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Stop saying “licensed and insured.” Prove it.

Homeowners can't check a claim. They can check a license number. Type in your real license, insurance, warranty and review details below and the kit builds a proof block for your website and a plain-English proof statement for estimates, emails and your Google Business Profile. It only says what you type, so it can't overstate anything.

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By Zach Wennstedt, founder · Published November 7, 2026 · Nothing you type leaves this page

Why doesn’t “licensed and insured” win the job anymore?

Because every contractor says it, and nobody can check it. A homeowner comparing three websites sees the same three words on all of them. What separates you is a fact they can verify: a license number with the agency that issued it, the coverage types you carry, a warranty in writing, and reviews that live on someone else's site. Consumer advice from the Better Business Bureau tells homeowners to check exactly these things before they hire, so make it easy for them.

Checkable beats impressive

“Fully licensed” is a claim. “Florida license CBC… (your number), check it on the DBPR site” is proof. The second one feels confident because it invites checking.

Specific beats vague

Name the coverage: general liability, workers' comp, bonded. Name the warranty length and what it covers. Vague promises read like a sales pitch; specifics read like a business.

True beats everything

Never claim a license, bond or rating you don't hold. Advertising claims have to be backed up (the FTC's 2024 rule on fake reviews shows how seriously regulators take it), and a homeowner who catches one stretch stops believing the rest.

Build your proof block

Fill in only what's true today. Leave anything blank and it simply won't appear. Then copy the code into your website footer or contact page, and the text version into your estimates.

Preview

Generated output

Where should contractors show their proof?

Anywhere a customer is deciding: your website, your estimate, your Google Business Profile, your truck and your invoice. The same facts, worded the same way, every time.

Where to put each proof item — Advertising For Contractors, November 2026
Place	What to show	Why it works there
Website footer	The proof block from this kit	It's on every page, so the person who lands on a blog post sees it too.
Contact or quote page	License, coverage types, warranty	Right where someone is about to hand over their phone number.
Written estimate	The text version, plus your COI offer	Estimates get compared side by side. Specifics win that comparison.
Google Business Profile	Warranty and service area in the description; job photos	Profile visitors often never reach your site. See our local SEO guide.
Truck, yard sign, invoice	License number and phone	Neighbors who see the sign can check you before they call.

Reviews belong in this list too, but only real ones you link to. Our guide to getting more Google reviews the right way covers how to ask without breaking Google's rules.

Want proof that updates itself?

A badge you paste on your site is a picture. Anyone can copy it, and it never changes when your license lapses or your insurance renews. A live badge pulls from records, so it stays honest without you touching it.

If that's what you need, ProveHound's free pro toolkit gives verified pros a live website badge, a QR yard sign and social banners tied to their listing. Full disclosure: ProveHound is a sister project of ours. We mention it here because it does the one thing this kit can't: keep checking after you hit copy.

How to find your official lookup page

Search your state's name plus “contractor license lookup” and use the result on a .gov site (or the board's own domain). Examples:

Some trades are licensed by your city or county instead of the state. In Colorado, for example, the state licenses plumbers and electricians while general contractors are licensed locally. Links checked November 7, 2026.

Questions contractors ask about proof

Should I put my contractor license number on my website?

Yes, if your trade is licensed where you work. A number plus the name of the agency that issued it lets a homeowner confirm you on the official lookup in under a minute, which a bare “licensed and insured” line can't do. Some states also require the license number in advertising, so check your board's rules.

What if my trade isn't licensed by the state?

Many trades are licensed by a city or county instead, and some aren't licensed at all. Show what does exist: your local license or registration, your business registration with the Secretary of State, your insurance and your written warranty. Never imply a state license you don't hold.

Should I post my certificate of insurance online?

Name the coverage types on the site and say a certificate is available on request, then have your insurance agent send it directly to the customer. A PDF you post yourself can be old or edited, and homeowners and property managers increasingly know that.

Does a trust badge help me rank on Google?

There's no evidence a badge by itself moves rankings. What it can do is help the people who already found you decide to call. Checkable facts, clear business details and real reviews are also what Google's own guidance on helpful content points toward.

Is the information I type into the Proof Kit saved?

No. The kit runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or stored, and closing the tab clears it.

Want us to check the rest of your site?

Proof is one piece. The free audit looks at speed, your Google profile, reviews and how fast you answer leads, then tells you what's worth fixing first. Or run the website scorecard yourself.

Call 1-800-481-8638 Get a free audit