How to Check a Contractor's CCB License in Oregon

You check a contractor's Oregon license at search.ccb.state.or.us, the state's free public search. Type in the CCB number, business name, or phone number, and the record shows whether the license is active, along with bond, insurance, and complaint history. It takes about two minutes, and you should do it before you sign anything, not after.

Where to search

Go to search.ccb.state.or.us/search. You can search three ways:

• CCB license number — the most reliable, if you have it. It's usually printed on the bid, the business card, or the truck.
• Business name or contractor's last name — useful if you only have a name off a flyer or a referral.
• Business phone number — a good backup if the name search turns up nothing or too much.

The CCB updates these records every six hours, so what you see is close to current, not stale.

What "active" actually means

A license status of "active" means the contractor is currently licensed to do the work covered by that license type — for example, Residential General Contractor. It doesn't tell you the contractor is good at the job. It tells you the state currently recognizes them, that they've paid their fees, and that they meet the bond and insurance requirements the CCB checks to keep a license active. A status of "inactive," "suspended," or "revoked" is a stop sign. Don't hire, and don't accept a promise that it'll be "fixed by the time we start."

Why the bond and insurance matter

According to the CCB's consumer tools page, a licensed contractor carries a surety bond and has submitted proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. That matters for you in a specific way: if you hire an unlicensed contractor, you lose the ability to recover damages through the bond, and the CCB can only help mediate a dispute if the contractor is licensed. A bond isn't a blank check — it's a limited pool of money you can claim against if the contractor does something specific and provable wrong, usually after a CCB complaint or a court judgment. But it's real protection, and it only exists if the license is active.

Reading the complaint history

The record also shows any complaints or disciplinary actions filed against the contractor in roughly the past decade. One old complaint that was resolved isn't automatically disqualifying — read what it was about and how it was closed. A pattern of complaints, especially recent ones with the same theme (abandoned jobs, no permits, poor workmanship), is a real red flag. If the CCB record shows an open or recent complaint and the contractor doesn't mention it when you ask, that tells you something too.

Red flags to watch for

• No CCB number on the bid, business card, or website. Oregon rule (OAR 812-003-0120) requires licensed contractors to show their CCB number on written bids, contracts, and most advertising, including websites. A contractor who leaves it off is either unlicensed or cutting a corner they shouldn't be cutting.
• The number doesn't match the name. Sometimes a bid comes from one business name but the CCB number belongs to a different entity. Ask why.
• License is inactive, suspended, or expired. Don't take "it's just paperwork, I'll renew it" as an answer.
• No bond or insurance listed as current. Ask directly what the record shows and why.
• Recent complaints with a pattern. One is worth a question. Several with the same theme is worth walking away.
• Reluctance to give you the CCB number at all. A licensed contractor should hand it over without hesitation — it's public information either way.

What to do if something looks wrong

If the license is inactive or you find a concerning complaint pattern, ask the contractor directly and give them a chance to explain — sometimes there's a simple reason, like a recent renewal that hasn't posted yet. If the explanation doesn't hold up, or the contractor gets defensive instead of answering, that's information too. You can also call the CCB directly at (503) 378-4621 if you want to confirm what the online record shows.