Indiana License Lookup: How to Verify a Professional or Contractor License

Before you hire a plumber, sign with a real estate agent, or let a home inspector into a property you are buying, you should confirm the person holds the license the job requires. An Indiana license lookup takes a few minutes, but only if you search the right agency. Indiana does not keep one database for every trade, and the most common mistake is searching the state system for a job the state never licenses.

This guide explains which agency covers which occupation, how to run an Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (indiana pla) search, where to check electricians and contractors, and how to verify notaries and businesses. It is informational content, not legal or tax advice. For a contract dispute, a large project, or questions about your own licensing duties, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA.

Start with the right agency

Three sources cover most lookups in Indiana:

• Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA). Licenses state-regulated occupations. This is the source for most searches under indiana professional licensing agency and indiana pla.
• Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division. Shows whether a business entity is registered with the state. It does not prove that a person is licensed to do a trade. Notary commissions are also handled through the Secretary of State.
• Your city or county. Indiana leaves electricians, HVAC technicians, and general contractors to local governments, so you check the office where the work will happen.

How to run a PLA license lookup

The PLA regulates a list of occupations that includes plumbing, cosmetology and barbering, real estate, appraisal, home inspection, massage, auctioneering, funeral service, private investigation and security, and engineering, along with others on the agency's full list. If the trade is on that list, use these steps:

1. Collect the person's full legal name and their license number if they gave you one. Search any former names or business names too.
2. Open the license search from the PLA page on the state's website at in.gov. Agency web addresses change, so confirm you are on the official site before entering any personal information.
3. Search by name or number, then select the record that matches the occupation and the location.
4. Check the license status, the license type, and the expiration date, if the record shows them. Confirm the type matches the work. A plumbing license does not cover an electrical job, and a real estate license does not qualify someone to do a home inspection.
5. Look for any disciplinary notes. Save a dated screenshot or PDF of the record.

Real estate license lookup

Real estate is a PLA occupation, so the same search applies. This is the search most buyers and sellers use when they run an indiana real estate license lookup. Two details matter. First, check whether the person is licensed as a broker or holds the entry-level real estate license, because the two carry different responsibilities. Second, look at the brokerage the person is affiliated with. Entry-level licensees work under a broker, so if the record shows a brokerage, confirm that affiliation too. If the record is unclear, ask the PLA to confirm it before you sign a listing agreement or purchase contract.

Electricians, HVAC, and general contractors

The PLA lookup does not list electricians, HVAC technicians, or general contractors. Indiana leaves these trades to cities and counties. A state search that returns nothing for a contractor does not mean the person is unlicensed. It means the local check is the one that counts.

1. Identify the city or county where the job is located. Local rules follow the property, not the contractor's home address.
2. Call or visit the local building or permit department and ask whether it licenses or registers the trade and whether it publishes a list.
3. If a list exists, search it using the contractor's name and license number, and note the date.
4. If the office does not license the trade, ask what local requirements apply, including whether a permit is needed for the work.
5. Match the name on the local record to the name on the contract, invoice, and insurance certificate.

A local list confirms only what that office records. Ask the contractor for a current certificate of insurance and confirm it directly with the insurer. A logo or a truck decal is not verification.

Notary lookups

Notary commissions are handled by the Indiana Secretary of State, not the PLA. If you need to confirm that a notary is commissioned before you rely on a notarized document, contact the Secretary of State and ask for the current verification method. A notary stamp alone is not proof of a valid commission.

Verify the business, not just the person

Many contractors and service companies operate under a business name. Use the Secretary of State's public business search to confirm that the company is registered, check its status, and find its registered agent. A registered entity still needs whatever license its work requires. Registration is not a license.

If the name on the invoice is a trade name, check whether it is a registered assumed business name. For corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and LLPs, a Certificate of Assumed Business Name (State Form 30353) is filed with the Secretary of State at $20 per name online through INBiz. Sole proprietors and general partnerships record the name with the recorder of the county where the business is located, and county fees vary.

When the search comes back empty

An empty result is information, but it is not always proof. Try these checks before you decide the person is unlicensed:

• Name variations. Try a middle name, a former or maiden name, a shortened first name, or the business name. Records are usually indexed under the name on the application.
• Multiple matches. Common names return several records. Use the license number, city, or license type to pick the right one, and do not assume the first hit is correct.
• Wrong agency. For electrical, HVAC, or general contracting work, the state search will come back empty by design. Move to the local check.
• Inactive or expired records. A record can exist and still be inactive. Treat it as not currently licensed until the agency confirms otherwise.

If you still cannot find a record for a trade the state regulates, ask the person for a copy of their license and call the PLA to confirm what it shows. Do not accept a photo of a card as the only proof.

What a lookup does not prove

• A current license does not guarantee quality, a fair price, or on-time work.
• A license search usually does not show insurance, bonding, or coverage for your specific job.
• A license covers a specific scope. If the record appears expired, suspended, or in a different class, or the name does not match, do not assume coverage.
• Indiana has no single comprehensive business license. The state's Business Owner's Guide says so, but some professions still require their own license, and local permits may also apply.

Quick reference by trade

Trade or record	Where to check	Notes
Plumbing	PLA license search	State-licensed occupation
Real estate license or broker	PLA license search	Confirm brokerage affiliation
Home inspection or appraisal	PLA license search	Confirm license type
Cosmetology, barbering, or massage	PLA license search	Confirm license type
Funeral, auctioneering, private investigation and security, engineering	PLA license search	Full list on the PLA site
Electrician, HVAC, or general contractor	City or county building or permit office	Not listed by the PLA
Notary commission	Indiana Secretary of State	Ask for the current verification method
Business entity or registered name	Secretary of State business search	Registration is not a license

Keep a record

Save a dated screenshot or PDF of every record you check, along with the license number, the agency, and the name you searched. Attach it to the contract or the job file. If the status changes later, your file shows what you verified when you signed.

When to get help

If a license is expired, suspended, or does not match the person doing the work, stop and get advice before you pay. For a contract dispute, a large project, or questions about which licenses your own business needs, consult a qualified Indiana attorney or CPA. Business owners who want help sorting out their requirements can also contact the Indiana Small Business Development Center.