Independent site · Not affiliated with CSLB or any state agency
Contractor LookoutCalifornia

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

By Contractor Lookout · Updated November 3, 2026

To check a contractor’s workers’ comp in California, look up the license and read the workers’ compensation field: it will show a policy, an exemption or nothing. If it shows a policy, call the insurance company to confirm the policy is active. CSLB’s insurance company search gives you the insurer’s details.

Workers’ comp is insurance for a contractor’s employees, and in California it’s tied to the license itself. A lapse in coverage suspends the license automatically under BPC 7125.2.

The three things you might see

What the record shows What it means What to do
A policy, with insurer name, policy number and dates The contractor has a workers’ comp policy on file with CSLB Call the insurer and confirm it’s in force for today’s date
Exempt The contractor has certified that it has no employees Ask who will actually do the work
Nothing on file No current policy or exemption is on file Ask why before going further

In CSLB’s current file, 49.6% of licenses claim an exemption and 1.7% show no current coverage.

Step by step

  1. Look up the license. Use our search to find the profile, then open the license on CSLB’s Instant License Check to see the live record. Our data is a weekly file, so coverage can change after our file date.
  2. Read the workers’ comp section. Note the insurer name, policy number and expiration date, or the word “exempt.”
  3. Find the insurer’s contact details. CSLB’s Insurance Company Search lets you search by company name or company code.
  4. Call the insurer. Give the policy number and the contractor’s name, and ask whether the policy is active.
  5. Ask for a certificate. Ask the contractor for a current certificate of workers’ comp insurance and keep a copy with your contract.
  6. Check again before a long job. If your project runs for months, look at the license again partway through. Policies can be cancelled.

Exempt vs insured

An exemption means the contractor has told CSLB it has no employees. For most classes, that’s allowed until January 1, 2028.

The trouble comes when an exempt contractor shows up with a crew. If that happens, ask whether the workers are employees. The exemption is for contractors with no employees. Our guide to workers’ comp exempt contractors goes deeper.

Trades that must carry it no matter what

Five classifications must carry workers’ comp whether or not they have employees:

Class Trade Required since
C-39 Roofing January 1, 2013
C-8 Concrete July 1, 2023
C-20 Warm-air heating, ventilating and air conditioning July 1, 2023
C-22 Asbestos abatement July 1, 2023
C-61/D-49 D-49, a subcategory of C-61 Limited Specialty July 1, 2023

If a license in one of these classes shows “exempt,” that’s a red flag worth asking about before you hire. Our city pages list these trades, for example roofers in Sacramento or HVAC contractors in Fresno.

The 2028 change

BPC 7125 currently has two versions. The one in effect now keeps the no-employee exemption for most classes and stays in effect only until January 1, 2028. The second version becomes operative on January 1, 2028. It drops the general no-employee exemption, so nearly every licensed contractor will need workers’ comp. The only remaining exemption is for certain joint ventures with no employees.

The requirement was first passed in 2022 (SB 216). SB 1455 (2024) delayed it to 2028. Before then, under BPC 7125.7, CSLB has to set up a process to verify no-employee exemptions by January 1, 2027.

What a workers’ comp suspension means

If the coverage or exemption lapses, the license is suspended and the record shows workers’ comp suspended. CSLB’s license page says: “License is under suspension for failure to comply with Workers Comp.” CSLB also notes that a certificate may have arrived but not been processed, and that once it is, the suspension is lifted back to the certificate’s effective date.

You may also see a secondary note, workers’ comp suspension pending. CSLB doesn’t publish wording for it, but the law lets CSLB post a pending suspension for up to 45 days, which is the likely meaning. In both cases, ask for a current certificate and call the insurer.

Right now, 2,983 licenses are suspended for workers’ comp.

Where this fits

Workers’ comp is one of four checks, along with status, classification and bond. Our license check guide covers all of them, and contractor bonds explained covers the bond. If your contractor’s coverage lapses mid-project, see what to do if a license is suspended mid-job.

Sources

More guides