--- title: "How to Check a Contractor License in California | EcoStar" description: "How to check a contractor license in California: the CSLB lookup step by step, how to read the record, the $1,000 rule, red flags and questions to ask." url: "https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/" --- - [(888) 467-3403](tel:%20+18884673403) [License Nr. 1034806](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#) [Free quote](https://ecosremodeling.com/free-quote/) [Facebook-f](https://www.facebook.com/EcoStarRemodeling) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/remodelingecostar/) [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoSqYmDRtiY2y1WNgwLI9Lw/featured) [Yelp](https://www.yelp.com/biz/ecostar-remodeling-and-construction-los-angeles-6) [License Nr. 1034806](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#) [Ecostar\_Remodeling\_\_Construction\_Logo-1-top](https://ecosremodeling.com/) - 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By [EcoStar Remodeling & Construction Team](https://ecosremodeling.com/author/ecostar-remodeling-team/) - November 2, 2026 - 12:00 pm - Updated November 2, 2026 Remodeled kitchen with dark cabinets, a quartz waterfall island and walnut pendant lights A finished kitchen remodel. A job like this combines several trades, which is why the license classification matters as much as the license number. **How to check a contractor license in California: search the license number, business name or personal name on the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) license search, then confirm that the license is active, that its classification covers your job, and that the bond and workers' compensation are current.** The search runs on the state's own website, cslb.ca.gov. A license number on a truck, a flyer or a bid only tells you which record to open. This guide walks through the lookup, shows what each field of the CSLB record means, and lists the red flags and questions that separate a real [general contractor](https://ecosremodeling.com/services/construction-company/) from an unlicensed operator. Planning a project now? [Ask EcoStar for a free quote](https://ecosremodeling.com/free-quote/) and check our license with the same steps. In this guide 1. [How to check a contractor license, step by step](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#how-to-check-a-contractor-license-step-by-step) 2. [How to read the CSLB license record](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#how-to-read-the-cslb-license-record) 3. [Which license does your job need?](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#which-license-does-your-job-need) 4. [When California requires a contractor license](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#when-california-requires-a-contractor-license) 5. [Red flags when hiring a contractor](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#red-flags-when-hiring-a-contractor) 6. [Questions to ask a contractor before hiring](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#questions-to-ask-a-contractor-before-hiring) 7. [Worked example: CSLB license 1034806](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#worked-example-cslb-license-1034806) 8. [Contractor license FAQ](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#contractor-license-faq) 9. [Keep reading](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#keep-reading) 10. [Sources](https://ecosremodeling.com/home-remodeling/how-to-check-a-contractor-license-california/#sources) ## How to check a contractor license, step by step 1. **Get the number in writing.** California requires the state license number on a contractor's ads, business card, bids and contracts. Ask for it before the first site visit, and ask to see the pocket license with a photo ID when they arrive. 2. **Open the CSLB license search.** Go to the [CSLB Check a License page](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx). It is the state's own record. 3. **Search the right way.** Use the license number when you have it. Without one, search the business name or the person's name, and match the address and owner names to what you were given. A salesperson who comes to your door is checked under Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration on the same page. 4. **Read the whole record.** Status, classifications, bond and workers' compensation are separate lines; one good line does not cover the others. The table below explains each one. 5. **Match the record to your contract.** The business name, address and license number on your contract should be the ones on the record. A different name on the paperwork than on the license is a reason to stop and ask. ## How to read the CSLB license record The license detail page has the same fields for every contractor. Here is what each one tells you and what to look for before you sign. | Field on the record | What it shows | What to look for | | --- | --- | --- | | Business information | Legal name, any dba name, address of record and entity type | The same name and address as on the bid and contract | | Issue and expire dates | When the license was first issued and when it must be renewed | An expire date after your project ends | | License status | Whether the license is current and active | "Current and active". Expired, suspended or inactive means the license cannot be used for your job | | Additional status | Notes CSLB adds, such as pending or past disciplinary action | Read it, open any complaint disclosure link, and ask the contractor about what you find | | Classifications | The kinds of work the license allows: A, B, B-2 or a C specialty | A class that fits your job (see the next section) | | Contractor's bond | The surety company, bond number, amount and effective date | A bond on file. California requires a $25,000 contractor's bond for an active license | | Workers' compensation | The insurer, policy number and dates, or an exemption | A current policy if anyone other than the owner will work on your property; roofers (C-39) need one with or without employees | Do not skip the workers' compensation line. California requires it when a contractor has employees, and active C-8 concrete, C-20 heating and air conditioning, C-22 asbestos abatement, C-39 roofing and C-61/D-49 tree service contractors must carry it (or a CSLB certification of self-insurance) whether or not they have employees. CSLB warns that if an uninsured worker is hurt on your property you could be financially liable. An exemption on the record instead of a policy is a reason to ask who will actually be on site. General liability insurance, which covers damage to your property, is not required by the state, but a licensed contractor must tell you about both kinds of insurance in the written contract. ## Which license does your job need? An active license is only half the check. The classification has to fit the work. CSLB lists every class on its [license classifications page](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/About_Us/Library/Licensing_Classifications/); these are the ones homeowners meet most often. You will also see B-2 Residential Remodeling on some remodelers' records. ### B - General Building For a project that needs more than two types of work on a building, such as a kitchen remodel with plumbing, electrical and carpentry under one contract. A B contractor may do all of that work or hire licensed specialty subcontractors for parts of it. ### C - Specialty classes For a single trade: plumbing, electrical, painting, insulation and dozens more. If you only need one trade, a contractor licensed in that specialty is the direct fit. ### C-39 - Roofing The roofing specialty. Active C-39 contractors must carry workers' compensation or a CSLB certification of self-insurance even with no employees, so the record should show one. Single-story home with a new roof, board and batten siding, a dark garage door and a concrete driveway Roof, siding, garage door and driveway on one house: several trades under one contract is B - General Building work. A roof alone calls for a C-39 Roofing license, or a B contractor who hires a C-39 subcontractor. For a roofing job, look for C-39 on the record. A general building contractor may take a roof-only contract only when it holds the C-39 class itself or hands the roof to a licensed roofing subcontractor. See our [roofing services](https://ecosremodeling.com/services/roofing-services/) for roof work. ## When California requires a contractor license Under Business and Professions Code section 7048, as amended effective January 1, 2026, work can be done without a contractor license only when all of these are true: ### Under $1,000 in total The whole price for labor, materials and everything else on the project is less than $1,000. ### No building permit The work does not require a building permit. Permit work always needs a licensed contractor. ### Not advertised as a contractor The person does not advertise, put out a sign or card, or otherwise present themselves as a contractor. ### No employees The person does not employ anyone to do the work or help with it. The exemption also does not apply when the small job is part of a larger project, or when a job is split into several contracts under $1,000 to avoid the license law. In practice: almost any remodel, addition, ADU or roof needs a licensed contractor. ## Red flags when hiring a contractor Each red flag below comes from CSLB guidance or the state contract rules. ### License problems - No license number on the ad, card or bid, or a number whose record shows a different name. - A license that is expired, suspended, inactive or in the wrong classification for your job. - A door-to-door salesperson who cannot show an HIS registration card and photo ID. ### Money red flags - A down payment request above $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. - Apart from the down payment, payment requests that run ahead of the work done or materials delivered. - A bid far below the others, which CSLB says often means a mistake or missing work. The two payment rules do not apply to a contractor who provides a performance and payment bond or an equivalent CSLB approves (CSLB's example is a blanket bond on file with CSLB); ask to see it. ### Contract red flags - No written contract on a home improvement job over $500. - Pressure to sign a blank or partly blank contract. - Promises made out loud that never make it into the contract or a written change order. ### Safety and disaster red flags - No answer on who carries workers' compensation for the people on your property. - Repair offers from someone with no license after a natural disaster with a Governor's state of emergency or a presidential disaster declaration; that work is a crime under section 7028.16. ## Questions to ask a contractor before hiring Ask these before you compare prices. The answers should be easy to give and easy to check on the record. ### License, crew and insurance - What is your license number and classification, and may I see your pocket license and ID? - Who will be on site: your employees or subcontractors, and are their licenses current? - Who carries workers' compensation and general liability, and can I see the certificate? - Who applies for the permits and meets the inspector? ### Money, changes and schedule - What is the payment schedule, and how is each payment tied to finished work? - How do you handle changes: written change orders with the price before the work? - Which materials, brands and models are in the price, in writing? - What is the start date, the finish date and what counts as an allowed delay? Get at least three written bids for the same plans and scope, so you compare like with like. When a home improvement contract is not negotiated at the contractor's place of business, California gives you three business days to cancel after signing (five for a senior citizen), and the contract must include that notice; a contract to repair damage from a declared emergency carries a seven-day notice instead. ## Worked example: CSLB license 1034806 Here is the same check on our own license, as the CSLB record read on November 2, 2026. Search 1034806 on the CSLB page and compare it with this table. | Field | What the record shows | | --- | --- | | License number | 1034806 | | Business name | E I G Management dba Eco Star Remodeling & Construction, 16633 Ventura Blvd #725, Encino, CA 91436 | | Issue and expire dates | Issued January 11, 2018; expires January 31, 2028 | | Status | Current and active | | Classification | B - General Building | | Contractor's bond | $25,000, Nationwide Mutual, effective January 5, 2026 | | Workers' compensation | State Compensation Insurance Fund, January 30, 2018 to January 30, 2027 | The record also has additional status and complaint disclosure lines. Read every line yourself, ours included, and ask us about anything you see. The B classification is why we can take a remodel, addition or [home remodeling](https://ecosremodeling.com/services/home-remodeling/) project with several trades under one contract. ## Contractor license FAQ ### How can you tell if a contractor is scamming you? Watch for a license number that does not match the name on the bid, a down payment above $1,000 or 10 percent of the price or payments ahead of the work from a contractor with no performance and payment bond, pressure to sign quickly or sign a blank contract, and verbal promises that never reach the paper. Check the license on the CSLB search before you pay anything. ### How do I check a roofing contractor license in California? Search the license on the CSLB license search and look for C-39 Roofing under classifications. A B general building contractor may also contract for the roof when it holds C-39 or uses a licensed roofing subcontractor. ### How much work can you do without a contractor license in California? Less than $1,000 in total labor and materials, with no building permit needed, no advertising as a contractor and no employees, under section 7048 as amended on January 1, 2026. Splitting a larger job into small contracts does not qualify. ### Does a license number on an ad mean the license is valid? No. The number only tells you which record to check. CSLB warns that seeing a number does not mean the license is valid; the status line on the record does. ### How do I check a contractor in Washington State? Use the contractor verification tool on the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) [hiring a contractor page](https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/hiring-a-contractor/) to confirm an active registration, the bond and insurance, safety violations and past lawsuits. EcoStar's Washington construction contractor registration is ECOSTSR786P6. ### Does Texas license general contractors? Texas has no statewide license for general contractors; cities handle permits and registration. Electricians and air conditioning contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and plumbers by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, so check those trades on the state's own lookups. ## Keep reading [Backyard remodel with a terraced lawn, concrete steps and an outdoor kitchenGeneral contractor servicesRemodels, additions, ADUs and new homes under one licensed contract.](https://ecosremodeling.com/services/construction-company/) [Remodeled bathroom with a freestanding tub and a dark tile wallHome remodelingHow a whole-home or room remodel runs, from design to final inspection.](https://ecosremodeling.com/services/home-remodeling/) [Remodeled kitchen with dark cabinets and a quartz waterfall islandGet a free quoteTell us about your project and check our license while you wait.](https://ecosremodeling.com/free-quote/) ## Sources - [CSLB: Check a License or HIS Registration](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx) and the license record for 1034806, read November 2, 2026 - [CSLB: Hire a Licensed Contractor](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Consumers/Hire_A_Contractor/) (finding the right contractor, what kind of contractor you need, contracts and binding agreements), read November 2, 2026 - [CSLB: License Classifications](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/About_Us/Library/Licensing_Classifications/), read November 2, 2026 - California Business and Professions Code sections [7048](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=7048.), [7028.16](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=7028.16.), [7071.6](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=7071.6.), [7159](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=7159.) and [7159.5](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=7159.5.), read November 2, 2026 - [Washington L&I: Hiring a Contractor](https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/hiring-a-contractor/), [Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/) and [Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners](https://tsbpe.texas.gov/), read November 2, 2026 - [Do you have to be licensed to be a general contractor in Texas?](https://silblawfirm.com/real-estate-law/do-you-have-to-be-licensed-to-be-a-general-contractor-in-texas/), read October 14, 2026 ## EcoStar Remodeling & Construction ## EcoStar Remodeling & Construction has been delivering trusted, high-quality home renovations since 2010. From kitchens to full home remodels, we bring craftsmanship, care, and lasting value to every project. 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