State guides · 2026-10-20 · By David Linda, Founder
Colorado Contractor License Lookup: DORA and City Licenses
If you have tried to look up a Colorado contractor’s license, you may have found nothing, and assumed something was wrong. Usually the real reason is simpler: Colorado has no statewide license for general contractors or roofers. The state licenses some trades, cities license others, and the records live in different places. This guide explains who licenses what in Colorado, what HomeProFax’s Colorado data shows, and the fastest way to get a contractor’s full record.
Who licenses contractors in Colorado
Electricians and plumbers: the state (DORA)
Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies, through the Division of Professions and Occupations, licenses electrical and plumbing work. Individual tradespeople hold licenses such as journeyman electrician, master electrician, residential wireman, journeyworker plumber, master plumber and residential plumber. Businesses that contract the work hold an electrical contractor or plumbing contractor license.
General contractors and roofers: cities and counties
There is no Colorado state license for general contractors, remodelers or roofers. Cities such as Denver, Aurora and Boulder run their own contractor licensing programs, and each sets its own classes and rules. Denver, for example, licenses general contractors by class and roofers under a Class D Roof Covering and Waterproofing license. A builder licensed in one city may not be licensed in the next one over.
What this means for you
For electrical and plumbing work, there should be a state license record. For a general contractor or roofer, “licensed” means licensed by your city, and the record is with that city’s building department. That patchwork is why many Colorado homeowners end up with five browser tabs and no clear answer.
What HomeProFax’s Colorado data shows
HomeProFax builds Colorado profiles from DORA’s public electrical and plumbing license records, published through Colorado’s open data system. As of October 20, 2026:
| Colorado | Count |
|---|---|
| Contractor profiles | 62,502 |
| Profiles with an active license | 31,273 |
| Profiles with an expired license | 30,831 |
| Profiles with a board discipline flag | 1,921 |
| Individual license records (all types) | 94,295 |
| License records that are active | 38,504 |
| License records that are expired | 55,104 |
Roughly half of the Colorado profiles show an expired license. That does not mean half of Colorado electricians and plumbers are working illegally. The state record includes decades of licensees, and many expired records belong to people who retired, moved away, or now work under someone else’s contractor license. But it does mean you should never assume a Colorado license is current just because a contractor says they are licensed.
Active license records by type
| License type | Active records |
|---|---|
| Journeyman electrician | 12,669 |
| Master electrician | 7,449 |
| Master plumber | 4,959 |
| Electrical contractor | 4,741 |
| Plumbing contractor | 3,093 |
| Journeyworker plumber | 2,956 |
| Residential wireman | 2,074 |
| Residential plumber | 563 |
The cities with the most active Colorado profiles on HomeProFax are Denver (3,639), Colorado Springs (2,772), Aurora (2,403), Littleton (1,447) and Arvada (1,308).
Permits: Boulder and beyond
For Boulder, HomeProFax matches the city’s public building permit data to contractor profiles. Profiles based in Boulder currently carry 26,326 permits. Permits are the best evidence that a contractor does real, inspected work in your area. Where a city does not publish permit data, a report will say there are no permits on file. That is a coverage gap, not a judgment.
The shortcut: ask for their HomeProFax report
With state records for some trades and city records for others, checking a Colorado contractor can take a while. HomeProFax puts the state license records, discipline flags, permit history and complaint data for a contractor on one page. So skip the research and ask:
“Can you send me your verified HomeProFax report?”
- An electrician or plumber with an active license can share a report showing it in a minute.
- The report shows the license type, so you can see whether you are dealing with a licensed contractor business or an individual tradesperson.
- If a contractor hesitates or the name does not match, you have learned that before you sign.
A Verified badge means the contractor claimed the profile and passed a license match and admin review. If they have not claimed it yet, search their business name free on HomeProFax.com. For general contractors and roofers, also ask which city license they hold for your address. See a sample HomeProFax report (Fox Service Company, Austin).
How to read a Colorado report
- Status: active, expired, inactive, suspended or revoked. Only active means the license is current.
- Type: contractor license (the business) versus journeyman, master or residential (the individual).
- Expiry date: a license expiring next month is worth a quick question.
- Discipline: DORA publishes public actions. A flag links to the record so you can read the details.
More in how to read a HomeProFax report and how the HomeProFax score works.
Browse Colorado contractors
Start with the Colorado contractor directory, or go straight to a city: Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Boulder. By trade: electricians in Denver, plumbers in Denver, electricians in Colorado Springs.
Figures are counts of HomeProFax profiles and license records built from Colorado DORA public data, as of October 20, 2026. A profile can hold several license records. HomeProFax organizes public records and is not a consumer report. DORA and your local building department are the official sources. See data sources.
Common questions
Does Colorado have a state contractor license?
Not for general contractors or roofers. Colorado licenses electricians and plumbers at the state level through the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). General contractors and roofers are licensed or registered by individual cities and counties, such as Denver.
How many Colorado contractors are on HomeProFax?
HomeProFax holds 62,502 Colorado contractor profiles built from DORA electrical and plumbing license records. 31,273 show an active license and 30,831 show an expired one.
Is an expired Colorado license a red flag?
It is a question to ask. Many expired records belong to people who retired, moved or now work under an employer’s license. If the person or company you are hiring will do electrical or plumbing work under that license, ask for the current license number before any work starts.
What is the difference between a master electrician and an electrical contractor in Colorado?
In Colorado, an individual electrician holds a license such as journeyman, master or residential wireman, while an electrical contractor license is held by the business that contracts the work. A HomeProFax report shows which license types were matched to a profile.
Does HomeProFax replace DORA?
No. DORA and your city building department are the official sources. HomeProFax organizes their public records into one report with permits and complaints so homeowners can see the full picture faster.
Keep reading
- How to Verify a Contractor’s License in Any State
- How to read a HomeProFax report: what the score does and does not mean
- Permits, discipline records and red flags, explained
- How to Check a Roofer: License, Permits and Complaints
- Contractor license, permit and complaint check: the five records that matter, in one report
- Is My Contractor Licensed? How to Check in Your State
- Contractor permit history: why pulled permits tell you more than reviews
Search any contractor free on the homepage, read how the HomeProFax score works, or see a sample HomeProFax report → (Fox Service Company, Austin).