California contractor license requirements

Licenses and registrations

B - General Building Contractor

Building or altering structures, including residential construction and remodeling that involves multiple trades.

• When it applies: Total cost of contracts of $1,000 or more, or any job that requires a building permit or uses additional workers.

B-2 - Residential Remodeling Contractor

Remodeling existing homes.

• When it applies: Same $1,000 / building permit / employee trigger.

C specialty licenses

Single-trade contractors, for example C-33 Painting and Decorating, C-39 Roofing, C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering, C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile, C-6 Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry, C-61 Limited Specialty.

• When it applies: Same $1,000 / building permit / employee trigger.
• Good to know: No separate siding classification is listed. C-61 Limited Specialty does not require a trade exam.

Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration

Anyone who sells home improvement work for a licensed contractor outside the contractor's normal place of business.

• Good to know: Appointment setters, certain service repair people and some company officials are exempt. An HIS may work for more than one licensed contractor; each contractor must notify CSLB before the HIS starts.

What you need to qualify

• Exams: The qualifier must pass the Law and Business exam and a trade exam for the classification (C-61 has no trade exam), unless a waiver is granted. Applicants also complete an open-book asbestos exam before the license is issued.
• Experience: The qualifier needs at least four full years of journey-level experience (or as a foreman, supervisor, contractor or owner-builder) within the last ten years, verified on a Certification of Work Experience form. A qualifier may serve no more than three firms in any one-year period.
• Insurance: Workers' compensation is required when a contractor has employees, and for C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 (roofing) and C-61/D-49 classifications regardless of employees. LLC licenses must carry liability insurance of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 depending on the number of personnel of record.
• Bond: $25,000 contractor bond (or $25,000 cashier's check) for all licenses. An additional $25,000 bond of qualifying individual is required in some cases. LLCs also need a $100,000 employee/worker bond.
• Also required: The qualifier must be at least 18. Applicants are fingerprinted and the license is not issued until DOJ and FBI background results are received.

Fees, renewal and continuing education

• Fees: Original application: $450 (one classification). Initial license fee: $200 (sole owner) or $350 (non-sole owner). Additional classification: $230. Home Improvement Salesperson application: $200. Exam fees are paid to the testing vendor.
• Renewal: Every two years. Active timely renewal: $450 sole owner, $700 non-sole owner (C-10: $470 / $720). Inactive renewal: $300 sole owner, $500 non-sole owner. Delinquent active renewal: $675 sole owner, $1,050 non-sole owner. HIS registrations expire two years after issue; renewal $200.

Contracts and homeowner protections

The down payment on a home improvement contract cannot exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. Contractors may not collect payment for work not yet done or materials not yet delivered, and progress payments must be listed in dollars and cents. Home improvement salespeople must register with CSLB. After declared disasters, rebuilding work is treated as home improvement and requires a fixed-price contract.

Electrical, plumbing and HVAC work

CSLB also licenses electrical (C-10), plumbing (C-36) and HVAC (C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) contractors. C-10 licensees pay an extra $20 certification enforcement fee.

City and county rules

Any job that requires a building permit needs a CSLB license, regardless of cost. Larger jobs may not be split into smaller contracts to stay under $1,000.

Working without a license

CSLB says a first offense of contracting without a license is usually a misdemeanor with up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine, plus a possible administrative fine of $200 to $15,000. A second conviction can bring a fine of 20 percent of the contract price or $4,500, and at least 90 days in jail. Contracting without a license in a declared state of emergency or disaster area can be charged as a felony.

What to confirm with the state

We couldn't confirm these on an official page when we checked. Ask the licensing office before you rely on them:

• Written contract content rules for home improvement contracts (B&P Code 7159).
• Exact scope language of the B-2 Residential Remodeling classification
• Continuing education (none found; not confirmed either way)
• Which agency certifies individual electricians
• City and county business license requirements
• Penalty amounts are from the CSLB page and weren't checked against the statute (B&P 7028).

Sources

1. CSLB home page
2. Apply for a License
3. Before Applying for a License
4. Apply for a Sole Owner License
5. Application for Original Contractor License (13A-1, rev. 01/2026)
6. List of CSLB Fees
7. Licensing Classifications
8. Forms and Applications
9. Application for Registration as a Home Improvement Salesperson (13H-11, rev. 06/2025)
10. Renew License or Registration
11. CSLB payment guidance for home improvement projects