How do I check a solar contractor's license in New York?

New York does not require a statewide solar contractor license. New York does not license electricians or solar contractors at the state level. NYC, Long Island, and other municipalities issue local electrical licenses required for PV interconnection; NYSERDA also requires installer eligibility for incentive programs.

When a state doesn't license a trade at the state level, verification leans on three things: (1) the local city or county building department's licensing or permit registry, (2) Secretary of State entity registration at New York Department of State, and (3) the contractor's public-record history — court judgments, liens, OSHA citations, and BBB complaints.

Step 1: Check whether the city or county where the work will be performed has a local contractor license. In New York City and Buffalo, many solar contractors are required to register with the city building department.

Step 2: Confirm the business is registered with the New York Department of State (https://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/) and that the filing status is active or in good standing. A dissolved or administratively revoked entity is a red flag — especially if the same address has a new entity registered.

Step 3: Run a free Groundcheck at earthmove.io/trust. The report pulls entity registration, court judgments, OSHA inspection history, and BBB complaints into one verdict. For unlicensed-at-state-level trades like solar contractors in New York, the public-record history is where the trust signal lives.

The detailed New York solar contractor rules are documented at earthmove.io/trust/license/solar/new-york.