Understanding License Verification for Organizations

Quick Answer

Heritage Web verifies your organization's credentials against official databases — including IRS records, state business registries, and accreditation bodies — or through manual staff review of your documentation. Verified credentials display a verification badge, while unverified ones still appear but without the badge. Only credentials that are both active and verified are eligible for lead matching.

Overview

When you add business licenses, certifications, or accreditations to your organization listing, Heritage Web checks them against official sources. When no public database is available, Heritage Web staff can verify your credential through manual review of a proof document or verification URL you provide.

This verification builds trust with potential customers and ensures your organization's credentials are legitimate.

Each credential is verified individually — your listing can have a mix of verified (with badges) and unverified (without badges) credentials.

How Verification Works

Step 1: You Submit Credentials

Enter your credential details in the Licenses & Certifications tab of your Edit Organization page. Required fields include credential name, number, type, country, and acquired date. To help Heritage Web verify your credential faster, you can also provide:

Verification URL — A link to the public lookup page where your credential can be independently confirmed (e.g., IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, Secretary of State business lookup)
Proof Document — A PDF or image of your credential (max 10MB) when no public database exists for your credential type

Step 2: Heritage Web Verifies Your Credentials

During the listing approval process, your credentials are checked using one of two methods:

Method	How It Works	When It's Used
Automated database check	Your credential is checked against a public verification database	Public database is available (IRS EIN search, state business registries, CMS databases, etc.)
Manual staff review	Heritage Web staff reviews your credential details, verification URL, and/or uploaded proof document	No public database exists, or the automated check was inconclusive

Sources checked by credential type:

Credential Type	Verification Sources
Nonprofit Status	IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, state charitable organization registries, GuideStar/Candid databases
Healthcare Facilities	State health department databases, CMS certification databases, Joint Commission verification
Business Licenses	State business registration databases, Secretary of State records
Accreditations	ISO certification registries, BBB accreditation database, industry-specific accreditation bodies

Step 3: Results Are Applied Per-Credential

Each credential receives its own verification status:

Status	What It Means	Public Display	Lead Matching
Verified	Confirmed via database check or manual review	Shows verification badge ✓	Eligible (if credential is also active)
Unverified	Not yet confirmed, or no verification source available	Displays without badge	Not eligible

What Can Be Verified

Highly Verifiable

501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status — via IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search (EIN as lookup key)
State business licenses — via Secretary of State records
Medical facility licenses — via state health department databases
Clinical laboratory licenses (CLIA) — via CMS certification databases
BBB Accreditation — via BBB database
Joint Commission Accreditation — via Joint Commission verification

Sometimes Verifiable

ISO certifications (depends on the certifying body)
CARF accreditation
Industry-specific accreditations
International credentials

Typically Not Verifiable Without Documentation

Credentials from smaller jurisdictions without online lookup
Newer or less common credential types
Credentials from organizations without public databases

You can help: For credentials that can't be verified automatically, upload a proof document (PDF, JPG, or PNG — max 10MB) or provide a verification URL. This gives Heritage Web staff what they need to verify through manual review. Proof documents are stored securely in HIPAA-compliant cloud storage and are only accessible to staff during review.

How Verification Affects Listing Approval

Not all credentials carry the same weight during listing approval:

Critical credentials (e.g., business license, medical facility license, 501(c)(3) status) — These are foundational to your organization's identity on the platform. If a critical credential is found to be invalid or fraudulent, the entire listing may be rejected.
Supplementary credentials (e.g., industry accreditations, ISO certifications) — If these can't be verified, your listing can still be approved. The credential will display without a badge, and Heritage Web may reach out to assist with verification.

Your listing can be approved with a mix of verified and unverified credentials.

How Verification Impacts Lead Matching

For a credential to count toward lead matching, it must meet both conditions:

License Status	Verification Status	Eligible for Lead Matching?
Active	Verified	✓ Yes
Active	Unverified	✗ No
Expired	Verified	✗ No
Expired	Unverified	✗ No
Suspended	Any	✗ No
Revoked	Any	✗ No

Organizations without any credentials can still receive leads — matching also considers industry, location, language, and other factors.

Visibility Toggle: A Key Difference for Organizations

Unlike Profile listings (where licenses always display), Organization listings can toggle the Licenses & Certifications section off:

Setting	Public Display	Lead Matching
Visible (ON)	Credentials shown with/without badges	✓ Active
Hidden (OFF)	Entire section hidden from public listing	✓ Still active

This is useful for organizations that want verification benefits for lead matching without publicly displaying specific license numbers.

Credential Expiration and Renewal

Expiration Reminders

Heritage Web sends email reminders as your credential's expiration date approaches:

60 days before expiration
30 days before expiration
7 days before expiration
On the expiration date — a 7-day grace period begins
7 days after expiration — credential is automatically marked as expired and removed from lead matching

Renewing a Credential

When your organization renews a credential, update the listing entry with the new expiration date and/or license number. Important things to know:

Updating the license number or expiration date resets your verification status to unverified
Heritage Web will re-verify the renewed credential
Your verification badge is restored once the renewal is confirmed
Renewal does not automatically restore verified status — re-verification is required every time

Annual Re-Verification

Heritage Web automatically re-checks verified credentials on an annual schedule to ensure they remain active and valid. During this process:

Credentials are checked against official databases to confirm they're still active
The system looks for revocations, suspensions, or changes in standing
Your listing remains published and lead matching continues during the review

If issues are found:

Heritage Web contacts you about the issue
Your credential status and verification status are updated as needed
For critical credentials (business licenses, facility licenses), Heritage Web staff may take additional action
You may need to provide updated documentation

Important Notes

Verification is per-credential: Each license gets its own verification status — verified and unverified credentials can coexist on the same listing
Critical credentials must verify: Foundational business licenses and facility permits should verify for your listing to be approved
Unverified ≠ invalid: Some credentials simply can't be verified against public databases — provide a proof document or verification URL to help
Keep information current: Report any changes to your credentials promptly via [email protected] or the chat bubble
Hidden still matches: Toggling visibility off hides credentials from the public but doesn't affect lead matching
Expiration is monitored: Heritage Web sends reminders and automatically updates expired credentials after a 7-day grace period

FAQs

Why doesn't my ISO certification show a verification badge? ISO certifications are verified through certifying bodies, which may or may not have public verification databases. You can upload a proof document (PDF, JPG, or PNG — max 10MB) or provide a verification URL to help Heritage Web staff verify it through manual review. Your certification still displays — just without the badge.

How long does verification take? Verification happens during the listing approval process. Sponsor listings are typically reviewed within 1 business day; free listings within 2–3 business days.

Can I hide my credentials but still have them verified? Yes. Toggle visibility off in the Licenses & Certifications tab to hide the section from your public listing. Verification and lead matching continue normally.

Does renewing a credential affect my verification badge? Yes. When you update your license number or expiration date, your verification status resets to unverified. Heritage Web will re-verify your renewed credential, and the badge will be restored once confirmed.

What happens if a business license expires? Heritage Web sends email reminders at 60, 30, and 7 days before expiration. After the expiration date, you have a 7-day grace period to update your listing. If not renewed within that window, the credential is automatically marked as expired and excluded from lead matching.

What formats are accepted for proof documents? PDF, JPG, and PNG files up to 10MB. Your document should clearly show the organization name, license number, issuing authority, and dates.

What License Type should I choose for my organization's credentials?

State & Local Government — State or local business licenses, contractor licenses, facility permits issued by local agencies
Federal Government — Federal credentials (501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, CLIA certification, DEA registration)
Professional Certification — Professional body certifications held by the organization
Industry Accreditation — Standards body accreditations (ISO, Joint Commission, CARF, BBB)
Physical Facility Permit — Facility-specific permits (food service license, health department permit, liquor license)
Regulatory Compliance — Compliance certifications (HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC 2)