To be eligible for a contractor`s license, applicants must be at least 18 years of age and have at least four years of relevant experience or training. There are no financial requirements to obtain a licence, but applicants must hold a $15,000 bond before obtaining a licence. If you do not meet the licensing requirements as a contractor, you may be eligible for a licence under a licensee who serves as an eligible person. Some contractors may need to take exams specific to their trade, such as landscaping, plumbing, or roofing. On the CSLB website, you can find free study guides for your trade-specific exam so you can enter this exam room with confidence. To become a general contractor in California, you need a license. Being a general contractor can be very lucrative, but it`s also one of the riskiest industries in the country. It`s ranked in the top ten industries for workplace injuries and fatalities.1 That`s why California has licensing requirements that you must meet to operate a business in the construction industry safely and legally. There is a non-refundable fee of $245 for this service. This form allows you to order licence information within certain parameters, including: As of January 1, 2019, licensees and insurers must report to the CSLB within a certain period of time the knowledge of certain civil proceedings that have resulted in a judgment, settlement, payment or arbitration award of $1,000,000 or more related to construction activities in a building structure of apartments. Click here for more detailed information on reporting requirements. That`s enough to make you wonder: Do you really need to get a general contractor license in California to start working on home construction or renovation projects? California is good enough to give people a lot of exceptions to apply for a contractor`s license. The most common exception is for people who want to renovate their own home or properties they have personally purchased.

After getting a license, don`t forget to create a contractor insurance quote to make sure you`re covered. Don`t forget to read our guide to getting a California business license! Licensing schools were founded in 1982 and claim to be the largest entrepreneur licensing school in the United States. The number of contractors who have prepared them for licensing exams is in the thousands. They offer courses for all 43 contractor classifications, as well as for the General Engineering, General Building, and Law and Business exams. A responsible senior executive must deactivate their sole proprietorship licence to be eligible for another licence and must meet certain employment requirements. For reference, see an example of ”Original Contractor Licence Application”. If you`re already doing contract work without a license, it seems like you don`t need it right away. And under California law, you don`t need a contractor`s license if you`re working on a project that costs no more than $500 in work and materials.

Failure to obtain a building permit is a violation of California`s Contractor Licensing Act. In addition, construction done without a permit can expose an owner to additional responsibilities and costs. If a contractor performs work without the required permit, he is in violation of articles 7110 and 7090 of the Business and Professions Code. Contractors who break the law are subject to disciplinary action by the CSLB, including the assessment of civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, a corrective order to pay the cost of the permit fee, as well as any penalties imposed by the local construction department and the suspension or revocation of the licence. Use this form to remove an existing classification from a license. Once the classification is removed, you must submit a ”Request for Additional Classification” with the required fee if you wish to reinstate the classification in the license. The responsible managing director, the responsible general manager, the responsible managing member or the qualified partner must hold at least 20% of each company for which he is qualified to maintain an active individual license. .