Professional Licenses

Our Professional License records are compiled from state professional licensing boards and departments of professional regulation. These include licenses for attorneys, engineers, architects, accountants, real estate agents, contractors, and dozens of other regulated professions.

• Coverage All 50 States
• Records 45+ Million professional licenses
• Sources State Professional Licensing Boards, Dept. of Professional Regulation
• Legal Basis State licensing statutes, professional regulation acts

What Are Professional License Records?

Professional license records are official government documents that confirm an individual has met the education, examination, experience, and character requirements established by a state to practice a regulated profession. In the United States, the authority to regulate professions rests with individual states, and each state has enacted legislation designating which occupations require a license and establishing the qualifications that applicants must meet. The result is a vast network of state licensing boards -- often dozens per state -- each responsible for regulating a specific profession or group of related professions.

The concept of professional licensing dates back centuries, but the modern American system took shape primarily in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as states recognized the need to protect the public from unqualified practitioners in fields such as medicine, law, and engineering. Today, an estimated 25 to 30 percent of the American workforce holds some form of professional license or certification, encompassing hundreds of distinct occupations. The licensing framework varies significantly from state to state: a profession that requires a license in one state might require only a registration or certification in another, and the specific requirements (education, experience hours, examination scores) can differ substantially.

Because professional licenses are issued by government agencies and are a condition for practicing in regulated fields, the associated records are maintained as public information. This transparency is a cornerstone of the licensing system's purpose: consumers need the ability to verify that the professionals they hire are properly qualified and in good standing. Public access to license records enables accountability, deters fraud, and provides a mechanism for consumers to report concerns to the appropriate regulatory body.

Types of Licensed Professions

The range of professions that require state licensure is remarkably broad, extending far beyond the traditional professions of medicine and law. While the specific list varies by state, the following categories represent the major areas of professional regulation.

Legal Professionals: Attorneys must pass the bar examination in each state where they wish to practice and are licensed by the state supreme court or its designated bar association. License records for attorneys include their bar number, admission date, status (active, inactive, suspended, disbarred), and any public disciplinary history. Many states also license paralegals, notaries public, and court reporters.

Accountants and Financial Professionals: Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are licensed by state boards of accountancy after completing education requirements (typically 150 semester hours), passing the Uniform CPA Examination, and accumulating supervised work experience. Some states also regulate other financial professionals such as enrolled agents, financial planners, and investment advisers at the state level.

Engineers and Architects: Professional Engineers (PE) and licensed architects must pass rigorous national examinations (the Fundamentals of Engineering and Principles and Practice of Engineering exams for engineers; the Architect Registration Examination for architects) and meet experience requirements. These licenses are particularly important because engineers and architects sign and seal drawings and specifications, taking personal responsibility for the safety of structures and systems.

Contractors and Tradespeople: General contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC technicians, and other construction trades are licensed in most states. Licensing requirements typically include experience, examination, insurance, and bonding. Contractor license records are among the most frequently searched by homeowners and businesses looking to verify that a contractor is properly qualified and insured before hiring them for construction or renovation work.

Real Estate Professionals: Real estate agents, brokers, and appraisers are licensed by state real estate commissions. Agents must complete pre-licensing education, pass a state examination, and work under a licensed broker. Brokers must meet additional education and experience requirements. Appraisers are subject to both state and federal regulation through the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council.

Cosmetologists and Barbers: Cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians, nail technicians, and hair braiders are licensed in every state, typically requiring completion of a state-approved training program and passage of both written and practical examinations. These licenses also extend to salons and barbershops as business establishments, which must meet health and safety inspection requirements.

Other Regulated Professions: The list extends to include insurance agents, private investigators, security guards, funeral directors, land surveyors, veterinarians, optometrists, pharmacists, social workers, counselors, therapists, teachers, pilots (federally licensed through the FAA), and many more. Each profession has its own licensing board, its own requirements, and its own body of public records.

What License Records Contain

A standard professional license record includes several core data fields that provide essential information about the licensee's qualifications and current standing. The license number is a unique identifier assigned to the licensee by the issuing board. This number is used to look up the license in the state's database and is often printed on the licensee's physical license certificate or card.

The licensee's name is the full legal name under which the license was issued. Some boards also list the licensee's business name or practice name if they operate under a DBA. The license type identifies the specific profession and level of licensure (for example, "Licensed Professional Engineer," "Certified Public Accountant," or "Real Estate Broker").

Issue date and expiration date define the period during which the license is valid. Most professional licenses must be renewed periodically -- typically every one to three years -- and renewal often requires completion of continuing education (CE) credits. The renewal history can show whether a licensee has been continuously licensed or has had gaps in their licensure.

The license status is arguably the most important field for verification purposes. Common status codes include Active (the license is current and the holder is authorized to practice), Inactive (the holder has voluntarily placed the license in a non-practicing status), Expired (the license was not renewed by the expiration date), Suspended (the license has been temporarily revoked due to a disciplinary action or failure to meet requirements), and Revoked (the license has been permanently cancelled, typically as the result of serious misconduct).

Disciplinary actions are also part of the public record in most states. When a licensing board takes formal action against a licensee -- whether it is a reprimand, fine, probation, suspension, or revocation -- the details of that action are typically posted on the board's website and become part of the permanent license record. These records may include the nature of the complaint, the findings of the investigation, and the specific sanctions imposed.

Why Professional Licenses Are Public

The public nature of professional license records is grounded in the fundamental purpose of occupational regulation: protecting the public. When a state requires a profession to be licensed, it is making a determination that the unregulated practice of that profession poses a sufficient risk of harm to consumers that government oversight is warranted. The corollary of this determination is that consumers must be able to verify whether the professionals they hire have actually met the state's requirements.

Consider the consequences of a system where license records were not publicly accessible. Consumers would have no practical way to verify whether a contractor, attorney, or healthcare provider was properly licensed. Fraudulent practitioners could claim credentials they do not possess with little risk of detection. Disciplinary actions would be invisible to the public, allowing professionals who have been sanctioned for misconduct to continue operating without scrutiny. Public access to license records is the mechanism that makes the entire regulatory system work.

Beyond individual consumer protection, public license records serve broader societal interests. Journalists use license databases to investigate patterns of misconduct in regulated industries. Researchers analyze licensing data to study workforce trends, diversity in professional fields, and the economic effects of occupational regulation. Employers use license verification as part of background checks and hiring decisions. Insurance companies use license data to assess risk and set premiums. The public accessibility of this data creates a network of accountability that reinforces the standards the licensing system is designed to uphold.

How to Verify a Professional License

Verifying a professional license is a straightforward process that every consumer should undertake before hiring a regulated professional for significant work. The primary method is to search the licensing board's online database directly. Each state licensing board typically maintains a free, publicly accessible search tool on its website where you can look up a licensee by name, license number, or business name. The search results will show the license status, expiration date, and any disciplinary actions.

For some professions, national databases aggregate license information from multiple states. For example, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) maintains a national directory of licensed architects. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) operates CPAverify, which allows users to search for CPAs across participating state boards. The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) offers DocInfo for physician verification. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) maintains records of engineers who have passed national examinations.

When verifying a license, you should confirm several things: that the license is currently active (not expired, suspended, or revoked), that the license type matches the services the professional is offering (for example, a real estate agent's license does not authorize them to act as a broker), that the license is valid in the state where the work will be performed, and that there are no outstanding disciplinary actions. If a professional claims to hold licenses in multiple states, verify each one independently through the respective state boards.

Understanding License Status Codes

Licensing boards use standardized status codes to indicate the current state of a professional license. While the exact terminology varies by state and by profession, the following statuses are the most common and their meanings are broadly consistent.

Active: The license is current, all renewal requirements have been met, and the holder is authorized to practice the licensed profession. This is the only status that permits the holder to offer services to the public in the regulated field.

Inactive: The holder has voluntarily placed the license in a non-practicing status. This is common for professionals who are temporarily not working in their field -- for example, due to retirement, a career change, or a leave of absence. An inactive license holder is not authorized to practice but can typically reactivate their license by meeting current renewal requirements and paying applicable fees.

Expired: The license was not renewed before its expiration date. In most states, there is a grace period during which an expired license can be renewed by paying a late fee and completing any overdue continuing education. After the grace period, the holder may need to go through a more extensive reinstatement process, and in some cases, may need to retake the licensing examination.

Suspended: The licensing board has temporarily revoked the holder's authority to practice, usually as a result of a disciplinary proceeding. Suspension may be for a fixed period (for example, 90 days or one year) and is often accompanied by conditions that the holder must meet before the license can be reinstated, such as completing additional education, undergoing substance abuse treatment, or paying restitution.

Revoked: The licensing board has permanently cancelled the license, typically as a result of serious professional misconduct, criminal conviction, or repeated violations. Revocation is the most severe disciplinary action a board can take. In some states, a licensee whose license has been revoked can apply for reinstatement after a specified period, but reinstatement is not guaranteed and requires the board to determine that the individual is fit to practice again.

Probation: The license remains active, but the holder is subject to specific conditions or restrictions imposed by the board as a result of a disciplinary action. Probationary conditions might include practice restrictions, supervision requirements, regular reporting to the board, or mandated continuing education in specific areas.

Frequently Asked Questions