California Handyman: What You Can Do Without a Contractor License
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License Naming Essentials
California Contractor Business Name and DBA Requirements Last updated: August 31st, 2026 Choosing the right business name is an important part of applying for and maintaining a California contractor license. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) has specific rules governing contractor business names, but those rules are sometimes misunderstood. One outdated piece of advice is […]
CSLB Self-Employed Experience: Project Lists and Supporting Documents
CSLB Self-Employed Experience: Project Lists and Supporting Documents Last updated: August 31st, 2026 If you’re using self-employed construction experience to qualify for a California contractor license, be prepared to document that experience carefully. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) can require applicants to complete a Construction Project Experience form showing the projects used to support […]
Contractors Business Name Style: Current CSLB Rules
Contractors Business Name Style: Current CSLB Rules Last updated: August 31st, 2026 Choosing a business name for your California contractor license seems simple, but it can create application problems if the name doesn’t comply with Contractors State License Board requirements. The rules come primarily from Business and Professions Code section 7059.1. The important thing to […]
General Building Experience
General Building Experience Are you having trouble with your general building experience outline (or any trade outline)? Has the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) rejected your B general building application because your outline was not formatted properly? An improperly formatted general building experience outline is a very common issue, and probably the number one reason […]
Owner-Builder Experience for a California B-General Contractor License
Owner-Builder Experience for a California B-General Contractor License Last updated: August 31st, 2026 I’m often asked whether owner-builder experience can count toward the experience required for a California contractor license. The answer is yes—but owner-builder experience has a very specific meaning under current Contractors State License Board (CSLB) rules. For contractor-license qualification purposes, owner-builder experience […]
CSLB Home Improvement Salesperson Registration
California Home Improvement Salesperson Registration Requirements Last updated: August 31st, 2026 If you sell, negotiate, or execute home improvement contracts for a licensed California contractor, you may need to register with the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) as a Home Improvement Salesperson, commonly called an HIS. California’s HIS registration system is now straightforward: One HIS […]
Who should certify your CSLB experience
So who should certify your CSLB experience and who shouldn’t? And how should your trade experience be outlined on the license application. Other questions are: How many certifiers do I need? Can my dad, mom, uncle, or brother be my certifier? These are common questions that I’m asked all the time. And although it seems […]
How to Report Unlicensed Contractors in California
How to Report Unlicensed Contractors in California Last updated: August 31st, 2026 California takes unlicensed contracting seriously. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) investigates unlicensed activity through its enforcement programs, including the Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT), which conducts sting operations and construction-site sweeps throughout the state. But not every situation involving an unlicensed person […]
What Can a California B General Contractor Do?
What Can a California B General Contractor Do? Last updated: August 31st, 2026 The California B General Building Contractor license is one of the broadest and most common contractor classifications in the state. But it does not mean a B contractor can automatically perform every construction trade on every project. Business and Professions Code Section […]