What "Judgement Susp" means on a California contractor license
Updated November 1, 2026 · Primary status
CSLB's license page wording: "License is suspended for failure to comply with an outstanding civil judgment."
Suspended because a construction-related civil judgment against the licensee has not been paid.
- 153licenses statewide
- 0.1%of all licenses in the file
- 151with a California address
Someone took this contractor to court over construction work, won, and has not been paid. That is what this status signals. CSLB's page reads: "License is suspended for failure to comply with an outstanding civil judgment."
B&P Code §7071.17 sets out the process, including a 90-day notice period and bond rules. The license comes back only with proof the judgment was satisfied or a notarized accord with the person owed.
This is a red flag worth asking about. Keep in mind that CSLB only discloses construction-related civil judgments that were reported to it, so a clean record doesn't prove there are none. A suspended license is not valid for contracting while this status shows.
What to do if a contractor you're considering shows this status
- Don't sign while the license is suspended.
- Ask the contractor directly about the judgment and how they plan to resolve it.
- Read the full license record on CSLB's site for other suspensions or linked licenses.
- If you go ahead later, get proof the judgment was paid or settled first.
Always confirm the current status on CSLB's Instant License Check; it can change between our weekly refreshes.
Legal basis
Counties with the highest rate
| County | Licenses with this status | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Napa County | 4 | 0.3% |
| Butte County | 3 | 0.2% |
| Tulare County | 3 | 0.2% |
| Merced County | 2 | 0.2% |
| Imperial County | 1 | 0.2% |
| Lake County | 1 | 0.2% |
| Los Angeles County | 47 | 0.1% |
| Orange County | 16 | 0.1% |
| Riverside County | 12 | 0.1% |
| San Bernardino County | 7 | 0.1% |
Counties with at least 300 licenses. Rate = share of local licenses showing this status.
City and trade lists where it is most common
- Licensed demolition and building moving contractors in Los Angeles: 2 of 66 (3%)
- Licensed general engineering contractors in Huntington Beach: 2 of 69 (2.9%)
- Licensed concrete contractors in Los Angeles: 2 of 79 (2.5%)
- Licensed fire protection contractors in San Jose: 1 of 40 (2.5%)
- Licensed roofers in Long Beach: 1 of 42 (2.4%)
- Licensed plastering and stucco contractors in Riverside: 1 of 42 (2.4%)
- Licensed general engineering contractors in Alpine: 1 of 44 (2.3%)
- Licensed limited specialty contractors in Glendale: 1 of 43 (2.3%)
- Licensed plumbers in Bellflower: 1 of 46 (2.2%)
- Licensed general contractors in Lathrop: 1 of 46 (2.2%)
We started tracking week-to-week changes with the November 1, 2026 file. Trend data will appear here as history builds up.
Source: CSLB public data · Updated November 1, 2026 Status can change at any time. Verify on CSLB's Instant License Check.