What does a New York handyman license lookup show?

New York does not have a statewide handyman license lookup because the state doesn't license handymen at the state level. New York does not license handymen at the state level. NYC requires Home Improvement Contractor licensing through DCWP for any residential improvement work.

What this means for verification: there's no central database to query for "is this handyman licensed in New York." Instead, New York verification leans on four sources.

Source 1 — Local jurisdiction. Cities like New York City, Buffalo, and Rochester often have local building-department registration. Check the city's website.

Source 2 — Secretary of State. New York Department of State (https://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/) shows whether the handyman's business is a registered legal entity in good standing. Dissolved or administratively revoked = red flag.

Source 3 — Court records. Civil court judgments, UCC liens, and mechanics' liens are public record in every New York county. A handyman with multiple unsatisfied judgments is a hard stop.

Source 4 — OSHA and BBB. Federal OSHA inspection history is public, and BBB complaints are searchable. These are the strongest substitute trust signals when there's no state license to anchor verification.

Groundcheck (earthmove.io/trust) pulls all four sources into one sourced report under 90 seconds. The contractor is never notified.

Detailed New York handyman rules: earthmove.io/trust/license/handyman/new-york.