Find a licensed contractor in your state
This is not a paid directory and nobody buys a listing here. It is the official route: the body that licenses paving, hardscape, deck and landscaping contractors in each state, the metro markets that set local pricing, and how permits are handled — so you can check a company in the public register before you let it near your driveway.
Five checks before you sign
Step 1
Verify the licence yourself
Take the business name and licence number off the written quote and look them up in your state's public register. You are checking three things: the licence is active, it is in a classification that covers the work, and the name on it matches the business you are paying.
Step 2
Get insurance confirmed by the insurer
Ask for a certificate of insurance issued directly to you. General liability covers damage to your property; workers' compensation covers the crew. If a worker is hurt on an uninsured job, the exposure can land on the homeowner.
Step 3
Insist on a specified quote
Compacted thickness, base material and depth, jointing or edge restraint, demolition and haul-off, and the warranty in writing. Two quotes that differ by thousands usually differ by inches of base, not by greed.
Step 4
Check the complaint history
Most state boards publish disciplinary actions against a licence. It takes a minute and is the one search that tells you how previous jobs actually went.
Step 5
Know the price before the visit
Run your numbers first. Walking into a quote already knowing the material volume and the typical installed range in your state changes the conversation entirely.
Licensing authority and local markets by state
Search the authority named for your state by company name or licence number. The metro list is where the top of the local price range is set; rural counties usually run 10 to 20 percent below it.
| State | Licensing authority | Main metro markets | Local costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors | Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile | DrivewayPavers |
| Alaska | Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing | Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau | DrivewayPavers |
| Arizona | Arizona Registrar of Contractors | Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale | DrivewayPavers |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board | Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith | DrivewayPavers |
| California | California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) | Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento | DrivewayPavers |
| Colorado | city or county building department (Colorado licenses locally) | Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins | DrivewayPavers |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection | Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford | DrivewayPavers |
| Delaware | Delaware Division of Revenue business licensing office | Wilmington, Dover, Newark | DrivewayPavers |
| Florida | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) | Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale | DrivewayPavers |
| Georgia | Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors | Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus | DrivewayPavers |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Contractors License Board | Honolulu, Hilo, Kahului | DrivewayPavers |
| Idaho | Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses | Boise, Idaho Falls, Coeur d'Alene | DrivewayPavers |
| Illinois | municipal licensing office (Illinois licenses at city level) | Chicago, Naperville, Rockford, Springfield | DrivewayPavers |
| Indiana | county or city building department (Indiana licenses locally) | Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend | DrivewayPavers |
| Iowa | Iowa Division of Labor contractor registration programme | Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Iowa City | DrivewayPavers |
| Kansas | city or county building department (Kansas licenses locally) | Wichita, Overland Park, Topeka, Kansas City | DrivewayPavers |
| Kentucky | local building department (Kentucky licenses locally) | Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green | DrivewayPavers |
| Louisiana | Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors | New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette | DrivewayPavers |
| Maine | town code enforcement office (Maine has no general contractor licence) | Portland, Lewiston, Bangor | DrivewayPavers |
| Maryland | Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) | Baltimore, Columbia, Silver Spring, Annapolis | DrivewayPavers |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs (HIC registration) | Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge | DrivewayPavers |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) | Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing | DrivewayPavers |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry | Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester, Duluth | DrivewayPavers |
| Mississippi | Mississippi State Board of Contractors | Jackson, Gulfport, Hattiesburg | DrivewayPavers |
| Missouri | city or county building department (Missouri licenses locally) | Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia | DrivewayPavers |
| Montana | Montana Department of Labor and Industry | Billings, Missoula, Bozeman | DrivewayPavers |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Department of Labor contractor registration | Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island | DrivewayPavers |
| Nevada | Nevada State Contractors Board | Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, North Las Vegas | DrivewayPavers |
| New Hampshire | town building department (New Hampshire has no general contractor licence) | Manchester, Nashua, Concord | DrivewayPavers |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (home improvement registration) | Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, Paterson | DrivewayPavers |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Construction Industries Division | Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces | DrivewayPavers |
| New York | county or city consumer affairs office (New York licenses locally) | New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Syracuse | DrivewayPavers |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors | Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham | DrivewayPavers |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Secretary of State contractor licensing | Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks | DrivewayPavers |
| Ohio | local building department (Ohio licenses trades at city level) | Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo | DrivewayPavers |
| Oklahoma | city building department (Oklahoma licenses locally for hardscape trades) | Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman | DrivewayPavers |
| Oregon | Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) | Portland, Salem, Eugene, Bend | DrivewayPavers |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Attorney General's Home Improvement Contractor registry | Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Harrisburg | DrivewayPavers |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board | Providence, Warwick, Newport | DrivewayPavers |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation | Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach | DrivewayPavers |
| South Dakota | city building department (South Dakota has no general contractor licence) | Sioux Falls, Rapid City | DrivewayPavers |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors | Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga | DrivewayPavers |
| Texas | city building department (Texas does not license general contractors) | Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth | DrivewayPavers |
| Utah | Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) | Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, St. George | DrivewayPavers |
| Vermont | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (residential contractor registration) | Burlington, Rutland, Montpelier | DrivewayPavers |
| Virginia | Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) | Virginia Beach, Richmond, Arlington, Norfolk | DrivewayPavers |
| Washington | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries | Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Bellevue | DrivewayPavers |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Division of Labor Contractor Licensing Section | Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown | DrivewayPavers |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services | Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Appleton | DrivewayPavers |
| Wyoming | city or county building department (Wyoming licenses locally) | Cheyenne, Casper, Gillette | DrivewayPavers |
Price the job before you call anyone
A contractor quoting a homeowner who already knows the volumes behaves differently from one quoting a homeowner who does not.
Hiring questions people ask
+How do I check if a contractor is licensed?
Find the licensing authority for your state below, search its public register by the company or licence number on the quote, and confirm the licence is active and in the right classification. A licence for general building does not always cover paving or hardscape.
+What should a contractor's insurance cover?
General liability for damage to your property and workers' compensation for anyone on site. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you directly by the insurer or broker, not a photocopy from the contractor, and check the dates cover your job.
+How many quotes should I get?
Three. Each one should state compacted thickness, base material and depth, whether demolition and haul-off are included, and the warranty. A single square-foot price is not comparable to a specified quote and is usually the cheapest for a reason.
+Do I need a permit for a driveway or patio?
Usually for a driveway, often not for a patio at grade. Permits are issued by the city or county building department, and where the drive meets a public street you normally need a separate right-of-way permit. Your state's note below says how it is handled locally.
+Is a deposit normal?
A deposit of 10 to 30 percent to schedule the work and order materials is normal. Paying most of the job up front is not. Many states cap residential deposits by law, which is another reason to use the licensing authority's website — the consumer rules are published there.