Before Hiring a Toronto Bathroom Renovator: How to Check Licensing, Insurance and WSIB Coverage
The Five Checks
- City licence: Toronto requires renovation businesses to hold a Building Renovator licence, and you can confirm it through the City’s online lookup or by calling 311\.
- Liability insurance: Ask for a certificate of insurance, then call the insurer to confirm the policy is active.
- WSIB: Request a clearance certificate, which stays valid for up to 90 days.
- Electrical work: If you hire someone for electrical work, it must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor, and ESA’s locator confirms the licence number.
- Consumer record: Ontario’s Consumer Beware List shows businesses with unresolved complaints or consumer protection charges.
Four credentials separate a properly set-up Toronto bathroom renovator from a risky one: a City of Toronto Building Renovator licence, liability insurance you can confirm with the insurer, a current WSIB clearance and, for electrical work, an ESA licence. Each check takes minutes, and each one uses a free public tool.
Most hiring guides stop at “ask if they’re licensed and insured.” That question only works if you know which licence applies in Toronto and what WSIB coverage actually protects.
Four Credentials, Four Different Authorities
City licensing, liability insurance, WSIB coverage and electrical licensing come from four separate authorities. A contractor can hold one and still be missing another, so verify each on its own.
| Credential | Who issues it | How to verify | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building Renovator licence | City of Toronto | Online business licence lookup or 311 | No licence number, or a number that doesn’t match the business name |
| Liability insurance | A private insurer | Certificate of insurance plus a call to the insurer | Expired dates or a refusal to share the certificate |
| WSIB coverage | Workplace Safety and Insurance Board | Clearance certificate from WSIB | “We don’t need WSIB” with no explanation |
| Electrical licence | Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) | ESA contractor locator | Asking you to file the electrical notification yourself |
The City of Toronto Building Renovator Licence
Toronto licenses renovation businesses through a dedicated Building Renovator licence. According to the City of Toronto, the licence applies to all businesses that repair or renovate buildings, including any business that advertises renovation services.
Applicants who are tradespersons pass an oral trade exam of about 30 minutes, and applicants face screening for certain criminal convictions and bylaw offences. A new licence costs \$495.12 in total and must be renewed every year.
The City’s licence screening makes the online lookup a meaningful check. The City of Toronto offers a business licence lookup for confirming that a business holds a valid licence.
Search the exact legal business name on the quote or contract. Trade names and numbered companies sometimes differ, so ask the contractor which name the licence is under.
Liability Insurance: Get the Certificate, Then Call the Insurer
Liability insurance pays for damage a contractor causes to your home or a neighbour’s property. A burst pipe during a bathroom renovation can easily reach the floor below, so this coverage matters more in a bathroom than in most rooms.
Ask for a certificate of insurance that shows these details:
- The insurer’s name and the policy number
- Coverage limits for commercial general liability
- Effective and expiry dates that cover your project timeline
- The insured business name, matching the name on your contract
Insurance certificates can outlive a cancelled policy. Call the insurer directly to confirm the policy is active, because a cancelled policy can still produce a convincing PDF.
WSIB Coverage and the Home Renovation Exemption
WSIB coverage protects the workers in your bathroom if one of them is injured on the job. The WSIB issues a clearance number to registered businesses that are current on premiums and reporting, and each clearance is valid for up to 90 days.
Ask for a fresh clearance before work starts, and another one if the project runs past the expiry date.
Some legitimate renovators won’t have WSIB coverage
Coverage rules in construction have one major exception that many guides skip. The expanded compulsory coverage policy from the WSIB exempts independent operators, sole proprietors, partners and executive officers who work only on exempt home renovation work: an existing private home, occupied by the person who hires and pays them directly.
That exemption does not cover subcontractors hired by a general contractor. If your renovator brings in a tiler or plumber as a subcontractor, those workers should be covered.
The premium-liability myth
A common claim says homeowners become liable for a contractor’s unpaid WSIB premiums. The clearance certificate policy published by the WSIB says that rule does not apply to householders who buy services from a contractor.
The real reason to check is injury protection. When a worker without coverage is hurt in your home, the situation gets complicated fast, and confirming coverage up front avoids that question entirely.
Electricians and Plumbers Have Their Own Checks
Electrical work in Ontario follows its own licensing system, separate from the City licence. The ESA says only a Licensed Electrical Contracting Business can be hired for electrical work in your home.
Each licensed contractor has a 7-digit ECRA/ESA licence number. You can confirm it with the contractor locator from the Electrical Safety Authority in under a minute.
ESA also flags a specific warning sign. The person doing the work must file the notification of work, so a contractor who asks you to file it in your own name is a red flag.
Plumbing and tile trades follow a different path. The home renovation guide from the Government of Ontario suggests asking whether tradespeople are certified by Skilled Trades Ontario and noting the ESA/ECRA licence number of the electrical contractor.
Subcontractors: Ask Who Actually Does the Work
Bathroom renovations often involve several trades under one contractor. A general contractor may bring in a plumber, an electrician, a tiler and a glass installer, each with different credentials.
Ask the contractor for a simple list of who will work in your home:
- Which trades are employees, and which are subcontractors
- The licence number of the electrical contractor
- Whether the plumber holds a trade certification
- Whether each subcontractor carries its own WSIB coverage and liability insurance
This matters for WSIB in particular. The home renovation exemption does not extend to subcontractors hired by a contractor, so their coverage should be in place.
What a Platform Badge Can and Can’t Tell You
Some review platforms pre-check credentials before showing a badge. HomeStars says its Verified badge requires a criminal background check, a credit check, HST registration and proof of professional licensing.
A badge is a helpful starting point, but it is not a substitute for your own checks. It does not show a current WSIB clearance or confirm that a liability policy is active on the day work begins.
Treat badges as a reason to shortlist a contractor, then run the verification steps yourself before signing.
Warning Signs During the Verification Conversation
The way a contractor responds to these questions tells you as much as the documents themselves.
| What you hear | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| “We’re licensed, you don’t need to check.” | The licence may be expired or under a different name |
| “Insurance is in the contract, no certificate needed.” | Coverage may not exist or may have lapsed |
| “WSIB doesn’t apply to us.” | Possibly a valid exemption, but ask for the reason in writing |
| “You can file the electrical paperwork yourself.” | A red flag, according to ESA |
| “We’ll skip the permit to save you time.” | You carry the risk, since the owner is responsible for compliance |
None of these answers ends the conversation on its own. Each one deserves a direct follow-up before any money changes hands.
What Ontario Expects of the Contract
Ontario’s consumer rules add one more layer of protection once credentials check out. According to the Government of Ontario, any home renovation contract worth more than \$50 must be in writing.
The same page recommends getting at least three written estimates and keeping deposits to no more than 10%. It also states that construction workers and independent operators must have workplace safety and insurance coverage, subject to the exemptions above.
A 10-Minute Verification Checklist
These checks fit into one short sitting before you sign anything:
- Search the legal business name in the City of Toronto licence lookup
- Ask for the certificate of insurance and confirm it by phone with the insurer
- Request a current WSIB clearance, or a clear explanation of a valid exemption
- Look up the electrical contractor’s licence number in ESA’s locator
- Check the business against the Consumer Beware List from the Government of Ontario, which names businesses that didn’t respond to complaints or were charged or convicted under consumer protection laws
- Call two recent bathroom clients and ask how the crew handled problems
A contractor who resists any of these steps is giving you useful information. Legitimate firms field these requests every week and answer them quickly.
Licensing, Insurance and WSIB: Your Questions
Does a contractor need a licence in Toronto?
Toronto requires a Building Renovator licence for businesses that repair or renovate buildings. This is a municipal requirement, so it differs from rules in other Ontario cities.
How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Toronto?
Use the City’s online business licence lookup or call 311\. Search the legal business name shown on your quote.
What is a WSIB clearance certificate?
A WSIB clearance confirms that a registered business is current on its premiums and reporting. It is valid for up to 90 days, so ask for one dated close to your start date.
Am I liable if an uninsured worker gets hurt in my home?
Liability depends on the specific facts, so get legal advice if it happens. WSIB’s policy on unpaid premiums does not apply to householders, but injury claims raise separate questions, which is why confirming coverage first is the safer route.
How do I verify an electrician’s licence in Ontario?
Ask for the 7-digit ECRA/ESA licence number and enter it in ESA’s contractor locator. The listing should match the business name on your contract.
How often should I ask for a new WSIB clearance?
A WSIB clearance is valid for up to 90 days. Ask for one before work starts, and request a new one if the project continues past its expiry date or before you make a large progress payment.
The Takeaway
Three free public tools cover most of the risk in hiring a Toronto bathroom renovator: the City licence lookup, a WSIB clearance and ESA’s contractor locator. Add a confirmed insurance certificate, and you have checked every credential that matters before work begins.
Run the checks before you pay a deposit. A contractor who passes them quickly is usually one who runs the rest of the project the same way.