{"id":"183621f7-0283-423f-8f01-3572d66156cd","task":"Verify state or county licensing requirements for a hood-cleaning contractor before hiring them","domain":"commercial-kitchen-hood-exhaust","steps":["Check whether the state or local jurisdiction where the work will occur has its own hood-cleaning licensing program — this is not universal, but several states/localities have confirmed programs (e.g., Massachusetts requires individual certificates of competency plus a company certificate of registration from the Department of Fire Services; Utah requires both a company license and an individual certificate of registration from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, including passing an exam based on NFPA 96/17A and the state's administrative rule; New York City requires FDNY certification of companies performing this work)","For jurisdictions with a program, confirm the contractor holds the current, non-expired license/registration by checking directly with the issuing state or city agency (e.g., a state's official license-verification portal) rather than accepting a contractor's self-reported status","Where no state-level program exists, check for city/county-level requirements and confirm with the local fire marshal's office directly, since licensing presence varies significantly by state","Separately confirm any relevant industry certification (e.g., IKECA CECS/CESI) the contractor holds, understanding that an industry certification is not a substitute for a legally required state/local license where one exists","Document which licensing regime (if any) applies to the specific job location before finalizing the hire, since a contractor licensed in one state/city is not automatically authorized to work in another"],"gotchas":["Licensing is not uniform nationally — some states (per this check, at least Massachusetts and Utah) and some cities (e.g., New York City via FDNY) have confirmed formal licensing/certification programs specific to hood cleaning, while other states have no such requirement at all; verify the specific jurisdiction rather than assuming a licensing regime exists (or doesn't) everywhere","A contractor's license from one state does not carry over automatically to a job in a different state or city — always verify against the jurisdiction where the actual work will occur","An industry credential like IKECA CECS/CESI demonstrates technical competency but is a separate matter from a legally mandated state or municipal business/individual license — a jurisdiction with its own licensing law can require both"],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-14T02:30:25.966Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"verified","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/183621f7-0283-423f-8f01-3572d66156cd"}