Contractor's License
Work with a Licensed Professional
Avoid the high risks of hiring unlicensed contractors
Unlicensed contractors pose a risk to your financial security because they expose you to significant financial harm in the event of injury or property damage. Few unlicensed contractors have bonding or workers' compensation insurance.
If you contract with someone who does not have a license, the Contractors Board may not be able to assist you with a resolution to a complaint, and a remedy against an unlicensed contractor may be available only in civil court. This is one more good reason to work only with licensed contractors! Another consideration is that unlicensed contractors may not have the expertise and qualifications to do the job right the first time. You could end up having to hire a licensed, reputable contractor to correct the work-and paying for the job twice.
Ask to see the contractor's pocket license and some additional form of identification. The name on the pocket license should be the same as the name of the contractor or business name the contractor is working under.
It is illegal for one contractor to use another contractor's license, just as it is illegal for someone to use another person's driver's license.
When you establish that the contractor's or company's name matches what appears on the pocket license issued by the Contractors State License Board, and before you sign anything, check the CSLB Web site, www.cslb.ca.gov, or call (800) 321-CSLB, to find out if the license is valid. The contractor's license status page will also help you verify the contractor's business address, describe the kind of work that the contractor can perform, if any legal action has been taken against the contractor's license, and if the contractor is properly bonded and insured.
Legal action history information is available on the Web site www.cslb.ca.gov or from the CSLB Northern or Southern Regional Legal Action Disclosure telephone numbers. The Northern California number is (916) 255-4041. Southern Region can be reached at (562) 345-7656.
Complaint information about a licensee is disclosed after the complaint has been fully investigated and has been referred for legal action. Complaints involving probable violations that will likely result in legal action referral are also disclosed. (See flow chart describing the CSLB's complaint handling process.)