August 14, 2026
- Hiring a Contractor
- Licensing
- Insurance
Three of the six counties license home improvement contractors, and each has a lookup you can run before you sign anything: Westchester, Putnam and Rockland. In Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties, the answer comes from the town, village or city building department. The insurance half has two separate checks, because workers' compensation proof and a liability certificate are different documents and the state accepts only certain forms for the first.
Key Takeaways
License lookups exist in three counties
Westchester Consumer License Search, Putnam County's registered-contractor list and Rockland County's licensed-contractor lookup
Putnam sets insurance minimums in its code
a $25,000 license and permit bond, workers' compensation, and general liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate for most registered contractors
A written, signed contract is required
for home improvement work over $500, with a payment schedule and a three-business-day cancellation notice
Workers' compensation proof has a short list of accepted forms
C-105.2, U-26.3, SI-12, SIG-105.2 or the exemption form CE-200, and ACORD certificates are not accepted for it
A liability certificate is information only
the state's own approved form says it confers no rights on the holder
County licensing and lookups
Westchester County. Home improvement contractors working in the county must be licensed under Westchester County Code Chapter 863, Article XVI, especially Sections 863.312 and 863.313. The county defines home improvement as repair, replacement, remodeling, installation, construction, alteration, conversion, modernization or improvement to a private residence, apartment or dwelling of up to three units. The Consumer License Search accepts a company name, contractor name or trade name, and a partial name works. The record can show company details, the expiration date and the insurance information tied to the license.
Putnam County. Putnam runs a mandatory home improvement contractor registration program under Chapter 135 of the county code, and it applies to contractors working on residential property in the county. The Consumer Affairs page publishes a registered-contractor list organized by contractor name, registration number, expiration date and categories of work. Section 135-25 requires most home improvement contractors to maintain a $25,000 license and permit bond, workers' compensation insurance, and general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. The bond names Putnam County as obligee, and payments on an approved claim go directly to the aggrieved individual or company. Use those limits as a number to hold other certificates up against.
Rockland County. Any person or business doing home improvement work on residential property in Rockland must hold a valid Home Improvement Contractor License from the Office of Consumer Protection, under Chapter 286 of the Rockland County Home Improvement Law. The consumer page has a Look up Licensed Contractor link to the online database, and you can call the office at 845-364-3901 to confirm a license.
Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties. Ask the building department of the town, village or city where the property sits whether it requires a home improvement contractor license for your work. Orange County licenses electricians and electrical inspectors, and Ulster County has an electrical licensing law with a licensee list; for fence work, the municipality is the office to ask. The Town of Wappinger's building department states that no license requirements apply at this time, and that contractors must provide appropriate insurance forms before a building-permit application is processed.
Where to check a home improvement contractor, by county
What applies: Contractors must be licensed under Westchester County Code Chapter 863, Article XVI
Where to check: Consumer License Search, which accepts a company name, contractor name or trade name; a partial name works
Tap a row to open it.
What the contract has to say
New York General Business Law Article 36-A, Section 771, requires every covered home improvement contract and amendment to be in writing and signed by all parties. The Attorney General states the requirement applies to work over $500. The contract must give:
- the contractor's name, address, telephone number and license number, if applicable
- estimated start and substantial-completion dates, and contingencies that could change the completion date
- whether a definite completion date is "of the essence"
- a description of the work, and the materials to be supplied, by make, model number or other identifier
- the agreed price
- the statutory mechanic's-lien notice
- the notice that payments received before completion must be deposited as Lien Law Section 71-a(4) requires, unless the contractor provides a bond, contract of indemnity or irrevocable letter of credit
- a progress-payment schedule showing each payment in dollars and cents and the work or materials due before it
- the three-business-day cancellation notice, subject to the statutory emergency exception
- the property and casualty insurance disclosure required by Section 771(1)(i)
Section 771 sets no general maximum deposit such as 10%, 25% or one-third. Qualifying advance payments must be deposited under Lien Law Section 71-a(4) or protected by a bond, indemnity or letter of credit, and progress payments must bear a reasonable relationship to the work, materials or expenses due at that stage. Ask which of those protections the contractor uses before you pay a deposit.
Workers' compensation: the lookup and the forms
The New York State Workers' Compensation Board has a public Does Employer Have Coverage? search. It holds workers' compensation policy and coverage information from January 1, 2002 onward, disability coverage from January 1, 2002 and Paid Family Leave coverage from January 1, 2018, and the Board says proof-of-coverage information is updated daily through insurer filings.
The Board lists these as acceptable proof of workers' compensation coverage:
- Form C-105.2: Certificate of New York State Workers' Compensation Insurance, from a private carrier or its licensed agent
- Form U-26.3: used by the New York State Insurance Fund
- Form SI-12: for a self-insured business
- Form SIG-105.2: for group self-insurance
- Form CE-200: Certificate of Attestation of Exemption, where the business qualifies for an exemption
ACORD forms are not acceptable proof of New York workers' compensation coverage under Workers' Compensation Law Section 57. A contractor who hands you an ACORD certificate for workers' compensation should be asked for one of the forms above.
Reading a liability certificate
A certificate of liability insurance identifies the insured contractor, the insurer or insurers, policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, coverage types, limits and the certificate holder. The state Department of Financial Services' approved ACORD 25 says the certificate is issued for information only, confers no rights on the holder, does not amend or extend the policy and is not the insurance contract. Compare these items:
- the contractor's legal name against the insured name
- the policy effective and expiration dates
- the insurer's name and NAIC number
- commercial general liability limits, each occurrence and aggregate
- the certificate holder field
- any additional-insured designation and the endorsement behind it
- the description of operations, which should cover the fencing, gate, railing or related work you are hiring for
The DFS form states that a certificate holder is not an additional insured unless the policy contains additional-insured provisions or an endorsement. If you want to be covered as one, ask for the endorsement itself.
Subcontracted crews
The Workers' Compensation Board states that construction workers are presumed to be employees of the contractor unless the contractor proves the independent-contractor test is met, and that individuals called subcontractors have often been found to be employees. Workers' Compensation Law Section 56 can make a general contractor liable for compensation owed to a subcontractor's employee when the subcontractor did not secure required coverage. The Attorney General says that if a worker is injured or property is damaged and the contractor lacks proper insurance, the homeowner could be held liable.
So, list every business that will send workers to your property, and get current proof of coverage for the contractor and for each subcontractor. A crew member saying the crew is independent does not settle the question.
If something goes wrong
- Westchester: the online complaint form takes home improvement complaints, asks for contracts, correspondence and receipts, and lets the Department of Consumer Protection act for you in mediation. County law requires advance payments to be deposited under Lien Law Section 71-a(4) or covered by a bond, indemnity contract or letter of credit
- Putnam: Section 135-19 requires the Director of Consumer Affairs to accept complaints, investigate and, if both sides agree, hold a nonbinding settlement conference
- Rockland: Section 286-16 requires the Director to accept complaints, and the Office of Consumer Protection takes them by email, mail or in person, mediates and enforces consumer laws, though it does not provide legal representation. Chapter 286 also requires contractors to treat customer funds as trust funds for expenses directly related to the project. If money is lost, ask the office whether a bond claim, mediation or a civil action fits your case
- Attorney General: try to resolve it with the contractor first, then file a consumer complaint, which can lead to an informal dispute-resolution process. The office tracks complaints and may act where there is a pattern of consumer fraud
Check yourself
1. Which three of the six counties license or register home improvement contractors with a lookup?
2. Which kind of certificate is not accepted as proof of New York workers' compensation coverage?
3. What general liability limits does Putnam County code require for most registered contractors?
4. What does a certificate of liability insurance do for the certificate holder?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I check a contractor in Westchester? A: Use the county's Consumer License Search by company name, contractor name or trade name. A partial name works, and the record can show the expiration date and insurance information.
Q: Does Putnam County list its contractors? A: Yes. Consumer Affairs publishes a registered-contractor list with registration number, expiration date and categories of work.
Q: What proof of workers' compensation should I ask for? A: Form C-105.2 from a private carrier, U-26.3 from the State Insurance Fund, SI-12, SIG-105.2 or a CE-200 exemption. ACORD forms are not accepted for workers' compensation.
Q: Is a certificate of insurance enough to be covered? A: It is information only. Check the names, dates, limits and description of operations, and ask for the additional-insured endorsement if you want one.
Q: Do I need a written contract? A: For home improvement work over $500, yes. It must be signed by all parties and include the payment schedule, the lien notice and the three-business-day cancellation notice.
Verification takes a few minutes: the license number, the insurer's name, the right workers' compensation form, and who is sending workers to your property. Do it for every contractor you are comparing, before the quotes arrive.
At Portillo Fences and Gates, we install and repair fencing across Putnam, Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Ulster and Rockland Counties, including residential fencing, wood and vinyl fences, and fence repair. Contact us for a free estimate, or call (845) 282-3336.