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State files updated Oct 30, 2026
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Wisconsin contractor licenses

Check a Wisconsin contractor license

Check a Wisconsin contractor license on the Wisconsin DSPS credential verification.1

Where do you check a Wisconsin contractor license?

The Wisconsin DSPS credential verification search is where you check a Wisconsin general contractor license.

WorkLicenseWhere to check
General contractorState licenseWisconsin DSPS credential verification
Electrical–Wisconsin DSPS credential verification
Plumbing–Wisconsin DSPS credential verification
HVAC–Wisconsin DSPS credential verification
Roofing–Wisconsin DSPS credential verification

How do you read the result?

The status is the board's word for the license today. Boards word it a little differently; these are the common ones.

Active or current
The contractor can take work in the classes listed. Check the expiry date is after your job ends.
Expired or lapsed
The license wasn't renewed. Don't sign or pay until it shows active again.
Suspended or revoked
The board stopped the license, often over a complaint, a bond or an insurance lapse. Don't hire.
Inactive
The holder parked the license and can't contract until it's reactivated.

If the record lists a bond or insurance policy, check its end date too. A record with no policy on it doesn't prove there is none, so ask the contractor's agent for a certificate of insurance.

What bond and insurance must a Wisconsin contractor carry?

Bond. Either a surety bond of at least $5,000, or liability insurance (see insurance). A bond under $25,000 gets a Restricted certification, and the contractor cannot take any job whose estimated cost is more than the bond.2

Liability insurance. As an alternative to a bond, a general liability policy of at least $250,000 per occurrence, from an insurer authorized or eligible as a surplus lines insurer in Wisconsin.2

Workers' comp. A contractor required by Wisconsin law to carry workers' compensation must have a policy from an insurer authorized in the state, or be self-insured, and must also be current on any state unemployment insurance contributions.2

Wisconsin bond and insurance rules by trade

What if the contractor isn't in the lookup?

Treat the contractor as unlicensed until the board or city shows a license.

  1. Search by license number. Names are often filed under the legal business name, not the name on the truck.
  2. Try the qualifier's name. Many states license the business through one person who holds the license.
  3. Check the trade board. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC licenses are often on a different search from the general contractor's.
  4. Call the board if you still can't find it, and don't pay a deposit in the meantime.

What should you check before hiring?

What to ask before you hire

  1. Get the license number in writing. The name on the license should match the name on your contract and invoice.
  2. Check the class covers the job. A license for one trade doesn't cover another. Wisconsin license classes
  3. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you by the insurance agent, not handed over by the contractor. How to read a COI
  4. Ask who will be on site. If a crew works on your property, ask for proof of workers' comp. If the contractor says it has no employees, ask who will do the work.
  5. Put it in a written contract: license number, price, start date and payment schedule. Check the license again on the day you sign.

If the license is lapsed

  1. Don't sign or pay a deposit until the board shows the license active again.
  2. Ask the contractor why. For a bond or insurance lapse, ask for proof that the new bond or policy was filed with the board, then check again.
  3. If work has started, hold further payments, keep the contract, receipts and photos, and file a complaint with the state board.
  4. Check another contractor. Wisconsin license lookup

Sources

  1. Wisconsin DSPS credential verification: license search (dsps.wi.gov, 2026-10-28)
  2. WI DSPS: bond (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov, 2026-10-27)
  3. WI DSPS: 305 (docs.legis.wisconsin.gov, 2026-10-27)
  4. WI DSPS: Default (dsps.wi.gov, 2026-10-27)