Guides to hiring a licensed contractor in California

Short, sourced explainers on the rules that matter before you sign a contract. Each guide links to the statute or CSLB page it relies on.

• How to check a contractor license in California

  How to do a CSLB license check in California: three ways to look up a contractor, what status, class, bond and workers' comp mean, and red flags.

• What each CSLB license status means

  What each CSLB license status means, from Clear to bond, workers' comp, judgment and qualifier suspensions, plus the pending notes that warn of trouble.

• The $1,000 minor work exemption in California

  When California lets someone work without a contractor license: the $1,000 minor work limit, the permit and employee rules, and the 'not licensed' ad rule.

• How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?

  California caps home improvement down payments at $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less. How the rule works, the bond exception and cancel rights.

• How to check a contractor's workers' comp in California

  How to read the workers' comp field on a California contractor license, confirm a policy with the insurer, and know which trades must carry coverage.

• Contractor bonds explained

  The bonds a California contractor may need: the $25,000 contractor's bond, qualifier bond, $100,000 LLC worker bond and disciplinary bond.

• Hiring a contractor in California: a checklist

  A step-by-step checklist for hiring a California contractor: license and class, bond, workers' comp, contract, down payment, cancel rights and permits.

• How to file a complaint with CSLB

  How to file a complaint with CSLB about a California contractor: when it fits, the time limits under B&P 7091, what to gather, and what CSLB can't do.

• What to do if your contractor's license is suspended mid-job

  If your California contractor's license is suspended during your project, here's what it means and the practical steps to take before you pay more.

• Penalties for unlicensed contracting in California

  Penalties for unlicensed contracting in California: fines and jail under B&P 7028, CSLB citations of $1,500 to $15,000, and the $1,000 exemption.

• A vs B vs C contractor licenses: which do you need?

  How California's A, B, B-2 and C contractor licenses differ, plus C-61/D subcategories and the ASB and HAZ certifications, and which fits your job.

• What it means when a contractor is workers' comp exempt

  What 'Exempt' means in a California contractor's workers' comp record, which trades can't be exempt, and how the rules change on January 1, 2028.

• Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration explained

  Who must register as a Home Improvement Salesperson in California, how to look up an HIS registration, and what happens if a seller isn't registered.

• Solar contractor licenses in California

  Which California licenses cover solar panels and home batteries: C-46 Solar and C-10 Electrical, the 80 kWh battery limit, and how to check an installer.

• ADU contractors: what licenses to look for

  Which California contractor licenses can build an ADU, per CSLB: the B General Building and C-47 classes, plus the contract, down payment and permit rules.