Every tradesman on JOTA goes through a review before they can quote your jobs. There are two levels — here's what each one tells you.
JOTA has verified this user's identity.
Business, license, and insurance documents have not been reviewed at this level.
JOTA has manually reviewed this contractor's identity, business information, and supporting documentation.
Licenses are only required for trades and jurisdictions where they are legally required. JOTA does not certify skill or guarantee workmanship.
JOTA verifies documents at the time they're submitted. We are not a party to the work agreement between you and the tradesman and we don't guarantee outcomes. Always confirm license and insurance status directly with your state's licensing board before hiring for major work — and review our Terms of Service for full details.
Common questions about tradesman verification on JOTA.
It means the tradesman has verified their real-world identity with a government-issued photo ID and a matching selfie, provided their date of birth, and verified their phone number. They can quote unregulated jobs like handyman work, cleaning, lawn care, painting, and general repairs. JOTA does not currently run a criminal background check; homeowners should do their own due diligence for major work.
It means the tradesman has completed everything in ID Confirmed plus full business verification: a verified business name and address, an active trade license for any regulated trade they offer, a current $1M+ general liability insurance certificate, and a signed W-9. Verified Pros are re-checked every 12 months and are the only tradesmen who can quote regulated jobs.
For unregulated work, JOTA only requires identity verification. A tradesman can start quoting on those jobs while they work toward full Verified Pro status. If they want to bid on regulated trades, they must complete the blue badge requirements first.
Regulated trades that affect health, safety, or structure require the blue badge. Examples include electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, gas, structural, chimney, and septic work. Requirements can vary by state and locality, so the badge is our baseline — always double-check with your local licensing board.
Most identity submissions are reviewed within 1–2 business days. Verified Pro reviews take 2–5 business days because we manually review licenses and insurance certificates. Tradesmen are not shown with a checkmark until the review is complete.
Tradesmen without a checkmark have not yet completed or passed verification. They cannot submit quotes on jobs. If you see a profile without a badge, it means they're not yet cleared to bid on your work.
Yes. JOTA verifies documents at the time they are submitted, but licenses and insurance policies can expire or change. For any major or regulated job, we recommend asking the tradesman for their current license number and certificate of insurance, then confirming it with your state or local licensing board.
Verified Pros must re-submit their license and insurance information every 12 months. ID Confirmed status does not expire, but tradesmen can be asked to re-verify if we detect a discrepancy or receive a report that needs review.