National Authority Org - National Reference Standards Authority

The Authority Network America hub coordinates a structured national reference framework spanning licensed trades, home services, and contractor verification across the United States. This page describes the scope of that network, how its member authority sites function as specialized public reference resources, and the standards that govern their classification of service providers, licensing data, and professional qualifications. The network encompasses 8 member domains, each covering a distinct service vertical with independent editorial depth and regulatory grounding.

Definition and scope

The Authority Network America framework operates as a multi-vertical reference system — a structured collection of domain-specific authority sites anchored by a central hub that sets classification standards, provider listing criteria, and quality benchmarks applied consistently across all members. The term "authority network" in this context designates a publishing architecture in which each member site functions as an independent reference resource for a defined professional sector, while sharing a common provider framework and data integrity policy.

The network's national scope covers all 50 U.S. states, with member sites addressing licensing jurisdictions at the state and municipal levels as applicable to each trade or service vertical. Licensing frameworks for trades such as electrical work, plumbing, and HVAC vary substantially across states — for instance, contractor licensing is administered by more than 40 different state licensing boards with distinct exam, bonding, and insurance requirements (National Contractors Licensing Service, as referenced in state licensing board directories). The network's standards reference documents the methodology used to verify and present this information.

Member sites are not directories in the commercial sense. They are reference authorities — resources designed to describe professional categories, qualification pathways, regulatory bodies, and service landscape structures within their verticals.

How it works

The network operates on a hub-and-spoke model. The central hub — Authority Network America — maintains the network membership criteria and quality benchmarks that each member site is required to meet. Member sites publish vertically specific reference content and provider listings that conform to these shared standards.

The intake and classification process follows four structured stages:

1. Vertical assignment — Each professional sector (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, contracting, pool services) is assigned to a dedicated member authority site. Overlap between verticals is governed by the member site scope comparison.
2. Licensing verification — Provider information is cross-referenced against state licensing board databases. Providers listed without verifiable licensure are categorized separately from licensed professionals.
3. Quality benchmark review — Each member site applies the network quality benchmarks to evaluate provider credentials, insurance status, and jurisdictional standing.
4. Publication and maintenance — Listings and reference content are maintained on a structured update cycle, documented in the network update log.

The how it works section of the central hub provides the full methodology. Cross-network referrals between verticals follow the cross-network referral protocol, which governs how service seekers are directed from one member site to another when a service spans multiple trades.

Common scenarios

Licensed trade verification: A property owner or procurement officer needs to confirm that a plumbing contractor holds a valid state license before executing a service contract. The National Plumbing Authority covers the licensing structure for plumbing professionals across all active state licensing jurisdictions, including reciprocity agreements and continuing education requirements that affect license standing.

HVAC system qualification: Building managers evaluating HVAC contractors for commercial or residential systems consult the National HVAC Authority, which describes EPA Section 608 certification requirements, state-level contractor licensing distinctions, and the classification of equipment-specific qualifications under NACA and ACCA standards.

Electrical contractor compliance: Jurisdictions enforcing the National Electrical Code (NEC) — published by the National Fire Protection Association and adopted in some form in all 50 states — require licensed electrical contractors for permitted work. The National Electrical Authority maps these licensing tiers, distinguishing between journeyman, master, and electrical contractor license classifications by state.

General contractor scope review: When a project involves multiple trades under a single general contractor, the National Contractor Authority provides the reference framework for understanding general contractor licensing requirements, bonding thresholds, and the subcontracting structures that govern multi-trade projects.

Roofing and exterior work qualification: Roofing licenses are required in 38 states as of the most recent National Roofing Contractors Association regulatory survey (NRCA, Roofing Contractor Licensing by State). The National Roof Authority presents these licensing distinctions alongside manufacturer certification programs that affect warranty eligibility.

Pool and aquatic services: The National Pool Authority covers contractor licensing for pool construction, service, and repair — a sector regulated differently across states, with California, Florida, and Arizona maintaining the most detailed contractor classification systems for aquatic work.

Decision boundaries

The network's scope has defined limits. The authority designation explained page describes what qualifies a site for inclusion in the network and what falls outside its classification framework.

Included: Licensed trade professionals, credentialed contractors, regulated service sectors with verifiable state or municipal licensing requirements, and service verticals where a recognized national standards body (NFPA, ICC, ACCA, NRCA) establishes qualification frameworks.

Excluded: Unlicensed handyman services, general home improvement work that does not require a state license, and specialty consulting not governed by a recognized professional licensing structure.

The authoritynetwork.org resource addresses inter-network governance standards, while nationalauthority.org functions as an additional public reference layer covering professional authority standards applicable across multiple industries. Both complement the vertical-specific member sites by providing framework-level context that individual trade authorities do not cover.

Sector-specific versus network-wide distinctions are mapped in the vertical coverage map, which shows which member site governs each trade category and how jurisdictional boundaries are handled when a service spans state lines.

References

• National Fire Protection Association — National Electrical Code (NEC)
• U.S. EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification (HVAC)
• National Roofing Contractors Association — Contractor Licensing by State
• Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) — Standards and Certification
• International Code Council — Model Codes and State Adoptions
• Contractors-License.org — State Licensing Board Directory