- Collect paperwork before work starts. Before the first day on site, a sub has every reason to send it. After, not so much.
- Signed subcontract and insurance come first. Some insurance protections depend on the contract being signed before the work begins.
- Verify bank details by phone before the first payment, at a number you already have.
- Onboarding isn't one-time. Certificates, licenses and credentials expire while the sub is still working for you.
- Ask for everything at once, with one list and one deadline.
The checklist
What you require depends on your contracts, your state and the job. This is the common core, in the order it's needed.
1. Before you sign
Due diligence- License check. If the trade or your state requires a contractor or trade license, confirm it's active and in the right classification on the licensing board's website.Note the expiration date. It goes in your tracking.
- References and past work, for a sub you haven't used before.
- Safety record for larger or higher-risk scopes, for example their experience modification rate (EMR) letter.
- Bonding capacity, if the job requires the sub to provide payment and performance bonds.
2. Before work starts
Before day one on site- Signed subcontract, or a signed master agreement plus the work order for this job.Signed before work begins. A blanket additional insured endorsement usually depends on it.
- Certificate of insurance that meets your requirements, sent by the sub's insurance agent. What to check on it.
- The endorsements your contract requires: additional insured, waiver of subrogation, primary and noncontributory. Why the certificate alone isn't enough.
- W-9, signed, on the current form. What to check on it.
- Copies of licenses the work requires, with their expiration dates.
- Safety paperwork your contract or site calls for: their safety program, training credentials such as OSHA 10 or 30 cards, and job safety analyses (JSAs) for the tasks they'll do.
- Site orientation completed for each worker, if you run one.
- Bonds, if required.
- Contacts: their field lead, their office or billing contact, and their insurance agent.
3. Before the first payment
Money out- Bank details, verified by phone. Call the sub at a number you already have, not one from the email with the bank details.Fake "please update our bank account" emails are a common way payments get stolen. Treat any change to payment details the same way.
- Lien waiver forms and schedule agreed: which forms (yours, from your attorney, for that state) and when (usually a conditional waiver with each pay application and an unconditional one after the payment clears). How to track them.
- Billing set up: pay application format, schedule of values, retainage and the billing cycle.
4. Every month while they work
Ongoing- Check expiration dates on the certificate, licenses and credentials before each payment. If something expired.
- Collect the lien waivers that go with each payment.
- Keep JSAs current as the sub's tasks change.
- Update the file when anything changes: new legal name, new agent, new bank account (verified by phone again).
Which documents expire
| Document | Comes from | Expires? |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of insurance | The sub's insurance agent | Yes, with each policy, usually once a year |
| W-9 | The sub | No, but request a new one if their name, entity or tax ID changes |
| Contractor or trade license | State or local licensing board | Yes, on the board's schedule |
| Safety training credentials | Training provider | Some do; check the card |
| Subcontract or master agreement | You and the sub | When its term ends, if it has one |
| Job safety analysis | The sub | When the task or conditions change |
Ask for everything at once
One email with one list and one deadline gets a faster answer than six separate requests. Copy this and adjust it to your requirements:
Subject: Documents needed before you start on [Project name] Hi [Name], Glad to have you on [Project name]. Before your crew starts on [start date], please send: 1. Signed subcontract (attached) 2. Certificate of insurance, sent directly from your insurance agent, showing [our company's legal name] as additional insured, with the endorsements listed in the subcontract 3. Signed W-9 (current IRS form) 4. Copies of the licenses for this work 5. Safety paperwork: your safety program and job safety analyses for your tasks 6. Your insurance agent's name and email, so we can request renewals directly Please send everything by [date]. We can't schedule your start or release payment until it's in. Thanks, [Your name] [Company] · [Phone]
One link per sub, instead of six emails
Kautus gives each sub a secure upload link, with no account to create, for their certificate of insurance, W-9, master agreement, licenses and tax documents, safety credentials and job safety analyses. It reads certificates and expiration dates for you (W-9s are never read by AI), shows what's missing or expiring on your dashboard, and emails the sub before a certificate, license or credential expires.
Kautus opens January 1, 2027, with a free trial and no card required.
Register for launchCommon questions
What documents do I need from a subcontractor before they start?
At a minimum, most GCs require a signed subcontract, a certificate of insurance that meets the contract's requirements, and a W-9. Licenses, safety paperwork and bonds depend on the trade, the job and your state.
Can a sub start work before the paperwork is in?
It's your decision, but it's the riskiest time: an uninsured sub on site, or a contract signed after the work began. Most GCs make paperwork a condition of starting work and of the first payment.
How often should I recheck a sub's documents?
Before every payment, for anything that expires. Certificates, licenses and some safety credentials can expire mid-job.
Do I need a new checklist for every project?
The W-9 and a master agreement can carry over from job to job. Insurance requirements, additional insureds, JSAs and waivers are often specific to each project, so check those every time.
Related guides
This checklist is general information for general contractors, not legal, tax or insurance advice. What you must collect depends on your contracts, your state and the job; your attorney, accountant and insurance broker can tailor it to your business.