How to Verify a California Contractor License
Before hiring, check that the business you are dealing with matches its California contractor license. CSLB says a license is required when a project needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or costs $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials. The minor-work exemption applies only below $1,000 when no permit or employee labor is required; a larger project cannot be split into smaller contracts to qualify. Read CSLB's licensing requirements.
Start with the contractor's license number and legal business name. Our directory contains archived records, so confirm current status, classifications, bond, and insurance directly with CSLB's Check a License tool before signing. Save the date and results of your check alongside the bid.
Step 1: Match the Business and Check Current Status
Use the license number to find the current CSLB record. Match the business name to the name on your bid and contract; a similar name is not enough. Check that the license is active, read any restrictions, and note its expiration date. An archived Active label on this site is not confirmation of today's status.
Resolve mismatched names or an expired, suspended, revoked, cancelled, or inactive status with CSLB before proceeding. Recheck the record before work begins.
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Step 2: Check the Bond Record
California requires a $25,000 contractor license bond or an accepted alternative such as a cashier's check. Match the bond information to the licensed business. A license bond can respond to qualifying license-law violations; it is not a promise that your project will be completed or that every loss will be paid. Multiple claims can exceed the available bond amount.
A license bond and liability insurance serve different purposes. For a dispute, check the bond history for the relevant period and contact the surety about its claim process. See CSLB's bond guidance and our bond and insurance guide.
Step 3: Review Workers' Compensation
Check the insurance or exemption shown on the current CSLB record. Contractors with employees generally need workers' compensation. Active C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39, and C-61/D-49 license holders need coverage or valid self-insurance even without employees. An exemption is therefore not available to every solo contractor.
Ask who will actually work on your project, including subcontractors, and request current coverage information. Do not assume an exemption covers helpers or that a policy removes every potential liability. Confirm questions about coverage with the insurer. Check CSLB's current workers' compensation requirements.
Step 4: Read Disclosed History and Check References
Read any disciplinary information and complaint disclosures available in the current CSLB record, including dates, outcomes, and restrictions. An allegation is different from a finding. A record with no displayed issues does not guarantee workmanship or replace checking references.
Ask for recent projects similar to yours. Speak with the owners about scope, change orders, communication, and completion. For an ADU, ask about comparable permitted ADU projects; a general building license alone does not demonstrate ADU experience.
Step 5: Match the License Scope to Your Project
Read all classifications on the license, not just the first one. The scope of a B: General Building license differs from A: General Engineering and from individual specialty classifications. Some contractors hold several.
A general building contractor may undertake qualifying multi-trade projects; specialty-only work has additional classification or subcontracting requirements. Do not assume every specialty task must always be subcontracted, or that any general license covers every project. Use CSLB's contractor-type guidance and ask CSLB about an uncertain scope. Our trade directory helps you find the relevant classification.
Keep a Verification Record With Each Bid
Save the business name, license number, date checked, classifications, bond and coverage details, and questions still unresolved. Then compare the same scope across bidders using our printable contractor bid worksheet.
What If the Contractor Is Not in the Database?
If you cannot find a contractor by name or license number, our archived directory may not contain their record or latest business details. Absence here is not proof that someone is unlicensed. Check CSLB's current records first. The business may also be operating under a different legal name than their trade name. Try searching by license number instead. The contractor may be from out of state and not hold a California license. Or the contractor may simply be unlicensed.
If the contractor claims to be licensed but you cannot verify it, ask them to provide their license number directly. Use the official CSLB lookup to resolve the mismatch before proceeding.
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Updated September 19, 2026: clarified licensing thresholds, archived records, bond limitations, workers' compensation exceptions, and scope checks. Source: CSLB's hiring guidance.