What you should do if you are a consumer of contracting services and you think you may have hired or interviewed a contractor who is not not licensed
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When You Report an Unlicensed Contractor You are Protecting Others From Becoming a Victim of a Financial Mess and More!
1. Have documentation-- depending how involved you are with the alleged unlicensed contractor be sure to a business card with the contractors name and their license number.
2. Make a phone call-- contact your local building department or your state regulator agency.
3. Confirmation of contractor license-- the agency you call should be able to identify if you are dealing with a licensed contractor or an unlicensed contractor and they will tell you how to proceed.
4. Ask how you should proceed with your complaint-- Your building department may refer you to the State Department of Business and Professional Regulations or they may take your complaint, do a preliminary investigation, and contact the appropriate authorities. Many building departments have contractor licensing investigators who are trained to recognize and investigate these types of offenses.
5. Inquire about criminal prosecution-- each case will be different depending on the amount of damages, etc. Ask the investigator if they work with the State Attorney or local law enforcement. In most States contracting without a license is criminal and not a civil matter.
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