Trust & verification
On the big lead platforms, a pro's licence and insurance details are largely self-reported — the pro types them in, and the badge follows. On Ivy, “verified” is a short checklist that a person on our team works through before that pro's first job. Here is exactly what's on it.
The checklist
Connecticut requires home improvement contractors to register with the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). We check the pro's Home Improvement Contractor registration against the state record — the number they gave us has to match a current registration in their name or their company's name.
New Jersey home improvement contractors register with the Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA). For pros working in New Jersey, we check that registration the same way: against the state record, not the pro's say-so.
New York has no statewide home improvement licence, so a state-level check doesn't exist to lean on. Instead, we check the programme where the work actually happens — New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), and the county programmes in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam.
We confirm current liability insurance from the pro's insurance certificate itself — the document, not a checkbox on an application. The registration and insurance we check belong to the business that will do your work.
Timing
No exceptions and no “paperwork coming soon.” A pro does not get a first job until every check above is done.
Registrations and insurance expire. When a pro's registration or policy comes up for renewal, the check runs again against the current record.
If a registration or policy lapses, the pro stops receiving jobs until it's current again — verified is a status that has to stay true, not a one-time stamp.
Plain language
Are you a contractor? See how the pro network works →
Tell us what you're planning — kitchen, bathroom, floors, or a list of repairs — and we'll arrange a site visit and a written quote.
