Surrey, British Columbia
How to check a contractor in Surrey
Want Jay to do these checks for you? A person reviews every check.
No tax added. Report by 8 p.m. Pacific the next day.
Every business that works in Surrey needs a licence. That includes a contractor from another city. Surrey has a public list you can search. A contractor may also hold a licence from another city that counts in Surrey. Here is how to check. Below: what is different in Surrey, then the British Columbia steps, each with the official source.
What is different in Surrey
1. Start with the exact name on the quote
Write down the business name exactly as the quote prints it, including Ltd., Inc. or a number. A trade name, a numbered company and a sole proprietorship can all be registered under other words, so if a search shows nothing, ask the contractor which name and number appear on their registration or licence before you read anything into it.
2. Search Surrey's business directory
The City of Surrey publishes the business licences it has issued. Search the exact name on the quote. The city says the list shows businesses based in Surrey, some businesses have opted out, and the data may not be fully up to date. So a name that is missing is a question to ask, not an answer.
Official source: Business directory (business licences issued in Surrey) (City of Surrey; checked 2026-11-08).
3. Ask about an inter-municipal licence
Surrey is in two inter-municipal licence programs for trades contractors. Metro West covers Burnaby, Delta, New Westminster, Richmond, Surrey and Vancouver. Fraser Valley covers Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Delta, Hope, Kent, both Langleys, Maple Ridge, Mission, Pitt Meadows and Surrey. Ask which city issued the licence and the number.
Official source: Business licensing (City of Surrey; checked 2026-11-08).
4. Still not sure? Call the city
Surrey's business licensing office is at 604-591-4370. Give the exact name on the quote and ask whether it holds a current Surrey or inter-municipal licence. Write down the date and what you were told.
5. Plumbing or electrical work needs its own permit
Surrey says regulated plumbing and electrical work needs a separate trade permit. Contractors who apply for plumbing permits online must have an active Surrey or inter-municipal licence. Ask who will get the permit.
Official source: Online plumbing permit applications (City of Surrey; checked 2026-11-08).
6. Match it to the BC registry
Search OrgBook BC for the same name. The licence name, the registry name and the quote should line up.
Official source: OrgBook BC: search registered BC organizations (BC Registries, through OrgBook BC; checked 2026-10-20).
Then the British Columbia steps
7. Electrical or gas work: check the contractor's licence with Technical Safety BC
Official source: Find a licensed contractor (Technical Safety BC; checked 2026-10-20).
8. New home or major structural work: check BC Housing's licensing
Official source: Licensing and consumer services (licensed residential builders) (BC Housing, Licensing and Consumer Services; checked 2026-10-20).
9. Search public tribunal and court decisions for the business name
Official source: CRT decisions (Civil Resolution Tribunal; checked 2026-10-20).
10. Ask for the certificate of insurance from the broker
11. Read the quote for what it leaves out
12. Look at the deposit before you pay it
Official source: Building or renovating (Government of British Columbia; checked 2026-10-20).
Guides for Surrey
Questions people ask
Does a contractor need a Surrey licence?
The City of Surrey says every business working in Surrey needs a valid business licence, including a contractor based in another city. A contractor may instead hold a Metro West or Fraser Valley inter-municipal licence from another member city.
My contractor is from Langley. Do they need a Surrey licence?
The City of Surrey says a business that works in Surrey needs a Surrey licence, or an inter-municipal licence that covers Surrey. Ask which one they hold and its number.
What does a Jay check add?
Jay searches the public records for the exact name on your quote, with the source and the time checked for each one. Her report says plainly when a record is not found. The $25 Company Check looks at the company before you get a quote. The $39 Full Check also reads your quote and insurance papers, and $59 buys both on one contractor. A person reviews every Full Check before it goes out.
Or ask Jay
Jay does these steps for you and writes down what the records show, with the source and date for each one. No quote yet? We check the contractor's public records before you contact them. Have a quote? We check your quote, the contractor's insurance and public records. A person reviews every check.
Check first. Then pay the deposit.
Information, not a verdict. A record that is not found is not evidence of wrongdoing, and nothing here is legal, insurance or safety advice.