Ohio Contractor License Verification
Instantly verify Ohio contractor licenses across all five OCILB trade types — Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing, and Refrigeration. All searched simultaneously from the state eLicense portal. One query.
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State board data
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OCILB trade types searched
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States searched simultaneously
What the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board regulates
The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) is a division of the Ohio Department of Commerce responsible for licensing five categories of contractor trades statewide. Unlike some states, Ohio does not issue a general contractor license — that responsibility falls to local jurisdictions.
For trade work — electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, and refrigeration — a valid OCILB license is required regardless of city or county. Each trade category is registered separately in the eLicense portal, meaning a plumber and an electrician will appear under different license type searches.
CredentialClear searches all five OCILB trade types at once and returns matching records in a single view — no manual type switching required.
Five Ohio trade license types — searched in one query.
The OCILB eLicense portal requires you to select a specific trade type before searching — an electrician won't appear in the plumbing lookup, and vice versa. To cover all trades, you'd normally need to run five separate searches.
CredentialClear searches all five types simultaneously and returns a unified result set — labeled by trade type so you can see at a glance what license a contractor holds.
What each OCILB trade license covers
Electrical Contractor (EL)
Installation, alteration, and repair of electrical systems in commercial and residential buildings statewide.
HVAC Contractor (HV)
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system installation, service, and repair.
Hydronics Contractor (HY)
Hydronic heating and cooling systems — radiant floor, baseboard, and boiler-based systems.
Plumbing Contractor (PL)
Installation and repair of plumbing systems including water supply, drainage, and gas piping.
Refrigeration Contractor (RE)
Commercial and industrial refrigeration system installation and service.
More than the Ohio eLicense portal gives you.
The OCILB portal confirms whether a license exists. CredentialClear tells you everything you need to verify a contractor's credentials before you hire.
5 OCILB Trade Types
Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing, and Refrigeration — all searched in one query without selecting each type manually.
Live OCILB Data
Real-time results from the Ohio eLicense portal. License number, trade type, status, and expiration date returned directly from the state source.
Google Reviews
See ratings and review counts alongside license status — evaluate reputation and compliance in one view.
License Monitoring
Flag Ohio contractors for ongoing tracking. Get notified if their OCILB license status changes or expires.
Ohio contractor license questions
How do I verify a contractor license in Ohio?
Contractor trade licenses in Ohio are issued by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) under the Ohio Department of Commerce. OCILB covers five trade categories: Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing, and Refrigeration. CredentialClear queries all five trade types simultaneously through the OCILB portal using the contractor's name or license number.
Does Ohio require a general contractor license?
Ohio does not issue a statewide general contractor license. General contracting in Ohio is regulated at the local level — cities and counties set their own licensing and registration requirements. CredentialClear covers OCILB-licensed trades (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, and refrigeration), which require a state license regardless of location.
What trades require a state license in Ohio?
Ohio requires a state license from OCILB for five contractor trade types: Electrical Contractors, HVAC Contractors, Hydronics Contractors, Plumbing Contractors, and Refrigeration Contractors. General contractors are not state-licensed — they are regulated by municipalities.
What is OCILB in Ohio?
OCILB stands for the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. It is a division of the Ohio Department of Commerce that issues and manages contractor trade licenses for electrical, HVAC, hydronics, plumbing, and refrigeration work performed throughout the state. License verification is available through the eLicense Ohio portal at elicense4.com.ohio.gov.
How does CredentialClear verify Ohio contractor licenses?
CredentialClear queries the OCILB eLicense portal in real time, searching all five trade types against the name or license number you provide. Results include license number, trade type, license status, and expiration date — returned in a single view without manually selecting each trade category.
What happens if I hire an unlicensed contractor in Ohio?
Hiring an unlicensed contractor for OCILB-regulated trades in Ohio puts you at risk of failed inspections, voided warranties, insurance complications, and liability for defective work. Ohio law requires contractors performing electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, or refrigeration work to hold a valid OCILB license. Always verify before signing a contract.