Coverage comes before row count
Ask which authorities, credential types and jurisdictions are included. Distinguish firms from individuals and current snapshots from historical records. A large file of a narrow trade can be useful without being a statewide contractor directory.
Measure fields with a defined sample
For a dated sample, report missing identifiers, ambiguous business matches, duplicate credentials and contact-field availability separately. Published contact information is not proof that a phone is answered or an email is deliverable. Label board-supplied fields and enrichment distinctly. Do not turn a few inspected rows into a statewide quality percentage.
Check freshness and traceability
Ask for the source, collection date, status filter and update method. Try matching several records back to the issuer, including an unusual credential type and an ambiguous business name. A source outage should be disclosed rather than interpreted as an empty roster.
Our standard
State coverage pages describe the source and credential limitations; preview the territory and required contact fields before purchasing through the list builder.
Ask for a sample that can reveal weaknesses
Select a mix of credential types, localities and common business names rather than only the cleanest rows. Record what you inspected, when, and what “pass” meant for each field. Check whether a sample’s unusual records can be interpreted without a salesperson explaining them.
Measure contact availability separately from licensing scope: a phone field can be populated while the business match remains uncertain. A review rating belongs to the matched place record and is not a board endorsement. Ask how blank values and unresolved matches are represented in the delivered file.
Turn the sample into an acceptance checklist
Before purchasing, write down the required columns, territory definition, contact filters, exclusions, duplicate policy and correction process. Specify whether the promised unit is a record or a unique business. Keep the sample and the agreed scope so the delivered file can be compared with them.
Illustrative example: you need plumbing businesses with phone numbers in a sales territory. A file of individual journeyman licenses with postal addresses may be authentic official data but still be the wrong product. Reject the scope mismatch rather than praising the file’s high row count.