# How to check state asbestos credentials

Use Washington, New York and Massachusetts resources to check the right licence.

Updated 2026-11-10. Also on the [web page](https://abatement.fyi/guides/state-asbestos-licensing).

## Check the task, then the credential

A business registration is not evidence of asbestos qualifications. Ask whether the firm will inspect, sample, remove, monitor or analyze material. Record the legal business name and the proposed task. Search the relevant agency using the exact name and credential number.

## Washington

Washington L&I publishes an asbestos certification page with certified contractors and revoked certifications. It says working with asbestos requires training, experience and certification. Its good faith inspection guidance names an AHERA-certified building inspector. An inspector credential and a removal contractor credential serve different purposes. Check both when the scope needs both. [Washington L&I]

## New York

The New York Department of Labor's Asbestos Control Bureau page links to its asbestos contractor listing, notification resources and licence and certification unit. Use those routes to check the business and ask about the proposed work. A directory entry or an old certificate image is not a substitute for the agency's current record. [New York DOL]

## Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Asbestos Safety Program links to licence applications and lists of licensed consultants, contractors, laboratories and training providers. Select the relevant role. A laboratory listing does not establish that a business can perform removal work. Ask the programme when the name or licence class does not match the proposal. [Massachusetts DLS]

## British Columbia is a separate system

WorkSafeBC says asbestos abatement contractors must be licensed in British Columbia and people doing asbestos abatement work in relation to buildings must hold its certification. Check its licensed contractor resource for Canadian work in that province. A US credential does not answer that check. [WorkSafeBC]

## Save the result

Keep the source URL, check date, legal name, licence class, status and any restrictions you can confirm. If a public result omits a detail, ask the agency. Do not fill the gap with an assumption. Repeat the check before signing if the project has been delayed. Ask who will actually attend the site and whether subcontractors need separate verification.

## Sources

All sources below were fetched and checked on 2026-11-10. This is the check date, not a claim about publication date.

- [Washington L&I](https://www.lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/other-licenses-permits/asbestos-certification/), accessed 2026-11-10.
- [New York DOL](https://dol.ny.gov/asbestos-control-bureau), accessed 2026-11-10.
- [Massachusetts DLS](https://www.mass.gov/asbestos-safety-program), accessed 2026-11-10.
- [WorkSafeBC](https://www.worksafebc.com/en/health-safety/hazards-exposures/asbestos), accessed 2026-11-10.

## Questions

### Does this guide replace a project assessment?

No. Confirm the scope and current requirements with the responsible authority and a qualified professional.