How to Get a California Contractor License — CSLB (2026 Guide)

Step 1 — Document four years of journey-level experience

CSLB requires at least four years of full-time, paid, journey-level experience in your trade within the last 10 years. Journey-level means you can do the work without supervision — not apprentice or helper level. A completed apprenticeship (e.g. carpenters' union, IBEW, plumbers' union) counts as the full four years. So can military construction experience, formal vocational training (capped at three years credit), or a contractor degree.

You document the experience with a Certification of Work Experience (form 13A-11) signed by a licensed contractor, employer, journey-level co-worker, union representative, building inspector, or other professional who can verify your hands-on work. The signer commits under penalty of perjury — CSLB does audit. If you have been paid in cash or worked off-the-books, a signature from the licensed contractor whose jobs you worked on is usually accepted, even when there are no W-2s.

Step 2 — Submit your $450 CSLB application with a classification

Pick the classification that matches your trade. Class A is general engineering (highways, bridges, utilities). Class B is general building — the most common, for any project involving two or more unrelated trades and either framing or finish carpentry. Class B-2 (residential remodeling) is newer and lower-bar. The C series is 40+ specialty trades: C-10 electrical, C-20 HVAC, C-27 landscaping, C-33 painting, C-36 plumbing, C-39 roofing, C-54 tile, C-6 cabinetry, C-15 flooring, and so on. You can only test for one classification per $450 application — if you want a second, you pay $450 again later.

Submit the application (Form 13A-1) by mail to CSLB Sacramento with the $450 fee, your Certification of Work Experience, and your contact information. Processing typically takes 4-8 weeks. CSLB will then mail you a notice telling you to schedule your two exams at PSI.

Step 3 — Complete Live Scan fingerprinting and post your $25,000 bond

After CSLB approves you to test (or in parallel with exam prep), complete Live Scan fingerprinting at any approved fingerprinting location ($20-$50 vendor fee plus the state's $32 processing). CSLB will receive your criminal background check directly. A felony conviction does not automatically disqualify you — CSLB evaluates each case — but you must disclose it on the application.

Before CSLB will issue your license number after you pass the exams, you must post a $25,000 Contractor's Surety Bond and provide proof. The bond itself is not $25,000 in cash — it is an insurance product, and the actual premium you pay is typically $150-$400 per year depending on your credit. The bond protects homeowners and subcontractors if you fail to perform or pay; it does not protect you. If you have employees, you also need workers' compensation insurance (proof must be on file with CSLB).

Step 4 — Schedule and pass both exams at PSI

You take two exams at any PSI testing center in California — both are computer-based and you find out instantly whether you passed. Bring a government-issued photo ID and the notice CSLB mailed you. Each exam costs $51.43 paid to PSI.

The Business & Law exam is 115 multiple-choice questions in 3.5 hours, covering contracts, employment law, mechanic's liens, lien releases, business taxes, OSHA safety, and CSLB regulations. The Trade exam is specific to your classification (115 questions for most trades, also 3.5 hours) and tests the technical knowledge of your craft — building codes, materials, safe practices, calculations. CSLB does not publish the exact passing score, but the working number is approximately 73% on a scaled scoring system. If you fail, you can re-test for another $51.43 PSI fee after 21 days.

Step 5 — Get workers' comp (if hiring) and start working

If you will have employees, file proof of workers' compensation insurance with CSLB before they start. If you are a sole owner with no employees, you can file an exemption — but the moment you hire your first worker (W-2 or 1099 classified as employee), you need workers' comp immediately. California is aggressive about misclassification: cash-paying a 'helper' as a 1099 is a fast way to lose your license.

Once licensed, your CSLB license number must appear on every contract over $500, every bid, every business card, and every vehicle sign. You can pull your own permits, sign contracts in your own name, and sue (and be sued) for unpaid invoices. Without a license, contracts over $500 are not enforceable — you cannot legally collect through court. The license is what makes you a real business.

Salary ladder for licensed California contractors

Working under someone else as a journey-level worker: $32-$55/hour in 2026 California, depending on trade and union status (electricians and plumbers near the top, painters and laborers near the bottom). With your own CSLB license as a small residential GC running a 2-4 person crew: $85,000-$160,000 net depending on volume. Specialty trade owner (C-10 electrician, C-36 plumber, C-20 HVAC): $90,000-$200,000+ with strong service routes. Mid-sized custom-home and commercial GCs (Class B doing $1M-$5M projects): $150,000-$300,000+. Large-project Class A or Class B GCs running multiple crews on multi-million-dollar developments: $300,000-$1M+. The license is not a salary — it is permission to take the risk.