Know who you can trust
in the Dominican Republic.

The DR Verified Network is an independent trust mark. A real person checks that a business is who it says it is, so expats and newcomers do not have to guess.

Checked by people, not algorithms
Why this exists

Moving to a new country, everything is a leap of faith.

A lawyer, a contractor, a dentist, a property manager. In a place where you do not yet speak the language or know the reputations, one wrong choice is expensive. The DR Verified Network exists to take the guesswork out.

01

Anyone can look legitimate

A polished website and a few reviews are easy to fake. They tell you nothing about whether a business is real, licensed, or still operating.

02

Reviews are gamed

Star ratings get bought, filtered, and buried. Newcomers cannot tell a genuine reputation from a manufactured one.

03

No one has checked

Most directories list whatever they scrape. Nobody confirms the business exists, answers its phone, or is who it claims to be. We do.

The trust ladder

Five levels. Each one means something.

Every listing carries a level. The badge tells you exactly how far a business has been checked, with no vague claims and nothing invented.

Standard

Default
Listed from public information. Not yet claimed or verified.
Every business starts here. The details come from public sources, so treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee.

Claimed

Free
Claimed and controlled by the business owner.
The owner has proven they run the business and now keeps the listing accurate. Free to claim.

Verified

Most chosen
Identity and business checked by our team.
We confirm the owner is real, the contact details work, and the business is genuinely operating. This is the badge expats look for.

Professional

Credentials checked
A verified professional with credentials on file.
For lawyers, doctors, accountants and other licensed professionals. On top of verification, we sight the licence or registration that lets them practise.

Expat Trusted

Highest tier
The highest tier, earned over time.
Reserved for verified businesses with a sustained track record of looking after the expat community. Earned through real experience, never bought.
How verification works

A real person does the checking.

Verification is not a payment and a badge. It is a set of checks we run before anything is marked Verified.

We confirm ownership

The person claiming the business proves they own or manage it. No anonymous badges.

We check the details are real

We confirm the phone, address and contact details are genuine and reachable, not a dead line or a fake front.

We confirm it is operating

We check the business is actually open and trading before it earns the badge, and we keep that current.

The badge is only worth something if it is honest. A business cannot buy its way past the checks. Payment covers the work of verifying and maintaining the listing, it does not skip a single step.

What we check, exactly

  • Ownership. The person claiming the listing proves they own or manage the business, through documents or control of the business's own official channels.
  • Legal registration. Where the business type requires it, we check the business against the DGII national taxpayer registry (RNC) and confirm its registration is active.
  • Working contact details. We confirm the phone, WhatsApp, email and address are genuine and reachable, not a dead line or a fake front.
  • Actually operating. We confirm the business is open and trading before it earns the badge.
  • Professional licences. For the Professional tier, we sight the licence or registration with the body that issues it: the bar association (CARD) for lawyers, ICPARD for accountants, the Ministry of Public Health exequatur for doctors, CODIA for engineers and architects.

Verification is not permanent. We re-check Verified businesses at least at each annual renewal, and sooner if something changes. The badge comes off if a business closes, becomes unreachable, no longer passes the checks, loses the licence behind its Professional status, or misrepresents itself. Report a concern about any badge to hello@drverifiednetwork.com.

One badge, everywhere

The same mark across the network.

When you see the DR Verified badge, it means the same thing whether it is on a law firm, a dental clinic, or a contractor. That is what makes it worth trusting.

Common questions

Straight answers about the badge.

What does the DR Verified badge mean?

It means a real person on our team confirmed the owner is who they say they are, the contact details work, and the business is genuinely operating. The level shown on the listing (Verified, Professional, or Expat Trusted) tells you exactly how far the checks went.

What is the difference between Claimed and Verified?

Claimed means the owner has proven they run the business and controls the listing; it is free and keeps details accurate, but nobody has independently checked it. Verified means our team has run the full checks above. Only Verified and higher levels carry the badge.

Can a business pay to get the badge or a better level?

No. Payment covers the work of verifying and maintaining a listing; it does not skip a single check. A business that fails the checks does not get the badge at any price, and the Expat Trusted level can never be bought, it is earned through a sustained track record.

How much does verification cost?

Claiming a listing is always free. Verification is a paid annual service, because a real person does the checking and keeps it current. Current pricing is on The Dominican Directory pricing page.

How do I check that a business is really verified?

Look for the DR Verified badge and its level on the business's listing on a network site, such as The Dominican Directory. If you are unsure about a badge you have seen anywhere else, email hello@drverifiednetwork.com and we will confirm it.

Who runs the DR Verified Network?

The same independent team that runs The Dominican Directory. The network is not owned by, or paid to promote, any business it verifies. You can reach a real person at hello@drverifiednetwork.com.

For business owners

Become a business expats trust.

Expats consistently choose businesses that have been checked by a real person. Get the DR Verified badge on your listing and stand out where they are looking.

Claiming is always free. Verification is checked and maintained by our team.