California Contractor Licenses

The California Contractors State License Board must approve (with a few exceptions) almost all individuals or businesses engaged in construction on any building, highway, road, parking service, railroad, excavation, or other construction project in California. This applies to all contractors whose total budget on one or more projects is $500 or more. In order to obtain the necessary certificates contractors should contact the Contractors State License Board located at 9821 Business Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95826.

In order to be eligible for a license one must have four years of experience within the last ten years. This yardstick applies to a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee, contractor, or owner-builder. One can submit an application from one and one-half to three years of standard education or apprenticeship to meet this prerequisite.

There are also particular requirements for contractors who work with asbestos. Special conditions also apply to contractors who deal with other harmful substances, and contractors who mount or replace underground storage tanks.

CSLB grants various sorts of licenses to individuals, partnerships, corporations, or joint ventures. They can be classified under Class A, Class B and Class C types. General engineering contractors come under the purview of Class A, while general building contractors are included in the Class B category. Class C is meant for specialty contractors.

Class C has a wide range of sub-classifications and includes insulation and acoustical, lathing and plastering. Boilers, hot-water heating, steam-fitting and plumbing fall under this sub-category. Framing and rough carpentry, refrigeration, cabinet, mill work and finish carpentry, roofing, low-voltage systems, sanitation system, concrete, sheet metal, drywall, electrical signs also fall under this category, as do earthwork and paving, solar, electrical (general), general manufactured housing, fencing, steel, reinforcing, flooring and floor covering, steel, structural, fire protection and swimming pools.