Where do I look up a Wisconsin contractor license?
Start at the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) home page at dsps.wi.gov and follow the link labeled "Click here for Credential Look Up."[3] That leads to the DSPS credential look-up (LicensE) at license.wi.gov/s/license-lookup.[1] Starting from the home page keeps the steps working even if the direct address changes.
- Open the DSPS home page and choose the credential look-up link.
- Search by name or by credential number.[1]
- Open the matching record and read the credential type, status and expiry.
- Search again under the owner's or qualifier's name if the company name returns nothing.
Try the exact legal business name, not just the name on the truck.
Variations without punctuation or abbreviations are worth a second try.
Reading the result: credential type, status and expiry
Read three fields separately: credential type, status and expiry.[3] A record that is "found" is not automatically current, and a current record is not automatically the right credential for your job.
Check the expiry date at the time you hire, not just the number printed on a flyer.
The record type tells you who the credential belongs to. A Dwelling Contractor (DC) is an organization record. A Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (DCQ), an electrician and a plumber are individual records.[3]
Dwelling Contractor versus Qualifier
The business holds the DC through a certificate of financial responsibility. That certificate is valid for one year, and the bond or insurance behind it is at least a $25,000 bond or $250,000 per occurrence of general liability insurance.[4] It is a permit-pulling credential, not a trade license. It says who may obtain the building permit, not which trades may work.[4]
A business holding a DC must also hold, or employ, a person with a DCQ.[6] DSPS states the DCQ is for an individual, not a business.[8]
Side by side
DC versus DCQ
Dwelling Contractor (DC)
- An organization record
- Backed by a certificate of financial responsibility
Qualifier (DCQ)
- An individual record
- Held or employed by the DC business
Look up the company for the DC, then ask who the qualifier is and look that person up too. Our Dwelling Contractor license guide covers both credentials in more detail.
An owner who lives, or will live, in the dwelling and pulls a permit for work on it is exempt from these requirements.[5]
A contractor missing from the listing, depending on the trade
It depends on the trade.
A blank result is not proof of anything until you know whether the work has a state credential at all.
| Work | Blank result | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | Normal. DSPS does not list a state license for this trade.[7] | Check with the city about its own permit. |
| Concrete, driveways, patios, masonry | Normal. DSPS does not list a state license for this trade.[7] | Check with the city about its own permit. |
| Contractor pulling a permit for a one- or two-family dwelling | Worry. DC and DCQ are expected.[5][6] | Recheck spelling, then ask DSPS. |
| Electrical, plumbing or HVAC work | Worry. These trades have their own credentials.[7] | Search for the individual's credential. |
The roofing and concrete rows come from an absence on the DSPS A-Z Professions List, which names 233 credentials and has no entry for those trades.[7] The building-related entries it does carry are the DC, DCQ and Dwelling Contractor Restricted credentials. It also lists the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, sprinkler, elevator and manufactured-home credentials, plus Home Inspector, Landscape Architect, Utility Contractor and Pipelayer.[7]
A roofer without a state license can still work under a roofing contractor who pulls a one- or two-family permit with DC and DCQ in place.[6] Work that touches wiring, plumbing or HVAC equipment needs those trades' credentials.[7]
For the local side, see the roofing and concrete pages, or the city page for your town, such as Madison or Green Bay. For electricians, see the electrician license guide.
The eSLA permit look-up covers permits, not contractors
DSPS runs a second tool, the eSLA public look-up. It covers permits, plan reviews and product approvals, and it is not the tool for checking a contractor.[2][9]
Searching it for your contractor and finding nothing proves nothing.
- Is this contractor credentialed? Use the credential look-up from the DSPS home page.[1]
- Is there a permit, plan review or product approval on file? Use eSLA.[9]
Our permits by city page links to each one.
Other checks to make before hiring
A credential record confirms a name, a status and an expiry date. It says nothing about workmanship, pricing or references.
Ask for a certificate of insurance and a written contract that spells out the scope of work. Ask whether the job needs a permit and who is pulling it. Ask which subcontractors are involved, and look up any who do electrical, plumbing or HVAC work.
Checklist
Before you hire
0 of 4 ticked
Tick them off as you go. Nothing is saved or sent.
If a search turns up something unclear, contact DSPS directly. The SERP lists (608) 266-2112 and dsps@wisconsin.gov, so confirm those on dsps.wi.gov before you call.[3]
The city or the building inspector has the final word on permits.
Rules and records checked October 2026.
For the broader picture of which credentials apply to which jobs, see the Wisconsin license overview.
Quick answers
Why is my roofer not in the DSPS look-up?
DSPS does not list a state license for roofing, so a blank result is normal for that trade.
Is the eSLA look-up for checking a contractor?
No. It covers permits, plan reviews and product approvals, not contractor credentials.
Does a Dwelling Contractor record show trade licenses?
No. The DC is a permit-pulling credential and does not say which trades may work.
Sources
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "DSPS credential look-up (LicensE)." https://license.wi.gov/s/license-lookup. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "DSPS eSLA public look-up (permits, plan reviews, product approvals)." https://esla.wi.gov/publiclookup. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "DSPS home page." https://dsps.wi.gov/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "Dwelling Contractor (DC) (DSPS)." https://dsps.wi.gov/a-z-professions-list/dwelling-contractor-dc/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Legislature. "Wis. Stat. 101.654; SPS 305.31." https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/101.654. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Legislature. "SPS 305.31(1)(b); Wis. Stat. 101.654(1m)." https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/administrativecode/SPS%20305.31. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "DSPS A-Z Professions List." https://dsps.wi.gov/a-z-professions-list/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "Dwelling Contractor Qualifier – New Licensure." https://dsps.wi.gov/a-z-professions-list/dwelling-contractor-qualifier-dcq/new-licensure/. Accessed October 17, 2026.
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. "eSLA Public Look-Up Tool." https://dsps.wi.gov/esla-information/esla-public-look-up-tool/. Accessed October 17, 2026.