How to verify a contractor before hiring in Puerto Rico

Disclaimer: Informational content only. Not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Always verify with a licensed professional in Puerto Rico. Data comes from public sources — mainly each firm's website or, for doctors, the directory cited on the listing — and may change.

Before you hire a plumber, electrician, cabinet maker, handyman or other contractor in Puerto Rico, DACO recommends verifying registration, asking for references and signing a written contract. This guide summarizes only steps with an official source.

1. Check the DACO Contractor Registry

1. Open the DACO search portal.
2. Search by the contractor's or business name.
3. Confirm they appear in the Contractor Registry. DACO's official remodeling brochure says to verify that the contractor is registered in DACO's Contractor Registry.
4. In the same portal you can check for registered complaints or fines.

2. If they are an electrician or plumber, confirm the license

Electrical and plumbing work is regulated by Department of State examining boards. Look up the license in the official PCS license lookup:

• Master electricians (peritos electricistas): Board of Master Electricians.
• Master and journeyman plumbers: Board of Master and Journeyman Plumbers.

Ask for the license number and match it to the lookup result (name and status).

3. Written contract and stage payments

Per the DACO brochure, require a written contract that includes, among other items:

• The contractor's name, address and registration number.
• Scope of work, materials, estimated dates and cost by item.
• Who handles permits and what warranties cover materials and labor.

DACO also recommends: do not pay the full amount before work starts; pay as stages are completed; ask for references from similar jobs; and confirm current insurance (liability and the State Insurance Fund). Do not sign blank documents.

4. Where to find professionals in this directory

• Home Services — listings for plumbers, electricians, handyman and other trades.
• Property services in the main directory.

Listings link each business's public source; they do not replace checking DACO or the license lookup.

If a contractor already failed you

Document, claim in writing and, if there is no agreement, file a complaint: what to do if a contractor fails you in Puerto Rico.

Informational guide with official sources. Not legal advice. Always confirm registration and license in the linked portals before hiring.