy.

**Can I search by name, not just license number?**

Yes — pass a business name and we match and return all hits across the selected states. Person names are not searchable: every state's searchable name column is the business name, though the person on the licence (principal, RMI or owner) is returned on each row.

**How am I charged?**

Pay-per-result: you're charged per matched license returned. Searches that return nothing are free.

**Do all states return the same fields?**

Core fields (license number, business, type, status, location) are consistent. Some states add extras like bond/insurance (OR); trades-only states (TX) have no general-contractor license.

**How fresh is the data?**

It reflects each state's published open-data feed, which the states refresh on their own cadence (typically daily to weekly).

### Which actor to choose

Part of the contractor-license verification suite — pick the one that fits your goal:

- **California Contractor License Lookup & Verify (CSLB)** — You need a California contractor verified — by license number, business, or owner/personnel name (CSLB).
- **Florida Contractor License Lookup & Verify (DBPR)** — You're verifying a Florida contractor or tradesperson — type, status, expiration, county (DBPR).
- **Louisiana Contractor License Lookup** — You want the full Louisiana roster — 50,000+ commercial, residential & specialty licenses as data (LSLBC).
- **Nevada Contractor License Lookup & Verify (NSCB)** — You need a Nevada contractor's status, trade classifications, bond & principals (NSCB).
- **New Mexico Contractor License Lookup & Verify (NM CID)** — You're verifying a New Mexico contractor — license #, status, city/ZIP, expiry (NM CID).
- **North Carolina Contractor License Lookup & Verify (NCLBGC)** — You're verifying a North Carolina general contractor — classification, status, expiration (NCLBGC).
- **Oregon Contractor License Lookup & Verify (CCB)** — You're verifying an Oregon contractor — status, bond, insurance & RMI (CCB).
- **South Carolina Contractor License Lookup & Verify (SC LLR)** — You're searching or verifying South Carolina contractors — by name, license, city, or classification (SC LLR).
- **Tennessee Contractor License Lookup & Verify (TN DOCI)** — You're verifying a Tennessee contractor or tradesperson — type, status, city & county (TN DOCI).
- **Texas Contractor & Trade License Lookup (TDLR)** — You're verifying a Texas electrician, HVAC or trade license — type, expiration, county & owner (TDLR).
- **Virginia Contractor License Lookup (DPOR Bulk)** — You want the full Virginia roster — 50,000+ Class A/B/C and trade licenses as bulk data (DPOR).
- **Washington Contractor License Lookup & Verify (L\&I)** — You're verifying a Washington contractor — type, status, expiration, principal (L\&I).
- **Alabama Contractor License Lookup & Verify (LBGC)** — You're verifying an Alabama general contractor — classification, city, phone, expiration (LBGC).
- **Arkansas Contractor License Lookup & Verify (ACLB)** — You're verifying an Arkansas contractor — validity, type, expiration, city & county (ACLB).
- **Michigan Contractor License Lookup & Verify (LARA)** — You're verifying a Michigan builder or trade contractor — type, status, expiration (LARA).
- **Minnesota Contractor License Lookup & Verify (DLI)** — You're verifying a Minnesota residential contractor — subtype, status, expiration, enforcement flags (DLI).
- **Massachusetts Construction License Lookup & Verify (CSL)** — You're verifying a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License — type, status, expiration (CSL).

### Guides & use cases

Written up on **[scrapebench.dev](https://scrapebench.dev)** — the bench that runs and verifies this actor against the live source every night:

- **How-to:** [How to run Multi-State Contractor & Trade License Lookup](https://scrapebench.dev/guides/how-to-multistate-contractor-license-lookup/)
- **Use case:** [Check a Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor](https://scrapebench.dev/use-cases/check-connecticut-home-improvement-contractor/)
- **Use case:** [Look Up Oregon Contractors by Name](https://scrapebench.dev/use-cases/lookup-oregon-contractors-by-name/)
- **Use case:** [Verify a Texas Trade License (TDLR)](https://scrapebench.dev/use-cases/verify-texas-trade-license/)
- **Use case:** [Verify a Washington Contractor License](https://scrapebench.dev/use-cases/verify-washington-contractor-license/)

More actors, coverage and nightly verification results: **[scrapebench.dev](https://scrapebench.dev)**

### Works with n8n

Ready-made n8n templates that call this actor:

- **[Monitor contractor licences and alert 30 days before expiry](https://n8n.io/workflows/17393-monitor-contractor-licences-weekly-and-send-slack-digests-with-apify/)** — free template. [Step-by-step guide](https://scrapebench.dev/guides/workflow-license-expiration-monitor/)
- **[Verify contractor licenses in your lead list](https://n8n.io/workflows/17355/)** — free template. [Step-by-step guide](https://scrapebench.dev/guides/workflow-license-verify-lead-list/)
- **[Verify a subcontractor's licence when they submit your onboarding form](https://n8n.io/workflows/17598-verify-subcontractor-licenses-from-form-submissions-with-apify-and-slack/)** — free template. [Step-by-step guide](https://scrapebench.dev/guides/workflow-subcontractor-onboarding-gate/)

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

A license number or business name to verify/search. We search every selected state and return all matches. The person on the licence is returned on the row but is not searchable.

## `states` (type: `array`):

Which states to search (2-letter codes). Leave empty to search all supported states. Supported: WA, OR, TX, CT.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Cap on matches returned across all states (bounds cost). Each state is queried for up to this many rows and the combined result is trimmed to it.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Optional. The state open-data APIs are reachable directly; a proxy is not needed.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "ABC Construction",
  "states": [
    "WA",
    "OR",
    "TX",
    "CT"
  ],
  "maxResults": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `licenses` (type: `string`):

Matched licenses: number, business/person, type, status, dates, location.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "query": "construction"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("scrapebench/multistate-contractor-license-lookup").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "query": "construction" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("scrapebench/multistate-contractor-license-lookup").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "query": "construction"
}' |
apify call scrapebench/multistate-contractor-license-lookup --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=scrapebench/multistate-contractor-license-lookup",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/Q2FU47mIIu9SrPsal/builds/hmHxIAK9ofrpkuepH/openapi.json