STATE LICENSE
RequiredContractors State License Board (CSLB)
General contracting is licensed by the CSLB in three flavours. A is General Engineering, for fixed works requiring specialised engineering knowledge — highways, dams, sewers, pipelines, land levelling. B is General Building, defined around structures for the support, shelter and enclosure of persons or property requiring at least two unrelated building trades. B-2 Residential Remodeling, added by SB 1189 in 2021, sits between B and the specialty classes and requires at least three unrelated trades in a single contract.
The two-trade rule in B&P § 7057(b) is the operative constraint. A B contractor may prime or sub a framing or carpentry project outright, but for anything else the contract must require at least two unrelated trades other than framing or carpentry — and framing and carpentry cannot be counted toward that two. Section 7057(c) adds that a B contractor cannot contract for fire protection (C-16) or well drilling (C-57) work at all without the classification or a licensed subcontractor.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
California preempts contractor licensing entirely — no city or county issues a general contractor licence. Local authority runs through the permit instead: B&P § 7031.5 requires every county or city that issues building permits to collect a signed statement from the applicant giving the licence number and confirming it is in full force, or stating the basis of an exemption, with a civil penalty up to $500 for violating that section. Cities separately levy business tax certificates and adopt local amendments to the California Building Standards Code.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every California county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of September 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
B&P § 7137(a)(3)(D) grants a 50-percent reduction in the initial licence and registration fees to a veteran who was not dishonorably discharged, on proof by a 'Veteran'-marked driver's licence or a DD214 long form.
An LLC licensee must carry $1,000,000 in liability insurance — rising by $100,000 per member above five, to a $5,000,000 cap — plus a $100,000 employee and worker bond on top of the ordinary $25,000 contractor's bond.
Late renewal costs 50 percent of the renewal fee: $675 for a delinquent active sole owner and $1,050 for an entity. A licence may be renewed up to five years after expiry; past that you reapply from scratch.
A practical sequence for a new general contracting contractor in California. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
An unlicensed contractor cannot bring or maintain any action to collect compensation, and the person who used them may sue to recover all compensation paid. The substantial-compliance doctrine is unavailable to anyone who has never been licensed in California.
First conviction: up to $5,000 and/or six months in county jail. Second: 20 percent of the contract price or aggregate payments, whichever is greater, minimum $5,000, plus at least 90 days in jail. Third or subsequent: $5,000 to the greater of $10,000 or 20 percent of the contract price, plus 90 days to one year.
As a condition precedent to licensure the board may require an applicant convicted under § 7028 or cited under § 7028.7 to post a contractor's bond in twice the ordinary amount, where the violation caused substantial injury to the public.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on September 2026.
Pending verification: Whether CSLB publishes a formal list of which trades count as 'unrelated' for the § 7057(b) two-trade test, or leaves it to case-by-case interpretation · The dollar cost of the B trade examination; B&P § 7137(a)(2) sets exam fees at the administering organization's actual cost paid directly to the provider · Typical premium for a $25,000 contractor bond and a $100,000 LLC worker bond — both market-priced
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.