Arkansas licenses most trade work, and the lookups are free and public. Two minutes before you sign can save you a season of grief.
Why it matters: after every storm, out-of-town door-knockers sweep NWA neighborhoods. A real contractor doesn't mind being checked. A fake one is counting on you not to.
What to do:
General contractors and remodels: search the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board at labor.arkansas.gov. Residential jobs over $2,000 generally require a licensed contractor.
Plumbers: licensed through the Arkansas Department of Health, look them up at healthy.arkansas.gov before work starts.
HVACR techs: licensed through the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing at labor.arkansas.gov.
Electricians: licensed through the state's electrical licensing program at labor.arkansas.gov.
The bottom line: name matches license, license is current, trade matches the job. If a "roofer" hands you a card with no license number and a truck with no company name, that's your answer.
The door-knocker rule: never sign anything on the spot. Photos, a night to think, and a license check first.
The Trade Guide Team