Contracting without a required license in North Carolina isn't a paperwork slip — it's a Class 2 misdemeanor, and the licensing boards can seek court injunctions to shut an operation down. But the boards only act on what gets reported. Here's how to do it properly.
Businesses sometimes operate under a different legal name than the one on the truck. Search our directory and the official board databases under every name you know them by — and ask them directly for a license number. A legitimate contractor produces one without hesitation.
Each trade has its own board, and each accepts complaints online:
General construction ($40,000+ projects): NC Licensing Board for General Contractors — file a complaint
Electrical work (any amount): NC Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors — file a complaint
Plumbing, heating & HVAC (any amount): State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors — file a complaint
If money was taken and work abandoned, also consider the NC Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division (ncdoj.gov) and, for outright theft, your local sheriff or police department — the criminal side is theirs, not the boards'.
Boards act on documentation. Before filing, collect: the written contract or estimate (anything showing the price and scope), proof of payments (checks, transfers, receipts), photos of the work and the site, all texts and emails, the contractor's advertising (screenshot their Facebook page or listing before it disappears), and vehicle or business card details. A complaint with documents attached gets investigated; a complaint that's only a story often stalls.
The boards can investigate, refer for criminal prosecution, and obtain injunctions stopping the contractor from operating — with their attorney's fees recoverable from the violator. What they generally can't do is get your money back. That path runs through civil court or, occasionally, restitution in a criminal case. This is exactly why checking a license before hiring beats every remedy available after.
Board complaints are slow and mostly invisible to the public. If you worked with a contractor who claims to be licensed but isn't in state records, search for them here — our directory is built from the boards' own rosters. If they appear with a license, you can verify its status; if you believe a listing is wrong, use the Report button on their profile and our team re-checks state records by hand.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For recovering money or an active dispute, consult a North Carolina attorney.