Four checks. No exceptions.
"Verified" on most directories means a business paid for a badge. On Handvetted it means a license confirmed with the state, a background check on the people who will be in your home, a rating standard we enforce, and a person who signed off. Not everyone makes it in. That is the point.
1. Licensed
Where the state licenses the trade, we confirm an active license against the official registry, not a photo of a certificate. Roofing, HVAC, remodeling, insurance agents and mortgage lenders each have their own regulator, and the table below lists them by state. Where a state does not license a trade, the remaining three checks carry more weight.
2. Background checked
We run a background check on the owner and the operators who will be in your home. A business whose principals fail that check does not enter the network, regardless of how good its reviews are.
3. Rated 4.5 stars or better
We look at ratings across review platforms, weight volume and recency, and check for patterns that suggest purchased or fake reviews. A business that falls below 4.5 after joining is paused until it recovers.
4. Reviewed by a person
An algorithm cannot judge whether a business is right for homeowners. A member of our team reads every application, speaks with the owner, and makes the final call. We turn away more applicants than we accept.
Who licenses what, state by state.
These are the bodies we check against for each category. Thresholds differ by state, which is why the background, insurance and review checks apply everywhere regardless of licensing.
| State | Contractors and roofing | HVAC | Insurance agents | Mortgage lenders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors (projects of $40,000 or more require a state license) | North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors | North Carolina Department of Insurance | North Carolina Commissioner of Banks (mortgage lenders and loan originators) |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation: Residential Builders Commission (residential work over $5,000) and Contractor's Licensing Board | South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board, mechanical contractor classification | South Carolina Department of Insurance | South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs and Board of Financial Institutions (mortgage lenders and brokers) |
| Georgia | Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (Secretary of State) | Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors | Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance (mortgage lenders, brokers and originators) |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Department of Commerce and Insurance (projects of $25,000 or more; home improvement license for $3,000 to $24,999 in covered counties) | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, mechanical (HVAC) classification, plus local permits | Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (mortgage lenders, brokers and originators) |
| Virginia | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) Board for Contractors: Class A, B or C licenses depending on project value | DPOR Board for Contractors with the HVAC specialty, plus tradesman certification for technicians | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance | Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Financial Institutions (mortgage lenders and brokers) |
Verification is not a one-time event.
- Licenses and insurance are re-verified on a schedule and whenever a homeowner reports a problem.
- Every call placed through a Handvetted introduction is logged so we can confirm the match happened and resolve disputes.
- Homeowner feedback after the job feeds back into the business's standing. Repeated complaints lead to a pause or removal.
- Businesses never pay to be ranked higher. There is no ranking; there is one match, chosen for your project and ZIP code.
Meet the standard, or need someone who does?
Homeowners get one verified match, free. Businesses that pass all four checks get exclusive requests.