A Washington license lookup takes less than a minute once you know which agency to search. The state splits professional oversight three ways: the Department of Licensing (DOL) handles most professions, the Department of Health (DOH) credentials health care providers, and the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) registers contractors and tradespeople. Each runs a free online database. Pick the right one, and you can confirm whether someone is actively licensed, when their credential expires, and, for health providers, whether they have a disciplinary history.
Pick the Right Agency First
Searching the wrong database is the most common reason a lookup comes up empty. Match the profession to the agency before you type anything.
The DOL licenses dozens of professions and business types under RCW 43.24, including real estate brokers, cosmetologists, home inspectors, architects, auctioneers, bail bond agents, collection agencies, funeral directors, private investigators, security guards, notaries public, and geologists.1Washington State Department of Licensing. Professional Licenses If the person isn’t in health care or construction, start here.
The DOH credentials health care providers under the Uniform Disciplinary Act, RCW 18.130.2Washington State Legislature. Washington State Code RCW 18.130 – Regulation of Health Professions Uniform Disciplinary Act That includes physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, mental health counselors, and physical therapists.
L&I handles contractor registration under RCW 18.27, covering 63 construction specialties, and also oversees electricians, plumbers, and other tradespeople.3Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Register as a Contractor
One boundary worth knowing: general business licenses and reseller permits aren’t in the DOL professional database. The DOL’s own lookup notes it will redirect you to the Department of Revenue for those.4Washington State Department of Licensing. License Lookup
How to Run a DOL License Lookup
The DOL’s tool lives at professions.dol.wa.gov/s/license-lookup, and the department’s professional licenses page links to it directly.1Washington State Department of Licensing. Professional Licenses You can search by the professional’s name, business name, or license number. The database updates every morning by 6 a.m., so a change made today may not show until tomorrow.4Washington State Department of Licensing. License Lookup
Common names produce too many hits. Narrow the results by adding a city or filtering by license type. A license number is the cleanest search. Click through to the individual record to see the license status and expiration date.5Washington State Department of Licensing. Look Up the Status of a Business or Professional License
How to Run a DOH Provider Credential Search
The DOH’s search sits at fortress.wa.gov/doh/providercredentialsearch. You can search by credential number, individual name, or business name.6Washington State Department of Health. Provider Credential or Facility Search Expect a CAPTCHA before results appear; the department uses it to block automated scraping.
The DOH calls this site a “primary source for verification of credentials,” and its data updates daily.6Washington State Department of Health. Provider Credential or Facility Search A provider’s record shows credential-specific information and endorsements, counts of open and closed enforcement cases, and copies of legal disciplinary actions issued after July 1998, unless law prohibits release.
How to Verify a Contractor With L&I
L&I’s tool is called “Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business” and is at secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/. It accepts a name, contractor or tradesperson license number, workers’ compensation account number, or Washington UBI number.7Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business Once a business registers, it appears in the tool automatically.3Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Register as a Contractor
If the person you plan to hire doesn’t appear, they aren’t registered with the state. That is the whole point of running the check before signing anything.
What the Results Tell You
The three databases show different details, but the core fields are the same:
- License status: active, expired, suspended, or surrendered.5Washington State Department of Licensing. Look Up the Status of a Business or Professional License
- Expiration date, so you can tell whether the credential is about to lapse.
- Disciplinary history, for DOH-credentialed providers: enforcement case counts and copies of orders issued after July 1998.6Washington State Department of Health. Provider Credential or Facility Search
- Business address and any specialty endorsements.
“Active” means the professional is authorized to practice right now. “Expired” and “Suspended” mean they are not. “Voluntarily Surrendered” usually means the person gave up the license, sometimes during an investigation and sometimes on retirement. Anything other than active deserves a follow-up question before you hire or continue treatment.
Why Contractor Verification Matters
Washington requires every registered contractor to carry a surety bond and liability insurance. Bond amounts are $30,000 for general contractors and $15,000 for specialty contractors.8Washington State Legislature. Washington State Code RCW 18.27.040 The bond exists to protect you if the contractor fails to finish the work, causes damage, or doesn’t pay subcontractors.
Unregistered contractors carry no bond or insurance to protect consumers.9Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Problems With a Contractor Hire someone registered, and workers’ compensation covers employees hurt on your project and liability insurance can cover property damage the contractor causes. Hire someone unregistered, and you may end up personally liable for on-site injuries and out of pocket for damage.
What to Do If the Lookup Shows a Problem
Each agency runs its own complaint channel.
For health care providers, the DOH accepts complaints about credentialed providers and facilities. You’ll need the provider’s full name and a description of the conduct. The department runs separate portals for nurses, physicians, and physician assistants, and general forms for other professions. Questions go to 360-236-4700 or HSQAComplaintIntake@doh.wa.gov. Complaints about nursing homes, assisted living, adult family homes, and schools do not go to the DOH; those go to the Department of Social and Health Services at 1-800-562-6078.10Washington State Department of Health. The Complaint and Disciplinary Process
For DOL-licensed professionals, use the “File a Complaint” option in the online licensing portal at professions.dol.wa.gov.
For contractors, L&I publishes guidance on resolving disputes and on making a claim against the contractor’s surety bond.9Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Problems With a Contractor
Out-of-State Providers and Interstate Compacts
Washington belongs to a growing set of interstate license compacts, which let a professional licensed in one member state practice in others without applying for a separate license. As of 2026, Washington has joined 14 compacts, covering nursing, medicine, physical therapy, psychology, occupational therapy, dentistry, counseling, social work, cosmetology, audiology and speech-language pathology, respiratory care, physician assistants, teaching, and dietetics.11CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts. Washington
A compact privilege is not the same as being unverifiable. If a provider says they are covered by a compact but nothing shows up in the DOH or DOL database, ask for documentation before you move forward.