Verify a contractor license in Michigan.

The official source

LARA — www.michigan.gov/lara

Residential builders and maintenance-and-alteration contractors are state-licensed, as are electricians, plumbers and mechanical trades.

What to check, in order

• The license exists and is active — not expired, not suspended. Match the exact business name or license number from the bid.
• The classification fits your job — a handyman registration is not a roofing license; several states cap the dollar size of jobs by license class.
• Bond and insurance are current — where the state lookup shows them, read them. Where it doesn't, ask for certificates and call the carrier.
• Complaint or discipline history — one old complaint means little; a pattern means everything.

Three questions that expose problems fast

• "What name is your license under?" — evasive answers here end conversations.
• "Who carries your liability policy?" — legitimate pros answer instantly.
• "Will the permit be pulled under your license?" — a contractor asking you to pull the permit is often working around a license they don't have.

Keep going

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We list top-rated pros in hundreds of cities — and every listing exists to be verified, not taken on faith. That is the point.