How TrustZe Vets Contractors
TrustZe is a free homeowner referral / matching broker — not the trade contractor on your job. Before a pro enters matching, our screening team works through a documented checklist and reviews uploaded credentials. Screening reduces risk; it does not guarantee workmanship, and it does not replace your own board lookups before you authorize work.
How matching works
- You describe the job, location, and timing on a TrustZe request form or city hub.
- We introduce you to a screened partner who covers that trade and service area — not a multi-bidder lead auction.
- You review scope and pricing with that contractor, then hire and pay them directly. TrustZe does not mark up the job invoice.
What documents are checked
Applicants and active partners can upload files to their TrustZe record. Screening staff open those files and record what the document actually says.
- License document (PDF or image) — trade license or registration paperwork when the trade requires one.
- Certificate of insurance (COI) — typically general liability; workers’ compensation is confirmed when the checklist and crew size call for it.
- Business identity details used on the public company profile: legal/doing-business-as name, address, phone, website, and service city/state.
For each document we store a file link, an expiration date taken from the PDF when present, and a “verified on” date when a screener confirms they reviewed that upload. Missing uploads delay or block activation.
How licensing is verified
Contractors provide a license type and number during application. Screeners check that the number matches the trade and jurisdiction the company claims to serve.
- Texas examples built into our review tools: TDLR (HVAC / electrical), TSBPE (plumbing), TPCL (pest control), plus a general/other licensing path for other boards.
- Where a public board lookup exists, screeners use the official search (linked from the application review screen) and tick “License verified” only after a match.
- Trades or markets with no board requirement still need accurate business identity; we do not invent a license number for display.
Homeowners should still confirm the name on the license matches the company on the written proposal — TrustZe screening is a filter, not a live board API for every U.S. city.
How insurance is confirmed
We ask for carrier / coverage details and a certificate of insurance. Screeners open the COI, record the expiration date from the document, and check “General liability + workers comp confirmed” when the paperwork supports those coverages.
- Public profiles may show an insurance display string (for example carrier and liability wording) when the partner provided it.
- If insurance is not on file or not verified, we do not invent policy numbers or “verified on file” filler — the profile shows an honest empty state or asks you to confirm with the contractor.
- Named insured on the COI should match the contracting company. That final name-match before hire remains your responsibility.
Other checklist items before activation
In addition to documents, application review includes:
- Local business address confirmed — NAP details for citation-ready company pages.
- Service area matches requested cities/trades — so matching stays local to ZIPs the crew actually covers.
- References / online reputation reviewed — a human look at provided references or public review patterns; not a proprietary scoring product.
- Admin clearance — ready to activate in the TrustZe network.
How frequently information is reviewed
- Initial review: full checklist + document open before a contractor becomes eligible for public matching.
- Ongoing: a daily automated check looks at stored license and insurance expiration dates. About 30 days before expiry, TrustZe emails the partner (and notifies admin) to upload renewed paperwork.
- We do not claim a full re-audit of every partner on a fixed monthly or annual calendar beyond document expiry and operational follow-ups when issues surface.
What happens if credentials expire
- Expiring soon: partner and admin receive renewal emails; public vetted-pro cards can show an “Expiring” status when expiry data is on file.
- Expired: the same alerts fire with stronger wording asking for an updated upload in the contractor portal. Cards can show “Expired.”
- Pause: TrustZe can pause matching for expired documents; that automatic pause is controlled operationally and is not guaranteed for every lapsed date on every partner. Ask if you need current status for a specific company.
If a profile detail looks stale, ask the company to refresh it — and confirm license/insurance yourself — before scheduling.
Reviews on TrustZe profiles
Public reviews are limited to homeowners who submitted a lead through TrustZe. We do not invent star ratings or import anonymous internet comments as “verified.”
What keeps a contractor out of matching
- Missing or mismatched license paperwork where a board applies
- Lapsed or absent liability documentation
- No real local service area for the markets they claim
- Inability to provide a written scope once matched
- Call-center-only “local” branding with no inspectable business identity
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