Five checks that matter more than the lowest bid
Check the license, check the insurance, get the scope and the price in writing, compare at least two bids when the job is not an emergency, and read the contract before you sign. Those five steps cover most of what goes wrong with plumbing hires, and none of them require any special knowledge.
The rest of this guide explains where to run each check in Palm Beach County and Florida, what a red flag looks like, and what to do when the pipe is already spraying and you do not have time for a long search.
The vetting sequence, in order
Get the license number first
A real contractor can give you a license number on the first call. If an ad or a truck shows no number, treat that as a warning sign.
Look the number up twice
Check the county contractor search and the state license search. They are run by different offices, and a match on both is the goal.
Ask for proof of insurance
Ask for a current certificate and confirm it is in force, not just printed. Ask what it covers if a pipe fails after the job.
Get scope and price in writing
A written document should name the work, the parts, who pulls any permit, and how the final price is set before work starts.
Where to verify each claim
Each lookup answers a different question. Use all of them.
| What you want to know | Where to check | What a good result looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Does the contractor hold county competency. | Palm Beach County licensed contractor search at pbc.gov/pzb. | Active Certificate of Competency under the name on the contract. |
| Is the state license active. | Florida DBPR Verify a Licensee at myfloridalicense.com. | Active status, matching the business and person you are dealing with. |
| Is insurance current. | Certificate of insurance from the contractor, confirmed with the insurer. | Policy dates cover your job dates. |
| Is there a permit if one is needed. | Ask the City of Greenacres building department. | A permit pulled by the licensed contractor, not by you on their behalf. |
| Is the price in writing. | The signed contract or estimate. | Scope, materials and total are all stated. |
Make sure the name on the license matches the name on the contract. A lookup that returns a different company is a red flag, not a typo.
A Business Tax Receipt is not a license
Some contractors hand over a Business Tax Receipt as proof they are legitimate. It only shows that a business paid to operate locally. Palm Beach County is clear that it is not a contractor license, so keep asking for the license number and run the lookups.
Red flags from the county
Palm Beach County lists the signs it sees most often. They are simple enough to check from your driveway.
- An ad, flyer or truck with no license number on it.
- A request for a large upfront payment before any work starts.
- An oral-only agreement, with no written scope or price.
- A Business Tax Receipt offered as if it were a license.
- Pressure to decide on the spot or to skip a permit.
Any one of these is a reason to slow down. Two or more is a reason to find a different contractor.
Water already running and no time to compare?
In a real emergency, shut off the main valve first. Then call us and ask for our license details on the phone.
Greenacres and Palm Beach County: what the county says
Palm Beach County runs contractor certification, and you can verify a Certificate of Competency through its licensed contractor search at pbc.gov/pzb. State licensing is separate and is checked through Florida DBPR Verify a Licensee at myfloridalicense.com. Run both lookups before you sign anything, and confirm current insurance in writing.
The City of Greenacres building department accepts permit applications only electronically, and work must be done by a licensed contractor or an exempt owner-builder. In practice that means a contractor who tells you a permit is not needed, or asks you to apply as the owner, deserves a follow-up question to the building department.
Using an unlicensed contractor can bring code enforcement fines to the property owner. That is the practical stake in Greenacres: the fine lands on you, not on the person you hired.
Questions to put to any plumber
Ask before you hire
- What is your license number, and who does it belong to?
- Can you send proof of current insurance?
- Will you put the scope and price in writing before starting?
- Who pulls the permit, if one is needed?
- What happens if the repair fails?
Listen for these answers
- A number you can verify in two places.
- A document, not a promise.
- A price tied to a described scope.
- A named person responsible for the permit.
- A plain account of what is and is not covered.
Matching the plumber to the job
Different jobs call for different depth of vetting, whatever the town, from Lantana to Palm Springs. A running toilet is a quick visit. A new fixture or a line relocation is a bigger commitment, so take more time on plumbing installation bids and compare scope line by line.
A whole-house repiping job touches nearly every wall and ceiling. For that, get at least two written bids, compare the pipe material, the number of access holes, who patches drywall, and whether the permit and inspection are included.
We are licensed and insured, and we give a clear price before work starts. Do not take our word for it or anyone's. Ask for the license details and check them the same way you would check anyone else.
The standard your plumber works to
A licensed plumber in Florida works to the Florida Building Code, Plumbing, which Florida builds on the International Plumbing Code (IPC), built on the IPC. Ask a contractor which parts of the job need a permit and who will pull it.
Verify the contractor with the Florida DBPR and Palm Beach County before you sign.
Questions about hiring a plumber
No. Palm Beach County says a Business Tax Receipt is not a license. Ask for the license number and verify it through the county and state searches.
County guidance flags large upfront payments as a warning sign. For anything beyond a small deposit for special-order materials, ask the contractor to explain in writing how payments tie to work completed.
A short written statement of the work and the price protects both sides, even for a small job. Oral-only agreements are on the county's red flag list.
Using an unlicensed contractor can bring code enforcement fines to the property owner. Stop work, contact the City of Greenacres building department about any permit status, and consider checking with your insurer.
No. In a leak or a backup, stop the water and call. For planned work like a repipe or a remodel, get at least two written bids.
Ask the City of Greenacres building department. Applications are electronic only, and the work must be done by a licensed contractor or an exempt owner-builder.