Business & LicensingQuestion 676 of 1605
Under Bus. & Prof. Code §7059.1, a licensed contractor's business name (including any DBA/fictitious business name) may NOT:
a.Be longer than 30 characters
b.Indicate or imply a classification of license the contractor does not hold (e.g., a Class C-10 electrical contractor cannot include 'General Building' or 'Roofing' in the business name) or include terms that mislead the public about license status
c.Be registered as a federal trademark
d.Include the contractor's surname combined with the city of operation
Explanation
Bus. & Prof. Code §7059.1 prohibits a contractor's name (including any fictitious business name used in advertising) from indicating or implying a classification of license the contractor does not hold, or otherwise misleading the public about the contractor's license status. A C-10 electrical contractor may not use 'Acme General Construction' or 'Roofing Co.' in its name without holding those classifications. Surname-plus-city, length, and federal trademark concerns are unrelated to §7059.1. Bus. & Prof. Code §7030.5 separately requires the license number on all advertising, but §7059.1 specifically polices the NAME itself.
Law Reference: Bus. & Prof. Code §7059.1Practice all 1605 questions free — no signup required.
Related questions on this topic
- A qualifying individual (RME/RMO) disassociates from a licensed entity on March 1. Under Bus. & Prof. Code §7068.2, by when must the licensee notify the CSLB Registrar?
- How many separate active CSLB licenses may a single qualifying individual (RMO or RME) qualify simultaneously?
- Two licensed contractors want to bid on a single project as a joint venture. Under Bus. & Prof. Code §7029, they must:
- When a sole proprietor licensed contractor incorporates the business and wants the new corporation to hold the license:
- An applicant claims journey-level experience under a former employer who has since dissolved. Under Bus. & Prof. Code §7068 and CSLB procedures, the applicant's experience is generally certified by:
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Last reviewed: · editorial process
Sen Lin, PrepPass Founder · Verified against California CSLB Contractor License Law & Business Exam · How we review
Reviewed by Abraham Chen — Licensed California General Contractor (CSLB License #1101856 — verify)