Check an Iowa contractor's registration

1. State contractor registration

Iowa does not issue a general contractor license. Instead, Iowa Code Chapter 91C requires anyone who earns at least $2,000 a year from construction work to register with DIAL, the state licensing department. It is a registration, not an exam-based license, so a registration number tells you the company is on file with the state, not that it passed a test. The application fee is $50. People who earn less than $2,000 a year from construction, or who only work on their own property, do not have to register.

You can look up any contractor's registration on the Iowa Labor Portal public search at laborportal.iwd.iowa.gov. Search by business name and confirm the registration is active and the name matches the name on your contract.

Plumbing and mechanical contractors need a separate license from the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board. Window work does not fall under that board.

2. Lead-safe certification for older homes

Iowa's lead-safe renovation rules cover target housing, meaning housing built before 1978, plus pre-1978 child-occupied buildings such as daycares. In Iowa, a company that does renovation in that housing must be certified as a lead-safe renovator firm, and at least one certified lead-safe renovator must be assigned to each job. DIAL runs the program. You can check a renovator's certification number on the state's public search, linked from dial.iowa.gov.

3. Insurance certificate

Ask for a certificate of liability insurance, and workers' compensation if the company has employees, sent directly from the insurance agent. Check the dates and the business name.

Other checks

• A local address you can drive to.
• References from jobs in your part of town, ideally houses about the same age as yours.
• The manufacturer's warranty terms, including any installer requirements.