Vetting a lawyer
How to Check If a Lawyer Is Licensed
Last updated June 13, 2026
Confirm a lawyer's license in three steps using the free official state bar lookup: search by name or bar number, check the license status, and confirm the state of admission.
Check an attorney's record
Look up any attorney's license status and disciplinary standing against the official state roster — free, no account.
- Search the attorney by name or bar number on the official state licensing roster.
- Read the license status — confirm it says 'active.'
- Confirm the state of admission matches where your legal matter is.
Where lawyer licenses live
There is no single national bar; each state's bar or supreme court licenses the lawyers who practice there and publishes a searchable roster. To verify a license you check the roster for the state where the lawyer practices. Use the free lookup on this site for the states we cover, or the state authority's own search.
Search by bar number when you can
A bar number is the unique ID the licensing authority assigns each admitted attorney. Because names — especially common ones — collide, a bar-number match is the most reliable confirmation you're looking at the right person. If you only have a name, search that, then confirm the city or firm matches.
Reading the status
- Active — licensed and eligible to practice now.
- Inactive — a voluntary non-practicing status; not a discipline.
- Suspended — license paused (disciplinary or administrative; the status string says which).
- Disbarred — license revoked for serious misconduct.
- Not eligible — an administrative bar to practice, e.g. a lapsed registration.
attorney records across 41 states are searchable on this site right now.
Source: official state bar registration rosters.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one website to check any lawyer's license?
Not officially — licensing is state by state. This site aggregates official rosters for the states we cover into one free search; for other states, use that state bar's own lookup.
What if the lawyer practices in multiple states?
A lawyer can be licensed in more than one state. Check the roster for each state where they claim to practice; each license has its own status.
Does an active license mean the lawyer is good?
It means they're licensed and eligible to practice — a floor, not a recommendation. Also check their disciplinary history and, where available, their actual court activity.
Related guides
- How to Check If a Lawyer Is Legitimate
- How to Check If Your Attorney Has Been Disciplined
- What Does "Good Standing" Mean for an Attorney?
Numbers on this page are computed from official rosters — see our data sources & methodology. This guide is part of the verify an attorney series.
This site republishes official public records and is not legal advice, a lawyer referral service, or a consumer reporting agency. Information here may not be used to make decisions about employment, tenancy, or credit (FCRA). Records are shown as published by their official sources and may contain errors or be out of date; consult the linked official source to verify. To correct or dispute a record, contact the licensing authority of record.