The duty of the California State License Board (CSLB) is to protect the consumer by both licensing and regulating the construction industry in California. Last year there were more than 316,000 licensed contractors within the state working in 43 different sub-classifications.

The CSLB is also in the business of educating consumers about the hiring of contractors and also how their rights are protected through construction law. These CSLB activities include:

• Providing and administering examinations for those contractors wishing licenses
• Issuing all licenses
• Investigating consumer (homeowner, industrial, commercial) complaints against licensed and unlicensed contractors,
• Issuing citations,
• Revoking or suspending licenses
• Seeking sanctions against violators of the CSLB acts (administrative, criminal and civil)
• Using the Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) to eliminate unlicensed contractors working in the state through undercover sting and sweep operations.

Construction Professions Needing Licensing in the State of California

Building Contractor License

To qualify for a contractor license as a building contractor the applicant must verify that he or she has had at least 4 years of experience within the last 10 years as a journeyman, supervising employee, foreman, contractor or owner-builder. The applicant may also be able to apply from between 1 1/2 to 3 years of state-approved education and/or a recognized apprenticeship.

Specialized Requirements

• Those who work with asbestos
• Contractors who remove hazardous substances
• Contractors who install or remove underground storage tanks.

Architects

The CSLB licenses individual architects, not firms or corporations. The license must be renewed every two years and it will expire on the last day of his or her birth month in each odd-numbered year.

Engineers and Land Surveyors

The Landscape Architect Technical Committee licenses individual landscape architects, not firms or corporations. Licenses are renewed every two years and expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month.

Asbestos Abatement

A person supervising the removal of asbestos from an existing building or ship must be licensed. This includes instruction, certification, registration, compliance; technical and regulatory information by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Asbestos Contractors Registration Unit

Lead Abatement

A person supervising the removal of lead or lead-based paint from an existing building must be licensed. This includes sources and other instruction from the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch.

Electricians

California has joined 31 states that require all electrical journeymen to pass electrical certification exams to legally work within their respective states as a licensed electrcian.

Consumers are advised to also check for municipal contractor license requirements
as contractor laws can differ from county to county. It is also advised to double check with the state’s requirements before hiring a contractor.