Small Trades Cooperative — Credentials

This is the complete credential catalog for the Small Trades Cooperative ecosystem. Each credential below includes its issuer, holder, verifiers, schema fields, disclosure mode, and chaining relationships. Credentials and schemas are illustrative examples showing the type of data each credential would carry, not finalized specifications.

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Trade License

State-issued license to practice a specific trade. The entry floor — a valid license means you can work today, regardless of experience level.

Property	Value
ID	trade_license
Issuer	State Licensing Board
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, City Building Department, Trades Cooperative, Credentialed Inspector
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
trade_category	string	yes
license_number	string	yes
jurisdiction	string	yes
issue_date	date	yes
expiration_date	date	yes
license_status	string	yes
restrictions	string[]	no

Insurance Coverage

Proof of liability insurance. Verifiers see coverage status and amount but not policy details, premiums, or claims history. Auto-expires when the policy lapses — no more stale certificates floating around.

Property	Value
ID	insurance_credential
Issuer	External: Insurance Ecosystem
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, City Building Department, Trades Cooperative
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
coverage_type	string	yes
coverage_amount	number	yes
policy_status	string	yes
effective_date	date	yes
expiration_date	date	yes
insurer_name	string	yes

Surety Bond

Proof of surety bond for larger jobs. Guarantees financial recourse if work is not completed. In the mature ecosystem, escrow may replace most bonding needs for smaller jobs.

Property	Value
ID	bond_credential
Issuer	External: Surety Ecosystem
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, City Building Department
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
bond_amount	number	yes
bond_type	string	yes
surety_company	string	yes
effective_date	date	yes
expiration_date	date	yes

Background Check

Pass/fail background check. The credential says “cleared” — not “here’s the report.” Issued once, held by the worker, verifiable by any coop without re-running the check.

Property	Value
ID	background_check
Issuer	External: Issuing Agency
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Trades Cooperative
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
check_type	string	yes
result	string	yes
check_date	date	yes
valid_until	date	yes
issuing_agency	string	yes

Drug Screening

Pass/fail drug screening result. Disclosed to coop membership verification only — homeowners see “coop member” which implies the coop’s requirements are met. Worker controls further disclosure.

Property	Value
ID	drug_test
Issuer	External: Testing Facility
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Trades Cooperative
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
test_type	string	yes
result	string	yes
test_date	date	yes
valid_until	date	yes

Safety Certification

Job site safety training completion (OSHA 10, OSHA 30, trade-specific certifications). Full disclosure — there’s no reason to hide that you’re safety-trained.

Property	Value
ID	safety_certification
Issuer	External: Training Provider
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Credentialed Inspector, City Building Department, Trades Cooperative
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
certification_type	string	yes
issuing_organization	string	yes
completion_date	date	yes
expiration_date	date	no
hours_completed	number	yes

Skill Level Designation

Apprentice, journeyman, or master designation for a specific trade. Issued by the licensing board (formal path) or by a master tradesperson (mentorship path). Both are verifiable — the market decides which it values more.

Property	Value
ID	skill_level
Issuer	State Licensing Board
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Trades Cooperative, Credentialed Inspector
Disclosure	full
Chained From	Trade License (trade_license)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
trade_category	string	yes
level	string	yes
attested_by	string	yes
attestation_date	date	yes
years_experience	number	no

Apprenticeship Attestation

Issued by a master tradesperson to their apprentice. Records scope of training, duration, and mentor identity. Creates a verifiable lineage — who trained you, who trained them. The mentor stakes their reputation on the apprentice’s competence.

Property	Value
ID	apprenticeship_attestation
Issuer	Master Tradesperson
Holder	Apprentice
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Trades Cooperative, State Licensing Board
Disclosure	full
Chained From	Master Designation (master_designation)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
mentor_aid	string	yes
mentor_name	string	yes
trade_category	string	yes
training_scope	string[]	yes
start_date	date	yes
end_date	date	no
hours_completed	number	yes
competency_areas	string[]	yes

Master Designation

Recognized master-level practitioner in a specific trade. Authorizes the holder to mentor apprentices and issue apprenticeship attestations. In the mature ecosystem, a master with strong reputation becomes a trust anchor independent of institutional backing.

Property	Value
ID	master_designation
Issuer	State Licensing Board
Holder	Master Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Trades Cooperative, Credentialed Inspector, Apprentice
Disclosure	full
Chained From	Trade License (trade_license)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
trade_category	string	yes
designation_date	date	yes
years_in_trade	number	yes
specializations	string[]	no

Cooperative Membership

Active member of a specific cooperative. Implies the coop’s published membership requirements are met — background check, drug test, insurance minimums, whatever the coop demands. Workers present this instead of individual screening credentials to homeowners.

Property	Value
ID	coop_membership
Issuer	Trades Cooperative
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Connector / Recommendation Platform
Disclosure	full
Chained From	Coop Governance Framework (coop_governance_framework)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
coop_name	string	yes
coop_aid	string	yes
membership_date	date	yes
trade_categories	string[]	yes
membership_tier	string	no

Coop Governance Framework

Public document of membership requirements and standards. This is how homeowners see what “member of XYZ Coop” actually means. Different coops have different requirements — premium coops demand more, budget coops demand the legal minimum. Both are transparent.

Property	Value
ID	coop_governance_framework
Issuer	Trades Cooperative
Holder	Trades Cooperative
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Independent Tradesperson, Connector / Recommendation Platform
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
required_credentials	string[]	yes
minimum_insurance_amount	number	yes
background_check_required	boolean	yes
drug_test_required	boolean	yes
minimum_skill_level	string	no
continuing_education_required	boolean	no
version	string	yes
effective_date	date	yes

Coop Registration

State or city registration as a legally recognized cooperative entity.

Property	Value
ID	coop_registration
Issuer	State Licensing Board
Holder	Trades Cooperative
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Independent Tradesperson, City Building Department
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
registration_number	string	yes
jurisdiction	string	yes
registration_date	date	yes
entity_type	string	yes

Job Completion Attestation

The atomic unit of reputation. Homeowner attests that a specific job was completed by a specific tradesperson. Not a review — just a fact. Signed as part of contract close-out with zero extra effort. Workers accumulate these as portable, verifiable work history.

Property	Value
ID	job_completion_attestation
Issuer	Property Owner / Client
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Trades Cooperative, Connector / Recommendation Platform, Credentialed Inspector
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
job_type	string	yes
job_description	string	yes
completion_date	date	yes
property_type	string	yes
trade_category	string	yes
contract_aid	string	yes
escrow_released_clean	boolean	yes

Financial Responsibility

Proof that the homeowner can fund escrow for a given amount. Financial institution attests fundability without revealing bank balance, account details, or any other financial information. The tradesperson sees “escrow fundable to $X” — that’s it.

Property	Value
ID	financial_responsibility
Issuer	External: Financial Institution
Holder	Property Owner / Client
Verifiers	Independent Tradesperson, Escrow Protocol Service
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
fundable_amount	number	yes
attestation_date	date	yes
valid_until	date	yes

Property Ownership

Proof of property ownership for permit and contract purposes. Selective disclosure — prove you own the property without revealing purchase price or mortgage details.

Property	Value
ID	property_credential
Issuer	City Building Department
Holder	Property Owner / Client
Verifiers	Independent Tradesperson, City Building Department, Credentialed Inspector
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
property_address	string	yes
owner_name	string	yes
parcel_id	string	yes
ownership_type	string	yes

Inspector License

Authorization to inspect and attest code compliance. In the mature ecosystem, private inspectors with this credential compete with city inspectors on speed and availability, breaking the inspection bottleneck.

Property	Value
ID	inspector_license
Issuer	State Licensing Board
Holder	Credentialed Inspector
Verifiers	City Building Department, Property Owner / Client, Independent Tradesperson
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
inspection_categories	string[]	yes
jurisdiction	string	yes
license_number	string	yes
issue_date	date	yes
expiration_date	date	yes

Code Compliance Attestation

Specific work items verified against building code schema. Inspector attests each item individually — electrical passed, plumbing passed, ventilation passed. City accepts the complete attestation set automatically when issued by a credentialed inspector.

Property	Value
ID	code_compliance_attestation
Issuer	Credentialed Inspector
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	City Building Department, Property Owner / Client
Disclosure	full
Chained From	Inspector License (inspector_license)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
permit_number	string	yes
inspection_type	string	yes
code_section	string	yes
result	string	yes
inspection_date	date	yes
deficiencies	string[]	no
re_inspection_required	boolean	yes
inspector_aid	string	yes

Mediator Credential

Authorization to mediate disputes in trade contracts. Issued by a recognized arbitration body. Mediator selection happens before work begins — both parties agree in the contract.

Property	Value
ID	mediator_credential
Issuer	External: Arbitration Body
Holder	Dispute Mediator
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Independent Tradesperson, Escrow Protocol Service
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
certification_type	string	yes
issuing_body	string	yes
specializations	string[]	no
issue_date	date	yes
expiration_date	date	yes

Mediation Ruling

Binding ruling on a dispute. Triggers escrow release or reallocation. The existence of a ruling and its outcome are part of the public record; the details are contractual disclosure only.

Property	Value
ID	mediation_ruling
Issuer	Dispute Mediator
Holder	Property Owner / Client
Verifiers	Escrow Protocol Service
Disclosure	contractual
Chained From	Mediator Credential (mediator_credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
contract_aid	string	yes
ruling_date	date	yes
ruling_summary	string	yes
escrow_disposition	string	yes
amount_to_tradesperson	number	yes
amount_to_homeowner	number	yes
mediator_fee	number	yes

Escrow Contract

Funds locked between contract signing and job completion. Defines release conditions, milestone schedule, mediator designation, and mediator fee. Both parties sign before work begins. Cross-ecosystem primitive — this pattern applies to any service contract.

Property	Value
ID	escrow_contract
Issuer	Escrow Protocol Service
Holder	Property Owner / Client
Verifiers	Independent Tradesperson, Dispute Mediator
Disclosure	contractual
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
total_amount	number	yes
milestones	object[]	no
release_conditions	string	yes
mediator_aid	string	yes
mediator_fee_percentage	number	yes
dispute_deadline_days	number	yes
contract_date	date	yes
homeowner_aid	string	yes
tradesperson_aid	string	yes

Escrow Release

Funds released — either clean close (mutual attestation) or mediated ruling. The release record shows outcome (clean or mediated) but not amounts. A tradesperson with many clean releases has a strong signal.

Property	Value
ID	escrow_release
Issuer	Escrow Protocol Service
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Trades Cooperative, Connector / Recommendation Platform
Disclosure	selective
Chained From	Escrow Contract (escrow_contract)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
contract_aid	string	yes
release_type	string	yes
release_date	date	yes
clean_release	boolean	yes

Witnessed Recording

Hardware-attested photo or video of work — timestamped, geolocated, and witnessed by KERI witnesses. A locked box: existence is known, content is encrypted, access requires a credentialed adjudicator and a dispute trigger defined in the contract. Both parties can create witnessed recordings.

Property	Value
ID	witnessed_recording
Issuer	Hardware Device Attestor
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Dispute Mediator, Credentialed Inspector
Disclosure	contractual
Chained From	Hardware Device Attestation (hardware_attestation)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
recording_type	string	yes
capture_timestamp	datetime	yes
geolocation	string	yes
device_aid	string	yes
content_hash	string	yes
access_conditions	string	yes

Hardware Device Attestation

Certifies that a device produces authentic, unmodified media. Enables the physical-to-digital bridge — without this, photos and videos have no cryptographic provenance.

Property	Value
ID	hardware_attestation
Issuer	Hardware Device Attestor
Holder	Independent Tradesperson
Verifiers	Credentialed Inspector, Dispute Mediator
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
device_model	string	yes
device_serial	string	yes
manufacturer	string	yes
certification_standard	string	yes
certification_date	date	yes

Connector Registration

Registration for a recommendation/matching service. Deliberately lightweight — connectors are optional, replaceable, and must not accumulate power over reputation data.

Property	Value
ID	connector_registration
Issuer	Trades Cooperative
Holder	Connector / Recommendation Platform
Verifiers	Property Owner / Client, Independent Tradesperson
Disclosure	full
Chained From	None (root credential)

Schema Fields:

Field	Type	Required
service_name	string	yes
service_type	string	yes
coverage_area	string	yes
registration_date	date	yes

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