Every contractor in California who works on a job worth more than $1,000 in labor and materials must hold a license from the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Checking that license takes five minutes, costs nothing, and tells you more than any brochure. Here is how we would do it if we were hiring.
1. Get the license number, not just the name
A licensed contractor is required to print the license number on business cards, contracts, bids, and advertising. If it is missing, ask. If they cannot produce it on the spot, that is your answer.
Ours is CSLB #1114433. It is in the footer of every page on this site.
2. Look it up on cslb.ca.gov
Go to the CSLB license check at cslb.ca.gov, choose “Check a License,” and enter the number. You will see the official record. Read it top to bottom.
Business name and entity. The name on the license must match the name on your contract. A licensed person cannot lend a license to a different company.
Status. You want “Active.” Anything else, including “Expired,” “Suspended,” or “Inactive,” means they cannot legally contract for the work.
Classifications. This is the part most people skip, and it matters most. A license only covers the trades it lists:
- A, General Engineering. Sewer, water, storm drain, grading, excavation, paving, and other civil work.
- B, General Building. Structures, additions, ADUs, and projects that involve two or more unrelated trades.
- C-10, Electrical. Panels, service upgrades, site lighting, EV charging, and all wiring.
A “B” contractor cannot self-perform your sewer lateral. A “C-10” cannot pour your foundation. If your project crosses trades, look for a contractor who holds all of the classifications involved, or expect subcontractors on the job.
Bond. California requires a contractor’s bond on file. The record shows the bonding company and the amount.
Workers’ compensation. The record shows whether the contractor carries workers’ comp or has filed an exemption claiming no employees. Be careful with exemptions: if a crew shows up and someone is hurt on your property, an uninsured worker’s claim can land on the homeowner.
Complaint disclosure. Legal actions and citations that CSLB is allowed to disclose appear here.
3. Ask for the certificate of insurance
Liability insurance is not tracked by CSLB. Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as certificate holder, and call the agent listed on it to confirm it is current. A real contractor does this routinely.
4. Read the contract before the deposit
State law caps the down payment on a home improvement contract at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. The contract should also spell out the scope, the schedule, the payment milestones, and who pulls the permits. If the contractor suggests skipping the permit “to save you money,” the savings are yours to lose at inspection or at sale.
5. Trust the paper trail, not the pitch
A polished truck and a fast quote are easy. A clean state record, a current bond, workers’ comp on file, and a permit with the contractor’s name on it are hard to fake. That is why we point every client to our license record before we ask for their signature.
You can verify our license on cslb.ca.gov right now. If you have a project in Greater Los Angeles, request a bid and we will walk you through the rest.
