U.S. · Professional licences
State bar attorney lookup.
Lawyers are licensed by each state, so the check is done on that state’s official attorney search. California and Florida accept a bar number; Texas and New York offer name searches.
Important, up front: this is a guide, not a verification service. It links to the official register and never queries it for you. The live record on the official site is the only thing that confirms a licence.
How to check, step by step
- Pick the state where the lawyer says they are admitted.
- Search by bar number if you have it; otherwise by name. California notes the search cannot handle accented characters (search Nunez for Nuñez).
- Check licence status and any disciplinary notice on the record.
- Confirm the name matches the person or firm you are dealing with. A lawyer may be licensed in one state only.
No public check-digit formula exists for these licence numbers, so there is nothing to validate offline: a number that looks right proves nothing until the regulator’s record confirms it.
Official lookups
Why check a licence
Before paying a retainer or signing with a lawyer, people confirm that the lawyer is actually admitted and in good standing in the relevant state.
Sources
- State Bar of California (retrieved October 2026)
- State Bar of Texas (retrieved October 2026)
- The Florida Bar (retrieved October 2026)
- NY Courts attorney services (retrieved October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a lawyer is licensed?
Use the official attorney search of the state where they claim to be admitted, by name or bar number.
Is there one national attorney database?
This guide does not rely on one. Admission is state by state, so use each state’s own search.
Why does my Florida bar-number search find nothing?
The Florida Bar notes that searching by Bar number returns only exact matches; check the digits.
Guide only — not an official verification
TNAADO is not affiliated with any licensing authority named here. Registers change; confirm on the official site and, for anything binding, with the regulator. This page collects no personal data.