Check a California State Contractors License

In the construction business, the state of California regulates contractors completing $500 worth of work, inclusive of labor and materials. Firmly, the state requires contractor’s to obtain the California State contractors license. The Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) is the agency responsible is classifying, testing, qualifying and issuing licenses for California-based contractors.

To hire a California licensed or certified contractor protects consumers and customers. But for the benefit of the customers, it is recommended that these important qualifying factors be considered; contractors must have at least four years experience, a clean FBI background, and they must be sufficiently bonded.
Before a client give anyone the green light to begin construction, let us learn how to check a California Contractor’s License.

The three major chapters for the background check

First of all, you will need the license number and the name of the contractor. Generally, the advertising mechanics of contractors have their name and license number on their business cards, websites, or any other marketing materials they distribute. Using the internet to search for contractors would be easier for you to check and verify the license status online before contacting them.

Secondly, you have to visit the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) website. Here you will find the URL you need are all listed in the Resources below. Choose and click on the Instant License Check button. This default search rolls by the license numbers. In Searching by name, choose and click on the Contractor name or Contractor Personnel name. Type in the name and click Search for License.

Lastly, results of these searches will be generated and you can easily review them. Validate the California State contractor’s license status plus the category of work they have specialized. A plumber for instance is listed in the plumbing or HVAC category however you won’t find them in the general construction category. The CSLB website also contains an updated list of bonded contractors. This list includes the name of the bond company plus the amount of coverage. Furthermore, CLSB also provides information of contractors carrying the Workers Compensation insurance.

The simple steps in validating the contractor’s license

1. In choosing your contractor, you can use the yellow pages or open your internet and search online.

2. If you can’t find the license number on their advertisements, call the contractor and request for the California State contractor’s license number. Illegitimate contractors don’t have any and would have problems giving it to you.

3. Check the license number online at the CLSB website. License numbers do not contain any letters at all.

4. Continue your search on pertinent information by company name after you have obtained the name in the license check. On the other hand, you can also check online licensing information by entering a business name on the CLSB website.

5. Check if the license is valid and active. Searching by company name would entail you to go through a list of companies to look up for the right one. But searching by license numbers will immediately yield validity and status.

Additional tips in choosing your contractor:

After validating the California State contractor’s license status, you can continue to check for any previous complaints with the Better Business Bureau. While online, visit the bureau’s website and enter your Zip code. Then click the orange button Check out a Business or Charity. Type the name of the contractor and click search. The bureau will list all previous complaints filed against the contractor if there are any.

Furthermore, if you wish to pursue your background checking, contact the state’s department of Consumer Affairs or Consumer Protection. You can inquire about previous complaints filed against your contractor. Using the internet again, you can locate your state on the government website portal and site search for “consumer affairs” or “consumer protection” in the site search box. This will provide the link or the page for the consumer affairs or consumer protection department in your state. Click on the “Contact Us” link to obtain the telephone number.

Thank you for your interest on How to validate a California State contractors license.