Authority Network America: Network Compliance Requirements

Network compliance requirements define the operational, licensing, and quality standards that govern membership and content integrity across the Authority Network America platform. This reference describes how those standards are structured, how they are applied across the eight member sites in the network, and where jurisdiction-specific licensing rules intersect with network-level benchmarks. Service seekers, industry researchers, and professionals verifying provider credentials will find a structured account of how compliance functions as both a gatekeeping mechanism and an ongoing quality assurance framework.

Definition and scope

Network compliance requirements are the binding conditions that each member site and listed provider must satisfy to participate in the Authority Network America ecosystem. These requirements operate at two distinct levels: network-level standards, which apply uniformly across all eight member sites, and vertical-level standards, which are calibrated to the specific licensing, bonding, and insurance regimes of individual trades.

At the network level, compliance is defined against the Authority Network America standards reference, which documents minimum thresholds for licensing verification, credential currency, geographic disclosure, and data accuracy. At the vertical level, each member site applies those baseline requirements through the lens of its own trade's regulatory environment — plumbing license reciprocity rules differ materially from electrical journeyman certification requirements, for example, and the compliance framework accounts for those differences explicitly.

The scope of network compliance extends to:

1. Provider credential verification — Active license confirmation against state licensing board records before listing
2. Bond and insurance thresholds — Minimum general liability and, where required by state statute, surety bond amounts
3. Geographic disclosure accuracy — Service area claims must correspond to license jurisdiction, not marketing preference
4. Content integrity — Member site content must reflect current regulatory requirements, not superseded standards
5. Complaint and adverse-action monitoring — Providers with active license suspensions or formal disciplinary actions are excluded from active listings

The network membership criteria page specifies the documentation requirements that govern initial admission and annual re-verification cycles.

How it works

Compliance enforcement operates through a three-stage mechanism: intake screening, periodic audit, and triggered review.

Intake screening applies at the point a provider seeks listing on any member site. The screening process cross-references state licensing board databases maintained by bodies such as the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and individual state contractor licensing boards. Providers with lapsed, suspended, or unverifiable credentials are rejected at this stage without exception.

Periodic audit cycles run on a structured schedule — not on demand — to verify that credentials remain active after initial listing. The network quality benchmarks framework establishes the audit frequency thresholds applicable to each trade vertical, with higher-risk trades (electrical, gas-line plumbing) subject to more frequent review cycles than lower-risk exterior trades.

Triggered review activates when a complaint, adverse licensing action, or material change in a provider's credential status is flagged through state board monitoring feeds or consumer-submitted documentation. A triggered review can result in temporary suspension of a listing pending investigation or permanent removal if the adverse action is confirmed.

The contractor verification framework provides the procedural detail behind each stage, including the documentation hierarchy used when primary source verification through a state board is unavailable.

Common scenarios

Three compliance scenarios arise with regularity across the network:

Multi-state operators. A contractor licensed in Texas who lists services in adjacent states must hold a valid license in each state where services are claimed, or an explicitly recognized reciprocity agreement must exist between those states. The National Contractor Authority documents license reciprocity structures across general contractor licensing jurisdictions and serves as the reference point for cross-border compliance determinations.

Trade-specific certification gaps. HVAC technicians handling refrigerants regulated under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act (40 CFR Part 82) must hold EPA 608 certification in addition to any state-level HVAC contractor license. The National HVAC Authority maps the intersection of federal certification requirements and state licensing frameworks, making it the primary compliance reference for that vertical. Providers lacking EPA 608 certification but holding a valid state license do not meet full network compliance in the HVAC vertical.

Roofing and pool contractors. Roofing licensing requirements vary by state — 22 states require a specific roofing contractor license, while others regulate roofing work under general contractor or specialty contractor categories (National Roofing Contractors Association, NRCA). The National Roof Authority provides state-by-state license classification data for this vertical. Similarly, pool contractor licensing requirements differ significantly across states, with Florida and California maintaining dedicated pool contractor license categories. The National Pool Authority documents those distinctions in detail.

Electrical scope-of-work boundaries. Electrical work is governed by the National Electrical Code (NEC), published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 70), which is adopted — with state or local amendments — in all 50 states. The National Electrical Authority tracks NEC adoption cycles and amendment status by jurisdiction, a function directly relevant to compliance because scope-of-work determinations hinge on which NEC edition a jurisdiction has adopted.

Decision boundaries

The compliance framework establishes clear thresholds distinguishing compliant from non-compliant status. The member site scope comparison documents how these boundaries are applied differently across verticals.

Compliant vs. conditionally compliant. A provider holding a valid license but operating under a probationary status imposed by a state board is classified as conditionally compliant. Such providers may remain listed with a status disclosure but cannot appear in primary search placement until the probationary condition is lifted.

Active license vs. pending renewal. A license in a renewal grace period — where state law permits continued operation pending renewal processing — satisfies network compliance for the duration of the statutory grace period. A license expired beyond the statutory grace period does not.

Bonding thresholds. General liability minimums of $1,000,000 per occurrence apply across all trades in the network unless a specific vertical standard requires a higher threshold. Plumbing contractors working on gas lines are subject to a $2,000,000 per occurrence minimum, consistent with the higher liability exposure documented by the National Plumbing Authority, which covers plumbing license classifications, bonding standards, and insurance thresholds across state jurisdictions.

The provider listing standards page specifies the exact documentation format required to demonstrate bond and insurance compliance at the point of listing application.

References

• National Fire Protection Association — NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code)
• U.S. EPA — 40 CFR Part 82, Section 608 Refrigerant Management Regulations
• National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) — Licensing by State
• National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA)
• U.S. Small Business Administration — Contractor Licensing Requirements
• National Contractor Licensing Service — State License Reference