Verify Before You Build: Ohio Officials Urge Caution When Hiring Contractors

ZANESVILLE, Ohio —The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance is reminding the public to use available resources to verify a contractor’s license before starting any building project.

With the summer months rapidly approaching, it’s important for businesses to hire licensed professionals who can not only get the job done but also follow and uphold state safety regulations.

“Licensed contractors have been vetted. They’ve gone through background check, and so they have at least a minimum of five years’ experience working on projects and commercial projects, working on permit work throughout the state and throughout the United States, honestly,” said Michael Baisden, contractor admin for the State of Ohio.

Hiring a licensed contractor can help businesses avoid costly mistakes, delays and safety violations. Taking the time to verify credentials may not only benefit your business but it may also protect your finances, property, and employees in the long term.

“By having a licensed contractor that knows that the Ohio building code, that knows the rules and how things are going to be established…not cutting corners, not trying to jip, to move things around, but making sure that everything is up to par. I would never say never go with an unlicensed [contractor], but you know if they are licensed that you’re gonna be getting quality work done,” Baisden said

There are several ways to verify a commercial contractor’s license in Ohio. One of the easiest is by visiting the Ohio Department of Commerce’s website and navigating to the “Verifying Licensed Contractors” tab.