How to Verify a Professional License in Any State — Free
Professional licenses are public records. Every state licensing board is required to make its licensee database publicly searchable — and almost all of them do so online, for free.
This means you can verify a contractor's license, confirm a real estate agent's active status, check a financial advisor's credentials, or look up a healthcare provider's license in minutes, without paying a background check service.
Contractors
Contractor licensing is handled at the state level, and in some states the county or city level as well. California's CSLB (Contractors State License Board) is one of the most comprehensive — you can search by license number, business name, or individual name and see active or inactive status, license class, expiration date, and any disciplinary history.
Real Estate Agents and Brokers
Real estate license verification is handled by each state's real estate commission. You can verify active status, license type (salesperson vs. broker), and any disciplinary actions.
Financial Advisors
For securities-registered advisors, FINRA BrokerCheck is the authoritative public database. For registered investment advisors, check the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) database. Both are free.
Healthcare Providers
Each state medical board maintains a searchable physician license database. For nurses, check the state nursing board. The Federation of State Medical Boards' DocInfo service aggregates physician licensing data across states.
What to look for
When you find a licensee record, check: status (active vs. expired), expiration date, disciplinary history (public actions, citations, suspensions, and revocations are usually listed), and endorsements or classifications — for contractors especially, the license class matters.
Why not just use a background check service?
Third-party background check services pull from the same public sources you can access directly — and they may not have the most current data. A license suspended last week will show immediately on the licensing board's database. A third-party aggregator may not have refreshed. Searchadex links to the official portal for every state. No account required.