Trade Check USA
Check a Contractor
Verification Status Guide

Know exactly what every TradeCheck status means.

TradeCheck shows more than whether a business has a profile. See what has been reviewed, what is current, what needs attention, and when a contractor meets defined qualification requirements.

Every TradeCheck status is tied to a verification record, not simply a business claim.
Example Record Understanding Current Status
General Liability Required insurance record
Current
Trade License Submitted for verification
Pending
Workers' Compensation Additional information required
Action Required
Status has a specific meaning. This guide separates business verification, individual credentials and contractor qualification.
Independent Review
Current Records
Earned, Not Bought
Understanding The System

Three types of status. Three different questions.

TradeCheck separates business verification, individual credential status and contractor qualification. They work together, but they do not mean the same thing.

01 · Business Level

How far has the business been verified?

Listed · Verified · Verified+ Enterprise

The business level tells you where the company stands within the TradeCheck verification system.

Example TradeCheck Verified

Applicable core verification requirements have been completed.

02 · Credential Status

What is the status of each record?

Current · Pending · Action Required · Not Current

Each license, policy, registration or other credential can have its own status.

Example General Liability: Current

Another credential can still require attention.

03 · Qualification Status

Does the contractor meet the requirements?

Qualified · Pending · Action Required · Not Qualified

Qualification compares the contractor record against a defined set of hiring requirements.

Example Qualified for Organization A

Another organization can require different credentials or limits.

Business Verification Levels

What a business's TradeCheck level means.

A business level shows how far the company has gone through the TradeCheck verification process.

Listed

Business profile available. Independent TradeCheck verification has not been completed.

A Listed business may have a claimed or available TradeCheck profile, but it has not completed the requirements for Verified status.

Public Status Listed

Business information may be available without independent credential verification.

What this means
  • Public business profile
  • Business information may be available
  • Independent verification not completed
Listed does not mean bad or unqualified. It means TradeCheck has not completed independent verification.

TradeCheck Verified+ Enterprise

A deeper verification level for commercial, institutional or higher-risk contractor work.

Verified+ Enterprise builds on Verified with additional applicable commercial, insurance, safety and qualification requirements.

Public Status TradeCheck Verified+ Enterprise

Additional applicable commercial requirements currently satisfy the Verified+ Enterprise level.

Additional review can include
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Commercial Auto / additional insurance
  • Safety programs and records
  • Bonding, references and capacity where applicable
Verified+ Enterprise does not mean universally qualified. Hiring organizations can require different standards.
Credential Status

Every credential has its own status.

TradeCheck shows the condition of individual records so users can see what is current, what is still being reviewed and what needs attention.

Current

The credential has been reviewed and currently satisfies the applicable requirement.

Current
Pending

Information has been submitted or identified, but verification is not yet complete.

Pending
Action Required

Something needs to be provided, corrected, renewed or reviewed.

Action Required
Not Current

The credential does not currently satisfy the applicable requirement.

Not Current
Business professionals reviewing contractor documentation Records reviewed before the work begins
Action Required does not automatically mean a contractor failed verification. It means the record needs attention.
Unverified Businesses

Not verified is not the same as not legitimate.

A business may appear in TradeCheck before completing independent verification. We clearly separate available business information from information TradeCheck has actually reviewed.

TradeCheck does not assume a company is unsafe, unreliable or unqualified because it has not completed verification.

Available information stays separate Self-reported or public information is not presented as independently verified.
No negative assumption Not Verified describes the TradeCheck record, not the quality of the company.
Example Public Record ABC Contracting LLC
Not Verified
Independent verification has not been completed. TradeCheck has not independently verified this business or the credentials shown below.
Identity & Ownership
Not Verified
Business Registration
Not Verified
Trade License
Not Verified
General Liability
Not Verified
Workers' Compensation
Not Verified
Compliance & Standing
Not Verified
Current Records

A status can change when the record changes.

A TradeCheck status represents the record at a point in time. Licenses expire. Insurance renews. Businesses change. Requirements can change.

1 Credential is Current

Required information currently satisfies the applicable requirement.

2 Record changes or reaches expiration

A policy, license or other monitored record requires attention.

3 Status changes

The record may move to Action Required or Not Current.

4 Updated record is reviewed

New evidence can be submitted and verified.

5 Current status can be restored

Once the applicable requirement is satisfied again.

The goal isn't to prove a contractor was qualified once. It's to show where the record stands now.
Business professionals reviewing current contractor records Records change. Status should reflect it.
Business professionals reviewing verification documents How information was checked matters
Verification Method

The status tells you where the record stands. The method tells you how we checked it.

TradeCheck can identify the verification method behind a record so users can distinguish verified evidence from information that has only been provided by the business.

Source Verified

Confirmed against an authoritative or official source where available.

Document Verified

Supporting documentation was reviewed.

TradeCheck Reviewed

Information was evaluated against defined TradeCheck or qualification requirements.

Self-Reported

Information was supplied by the business and has not been independently verified.

Status Questions

Common questions about TradeCheck status.

No. Verification confirms defined business records and credentials. It is not a guarantee of future workmanship, performance or outcome.
No. It means TradeCheck has not independently completed the verification required for Verified status.
Yes. If required records expire, cannot be confirmed or no longer satisfy the applicable standard, the relevant status can change.
Yes. Hiring organizations may require different insurance limits, licenses, policies or other qualification items.
No. Payment covers TradeCheck services. Verification and qualification outcomes depend on the record and applicable requirements.
Check The Record

Don't guess what a contractor's status means.

Search TradeCheck to see available business information, verification status and current credential records.

Managing contractors for a company? Contractor Qualification →
Verification Status Guide | TradeCheck USA