After the storm, before the payment
Check the Georgia license, company, and disaster contract before paying
Georgia’s useful check is not just a name in a license search. It reconciles the credential that covers the actual work, the individual or qualifying agent, the legal business, the permit route, insurance evidence, the written contract, post-disaster cancellation terms, and the person or company asking for payment.
Match the license to the actual work
Georgia requires licensure for residential and commercial general contracting, while the Secretary of State identifies exceptions for certain specialty work. Search by the contractor’s legal name and license number, read the license type and status, and confirm that the credential covers the quoted project. A roofer, handyman, tree service, or specialty trade may follow a different route, so ask the permitting authority for the project address what record applies.
Reconcile the individual, qualifying agent, and company
An individual contractor works in the individual’s own name or as a sole proprietor. A qualifying agent performs work for a registered business organization. If the quote uses an LLC or corporation, find the qualifying-agent relationship and compare the company name across the license record, state business filing, contract, permit, invoice, website, email domain, and requested payee. A valid individual license does not explain a different company by itself.
Confirm the permit route before the rebuild begins
The project address controls the building department and permit record. Atlanta provides a public permit tracker and requires a physical state-issued contractor license card for permit issuance. Other cities and counties use their own systems. Ask who will pull each permit, verify the record directly with the jurisdiction, and do not accept a promise to handle permits after payment as proof that the project is authorized.
Read the post-disaster insurance terms before signing
Georgia’s SB 201 applies to certain contracts entered within one year of a natural disaster declared by the Governor. It prohibits assigning the homeowner’s insurance proceeds to the contractor and requires a specific cancellation statement and detachable notice. If the insurer later says all or part of the claim or contract is not covered, the homeowner may cancel before midnight on the fifth business day after receiving that written notice. Emergency services have a limited payment exception.
Make the written contract show the real payment sequence
Georgia’s Attorney General advises putting the scope, guarantees, warranties, start date, completion date, and promises in writing. Never pay the full price before work begins. The office suggests considering no more than one-third as a down payment, with later payments tied to specified completed work and the final payment held until completion. That one-third figure is guidance, not a universal legal cap.
Verify insurance through an independent route and explain the payee
Ask for current general-liability and workers-compensation evidence where applicable, then use contact information obtained independently to confirm the policy and whether the named insured matches the company performing the work. Compare the requested check, wire, card, or payment-app recipient with the legal business and contract. A personal name or unexplained third party is a question to resolve in writing before money moves.
This guide is general consumer information, not legal, construction, permitting, or insurance advice. Georgia and local requirements depend on the work, address, contractor type, contract, disaster declaration, and current law. Last reviewed July 22, 2026.