Checking a Subcontractor Before You Bid: Using the Contractor Registry
A checklist for general contractors and public owners: certificates, legal entities, disclosures, insurance, MWBE and apprenticeship.
When a general contractor or a public owner puts together a bid or awards a contract on New York public work, every firm on the job needs an active Contractor Registry certificate. The registry is also a quick, public way to see what each firm has disclosed to the Department of Labor. This guide is a practical checklist for using it fairly and accurately. It is general information, not legal advice.
Step 1: confirm the certificate is active
Search the firm by its legal name or its "doing business as" name. Many firms trade under a name that differs from the legal name on their certificate, and the registry records both. Note the certificate number, the issue date and the expiry date. The law bars an unregistered contractor from bidding on public work, and requires subcontractors on covered private projects to register before they start work (Labor Law §220-i). A certificate that expires during the job will need renewal, so ask the firm about it.
The listings on this site include only certificates DOL shows as Active and unexpired, from DOL's daily open data (data.ny.gov). Because we update weekly, check DOL's data directly on the day you rely on it.
Step 2: match the firm to the bid
Make sure the legal entity on the certificate is the one that will sign the subcontract. Affiliated companies often have similar names. The certificate's business type (corporation, LLC, partnership) and address help confirm you have the right one.
Step 3: read the disclosures as disclosures
The registration form asks about outstanding wage assessments, debarment in the last eight years, final determinations of labor, employment tax and workers' compensation violations, and final determinations of workplace safety violations, and DOL must publish the answers (Labor Law §220-i). On this site each answer appears exactly as published.
Read them carefully and without assumptions:
- A "No" is the firm's own answer on its registration.
- A "Yes" tells you that the firm disclosed something in that category. It does not tell you what happened, how serious it was, or whether it has been resolved. Debarment answers come with the law, state and dates DOL publishes; check whether the period has ended.
- If an answer matters to your decision, ask the firm for an explanation and supporting documents, and check the relevant agency's records directly.
Public owners are bound by their own procurement rules on responsibility and debarment, and federal and state debarment lists are maintained separately. Use those official lists for any determination; the registry answers are a starting point for questions, not a conclusion.
Step 4: check insurance
The registry shows whether the firm disclosed workers' compensation insurance, a Workers' Compensation Board employer number and an unemployment insurance employer number, or an exemption. Ask for current certificates of insurance naming you as required by your contract, because coverage can change after registration.
Step 5: MWBE and apprenticeship
If the contract has MWBE participation goals, the registry's MWBE answer is a pointer, but the authoritative check is the state's directory of certified firms on the Empire State MWBE Hub (Empire State MWBE Hub). If the owner requires registered apprenticeship agreements, ask the firm for its program details and confirm them with DOL. Our guide to MWBE certification and apprenticeship covers both.
Common mismatches to clear up
- The name on the bid differs from the certificate: ask whether the firm trades under a "doing business as" name, and check that the registry records it.
- The address differs: firms move, and the registry shows what the firm reported. Confirm with the firm.
- The certificate expires before the work starts: ask the firm to renew and send the new certificate number.
- The firm disclosed an exemption from workers' compensation insurance: that usually applies to firms with no employees. Ask who will do the work on your job, and what coverage applies.
Federal exclusion lists
For any project with federal funding, check the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) for federal exclusions. That is a separate, official list, and it is the right place to confirm federal debarment status rather than a registry answer.
Step 6: keep a record
Print or save the certificate details and the date you checked them, and keep them with the bid file. If a question arises later about a subcontractor's registration on the bid date, that record answers it.
Small and new firms
Many registered firms are small, and many registered for the first time recently, because the requirement is relatively new. A recent issue date usually reflects a first registration or a renewal, not a lack of experience; ask about past public projects and references instead. Firms that are new to public work often need more help with certified payroll and posting rules than with the work itself, and it is worth raising those at the pre-bid stage.
For public owners and municipalities
Bid documents can require bidders to list their certificate number and those of their subcontractors, which makes the check routine. Remember that registration is not prequalification: it confirms the firm registered and made the required disclosures. Your own responsibility review, references and bonding requirements still apply.
Using this directory
Search by firm or city, and filter by MWBE, registered apprenticeship or workers' compensation insurance. Each profile links to DOL's data. We do not rank, score or rate contractors, and featured placement never changes the order of results.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on NY Public Work Contractor Check is not a recommendation or a guarantee of anyone's work. A license record shows registration status on the date shown, not workmanship, insurance coverage at the time of your job, or suitability for your project. Confirm license, insurance and permits directly before you hire. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.