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How contractors are verified

Last updated: July 2026

FastHands has not launched yet. This describes how it works at launch, so you know what you are signing up for. Join the waitlist to be first when we go live in LA.

Before a contractor can bid on a single job, we check their license against the Contractors State License Board registry — the same lookup you could run yourself at cslb.ca.gov, done for you, every time, on every contractor.

What we check

  • The CSLB license is real and active in the state registry — not just a number typed into a form.
  • The license belongs to them. We match on name and ZIP, not the number alone, so a contractor cannot bid on somebody else’s credential.
  • Their identity, verified against government ID.
  • Proof of insurance, collected as a document on file.
  • The license is still active. We re-check, so a license that lapses drops out instead of quietly staying up.

What we do not check

We do not run criminal background checks. We verify license and identity — not criminal history. If another platform tells you its contractors are screened for criminal history, ask exactly what that covers: the phrasing is not regulated, and it often means less than it sounds.

We would rather tell you exactly where the line is than let you assume it sits somewhere further out. Knowing that we verify license and identity, and not criminal history, lets you decide what else you want to ask — and you should still read reviews, ask for local references, and trust your read of someone in your home.

If we add background checks later, we will say so here and describe exactly what they cover. Until then, this page is the honest list.

Why the license is the thing worth checking

A CSLB license is not a formality. Holding one means bonding, insurance requirements, and a real regulator you can complain to. Most home-improvement work in California legally requires one, and yet almost nobody checks — which is exactly why unlicensed operators underbid licensed pros and homeowners find out mid-job.

We route work at or above $1,000, and all plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work at any price, to license-verified contractors only. The contractor side of that rule is in licensing and what you can bid on.