Verification and badges
Every company on Contracting Bridge is reviewed before it can post or bid. Badges show what we've checked, so you know who's covered before you award the job.
What we check
Documents are optional so sign-up stays quick, but each approved document earns a badge that shows next to your company name everywhere.
- Company review
- Every new company is reviewed by our team before it can post projects or bid. We look at the company details, the person who signed up and where the company works.
- Insured
- A current certificate of general liability insurance, usually an ACORD 25 from your agent. We check that it names your company, that the policy is current, and we keep the expiration date on file.
- Licensed
- A contractor license with its state, type and number, checked with the state that issued it. Optional, because not every trade or state requires one.
- Workers' comp
- A workers' compensation certificate, or a sole owner's confirmation that the company has no employees.
- W-9
- So the contractors who hire you can pay you and send a 1099.
Reviews you can trust
Anyone can leave a star rating on a general review site. On Contracting Bridge, only the two sides of an awarded job can review each other, once each per project.
- Trades are rated on quality of work, schedule and communication
- Contractors are rated on paying on time, job-site readiness and communication
- The reviewed company can post one public reply
- We remove reviews that break the rules, like threats or private information
What stays private
Verification documents are for our review only.
Your documents
Certificates, licenses and W-9s are stored privately. Only you and our team can open them. Other companies see the badge, not the file.
Your bids
Your bid is visible only to you and the contractor who posted the project (after the due date, if they chose sealed bidding). Other bidders never see it.
Your client's address
Trades see the town and ZIP code of a project, never the street address.
Badges help, but they aren't a guarantee. A badge means we reviewed a document when it was submitted. Policies lapse and licenses change, so before work starts, ask for a current certificate from the trade's insurance agent and confirm the license with the state. Our guide to checking a certificate of insurance walks through it.
Questions
How do you check insurance and licenses?
Companies upload their certificate of insurance and license. Our team reviews each one and checks licenses with the issuing state. The Insured and Licensed badges appear only after a document is approved.
Do I need a contractor license to join?
No. Not every trade or state requires one, so the license is optional. If you hold one, add it to earn the Licensed badge.
How long does approval take?
We review every new company by hand. You can finish your profile and add badges while you wait, and we email you as soon as you're approved.
Who can leave a review?
Only the contractor who awarded a job and the trade who won it, once each per project. The reviewed company can post one public reply.
Set up your company in about five minutes
Company name, ZIP code and the trades you do. Insurance and license badges can come later.