Setting Up Cursor and Claude Desktop for Contractor License Checks

Supercharge Your AI Assistant with Government Ground Truth

If you use Claude Desktop or Cursor IDE to build software or manage operations, you already know how powerful AI assistants are for analyzing documents and reviewing invoices. But without access to real-time government databases, your AI assistant cannot verify contractor credentials. For the complete enterprise protocol, read The Autonomous Agent Procurement Protocol.

By connecting Claude Desktop or Cursor to LicenseGround's FastMCP server, you can give your AI assistant instant access to official contractor licensing records across California, Florida, and Texas.

Step 1: Get Your Free LicenseGround API Key

First, obtain your API key by visiting the LicenseGround homepage and clicking 'Get Free Key'. Every new account receives 500 free queries to test the integration. Learn how agents handle their own top-ups in our guide on programmatic Stripe micropayments for autonomous AI agents.

Step 2: Configure Claude Desktop

Open your claude_desktop_config.json file located in your application data directory:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Add the LicenseGround MCP configuration block:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "licenseground": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "src.cli", "mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "AGENT_API_KEY": "lc_live_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Test the Integration

Restart Claude Desktop. Open a new chat and type: 'Verify California roofing license #1048592 and check if they are compliant with SB 216.'

Claude will immediately call the verify_license tool, retrieve official CSLB data, and confirm whether the roofer has active workers' compensation insurance and a valid $25,000 surety bond. To learn more about how tools execute under the hood, read our guide on how AI agents verify business licenses using MCP.

Troubleshooting Common FastMCP Configuration Issues

If Claude Desktop or Cursor does not show the LicenseGround tools in its tool picker, check these three common configuration issues:

• Python Environment Path: Ensure the command field points to the specific Python executable where the LicenseGround package is installed (e.g., in your virtual environment).
• Environment Variables: Verify that your AGENT_API_KEY is correctly formatted without leading or trailing spaces.
• JSON Syntax Errors: Make sure there are no trailing commas in your claude_desktop_config.json file, as strict JSON parsers will fail to load the configuration.

Once loaded, you can ask Claude to verify any contractor license in California, Florida, or Texas directly within your desktop chat interface.

Real-World Testing Prompt Examples

Once you have configured the LicenseGround MCP server in Claude Desktop or Cursor, try testing these practical prompts:

• 'Verify California license #1048592 and check if they are compliant with SB 216 workers comp rules.'
• 'Search for active, bonded commercial roofing contractors in Orlando, Florida with certified CCC licenses.'
• 'Check Texas electrical contractor license #TECL19482 and tell me if their liability insurance is currently active.'

Claude will execute the corresponding tool and return verified facts directly in your chat window.

Running LicenseGround FastMCP Over stdio and SSE

LicenseGround supports two flexible transport modes:

• stdio Transport: Best for local desktop applications like Claude Desktop and Cursor IDE. Communicates directly over local process input and output streams with zero network latency.
• Server-Sent Events (SSE) Transport: Ideal for distributed cloud agents running in Docker containers, AWS Lambda, or Kubernetes clusters.

Both transport modes provide identical access to the four core deterministic licensing tools.