CCB Lookup Trust Score

The Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license is the fundamental legal requirement for any contractor working in Oregon. Without it, a contractor cannot legally perform paid construction work. It is the single most important indicator of legitimacy, which is why it carries the highest weight in the score.

A contractor who has maintained an active CCB license for many years has demonstrated sustained commitment to compliance and continued operation. Longevity correlates with stability — a contractor still active after 10+ years has navigated renewals, maintained insurance, and stayed in business through market cycles.

A surety bond protects you if a contractor fails to complete work, abandons a project, or causes financial harm. Oregon law requires contractors to maintain an active bond — but bonds expire and must be renewed. Confirming the bond is current (not just that one was issued) is a critical consumer protection step.

Oregon sets a minimum bond amount, but some contractors carry higher coverage voluntarily. A bond above the minimum means more financial protection for you if something goes wrong. It also signals that the contractor takes their financial obligations seriously beyond the bare legal requirement.

General liability insurance covers property damage and injuries that may occur during a project. Unlike the bond, insurance protects against accidental damage — a broken pipe, a fire, structural damage. An active policy means that if something goes wrong on your property, there is coverage in place.

Higher insurance coverage means more protection for larger or more complex projects. A contractor carrying above-minimum insurance has typically made a deliberate business decision to offer stronger protection to their clients — a positive signal for serious residential and commercial work.

Some CCB license types — such as Lead-Based Paint Renovators (LBPR) — are not required by Oregon law to carry a surety bond or general liability insurance. For these contractors, meeting all coverage requirements for their specific license type is awarded the equivalent points, ensuring they are scored fairly on the same scale as contractors who do carry bond and insurance.

The RMI is the person legally responsible for the contracting business and its compliance with Oregon law. Having an identified RMI on the CCB record provides a clear point of legal accountability. If a dispute arises, you know exactly who is responsible. Without an RMI on record, accountability is diffuse and harder to establish.

A contractor who publishes a phone number is more reachable and transparent. While not all CCB records include a phone number, its presence is a basic indicator of contactability — important if you need to follow up after a project or in the event of a dispute.

A verified Google Business Profile means the contractor has a publicly visible presence that has been confirmed by Google. It adds an independent layer of verification beyond the CCB database — a third party has matched the business to a real location and identity.

Google's data indicates the business is currently operational. This adds confidence that the contractor is actively running their business — not just maintaining a license while no longer taking on projects.

Having at least 3 reviews means there is a meaningful public record of real customer experiences. Fewer than 3 reviews is too small a sample to draw any conclusion — which is why we only reward contractors who have reached a minimum threshold of public feedback.

A 4.0+ rating across multiple reviews indicates consistent customer satisfaction. While online reviews are not perfect, a sustained high rating across many interactions is a meaningful signal of quality service.

Reaching a 4.5+ average requires consistently excellent work over many reviews. Very few businesses maintain this level of satisfaction across a significant number of customers — it is awarded as an additional bonus on top of the 4.0+ points.

The Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) issues separate licenses for electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC/mechanical contractors, boiler businesses, and other specialized trades. These licenses are independent of the CCB — they require separate examinations, experience requirements, and renewals. A contractor who holds an active BCD license in addition to their CCB license has met the requirements of two distinct state regulatory bodies, which is a strong indicator of professional commitment and compliance. BCD license data is sourced from the Oregon Open Data Portal.

When the BCD license type is consistent with the contractor's CCB license type — for example, an electrician holding both an RSC (CCB) and a C-Electrical Contractor (BCD) license, or a plumber holding both an RGC (CCB) and a PB-Plumbing Contractor (BCD) — it confirms that the contractor is properly credentialed for the specific type of work they advertise. This alignment between the two licensing systems is a strong signal of genuine trade expertise.

A contractor holding multiple active BCD licenses — for example, both a plumbing and a boiler license — has demonstrated expertise across more than one regulated trade. This is relatively uncommon and signals a higher level of professional versatility and regulatory compliance.

An expired CCB license means the contractor is not legally authorized to perform paid construction work in Oregon. This is a disqualifying condition — no other positive factor can offset it. We set the score to 0 automatically to make this situation unmistakably clear to anyone reviewing the contractor's profile.

A contractor who has not renewed their license with reasonable advance notice may be dealing with administrative or financial difficulties. For any project that extends beyond 30 days, you could find yourself working with an unlicensed contractor mid-project. We apply a significant deduction to flag this risk clearly.

An expired bond means you lose the financial protection it provides if the contractor fails to deliver. While the CCB license may still show as Active — because the CCB monitors bond status separately — the lapse is a real risk that consumers should be aware of before hiring.

Without active insurance, any property damage or injury during your project may not be covered. Oregon law requires liability insurance for most license types — a lapse may indicate the contractor is cutting costs in ways that directly expose you to financial risk.

The RMI is the person legally accountable for the business. When no RMI is identified in the CCB record, it is less clear who bears legal responsibility for the contractor's actions. This is a minor deduction — not all license types require an RMI — but its absence reduces the overall accountability picture.

A contractor who lists only a PO Box — rather than a physical address — is harder to locate if a dispute arises. A physical address provides a traceable point of contact and signals a more established, verifiable business presence. This does not mean the contractor is unreliable, but it does reduce traceability.

Contractors based outside Oregon may be less familiar with local building codes, permit requirements, and Oregon-specific consumer protection laws. They may also be more difficult to contact or pursue legally if a problem arises after project completion. Oregon residents generally have stronger legal recourse with in-state contractors.

When Google has marked a business as permanently closed, it is a strong signal that the contractor may no longer be operating — even if their CCB license still shows as Active. License records can take time to reflect a business closure. This is one of the highest-weighted deductions because it directly contradicts the assumption that the contractor is available for work.

A Google Business Profile with fewer than 3 reviews does not provide enough public feedback to assess the contractor's reputation. This is a minor deduction — new or low-profile businesses may simply not have had time to accumulate reviews — but it does reduce the available information for potential clients.

The website listed on the contractor's Google Business Profile is currently unreachable — the domain may have expired, the site may be under maintenance, or the hosting may have lapsed. This is a minor signal only: many contractors operate without an active website. Always verify directly by phone before hiring.