The short version
A business is not listed on NCSB until we've confirmed four things:
- Active North Carolina business registration
- Any applicable state or municipal license is current and in good standing
- General liability insurance (or the trade-specific equivalent)
- First-party customer reviews — not scraped from third-party sites
Verification is re-run every 90 days. A lapse in any of the four above causes the listing to be unpublished until the issue is resolved.
The long version
1. Business registration
We look up each business directly in the NC Secretary of State business registry and confirm the name, address, and registered agent match what the business submits. Sole proprietors who operate under a "doing business as" (DBA) name must have a DBA filed with the county register of deeds.
2. License verification
NC regulates most skilled trades at the state level. We check license status with the appropriate licensing authority for each trade:
- Plumbers, electricians, HVAC: NC Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
- General contractors (jobs over $30,000): NC Licensing Board for General Contractors
- Landscape contractors: NC Landscape Contractors' Licensing Board
- Pest control: NC Structural Pest Control Division
If the license is expired, suspended, or revoked, the listing is unpublished automatically.
3. Insurance
We require a current Certificate of Insurance (COI) showing general liability coverage. Commercial auto and workers' compensation are verified where applicable to the trade (e.g., for roofers, tree service, and electrical contractors).
4. Review authenticity
All reviews on NCSB are first-party — submitted through our review form by verified customers of the business. We do not import reviews from Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Reviews are time-stamped, tied to a verified email or phone number, and subject to removal if the business disputes authenticity and the reviewer cannot confirm the transaction.
Ongoing monitoring
Every 90 days we re-run the full check. We also monitor:
- NC Attorney General consumer complaints database
- Licensing board disciplinary actions (posted publicly by each board)
- A threshold of sub-3-star reviews in a rolling 90-day window (triggers manual review before re-verification)
When a listing is unpublished
If a business fails re-verification, the listing is unpublished but not deleted. The business is notified and given 14 days to resolve the issue (e.g., renew a lapsed license, provide an updated COI). If the issue is resolved, the listing goes back up with a note on the profile showing the verification gap so customers have full transparency.
Are you a business that should be listed?
If you're a licensed, insured service business in North Carolina and you don't see yourself on NCSB yet, you can add your business free and we'll begin the verification process. Most listings go live within 3 business days.
Questions or disputes
If you believe a listing on NCSB fails to meet the verification bar — license is expired, insurance isn't current, or reviews appear inauthentic — email hello@ncservicebusinesses.com. We investigate every report.