Free CSLB license lookup
Check a California contractor license
Enter a CSLB license number and see the live public record — status, renewal countdown, bond, workers' comp, and entity standing — with the risk flags that matter. Free, no account.
Free lookup, no signup. Monitoring is $19/mo — cancel anytime.
What the lookup checks
Four independent things can cost a contractor the license, and this lookup reads all four from the public record: the license status and expiration date, the $25,000 contractor bond, workers' compensation (including classifications that require it even with no employees), and Secretary of State standing for corporations and LLCs. If something is lapsed, missing, or expiring in the wrong order, the result flags it in plain English.
Looking up your own license? The result includes a renewal countdown and next steps — and if you want the record watched daily with an email before anything becomes a problem, that's what the monitoring service does.
Common questions
How do I look up a CSLB contractor license?
Enter the license number above — CSLB license numbers are digits only, up to 8 digits. You'll see the business name, current status, expiration countdown, bond, workers' comp, and any risk flags, pulled from the public CSLB record.
Is this lookup free?
Yes. The lookup is free with no account and no signup. Ongoing daily monitoring with email alerts is the paid service ($19/month, cancel anytime).
Is this the official CSLB website?
No. Contractor License Vault is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Contractors State License Board or the State of California. We read the same public record the CSLB publishes; for anything official, confirm at cslb.ca.gov.
What does each field in the result mean?
Status is the license's standing with CSLB. Bond shows whether the required $25,000 contractor bond is on file. Workers' comp shows the policy on file (or an exemption). Secretary of State shows entity standing for corporations and LLCs — any of the four can block a renewal.
How current is the data?
Lookups read the public CSLB record and are cached briefly for speed. Monitored licenses are re-checked every day. The public record itself can lag official CSLB actions, so confirm anything critical with the CSLB directly.
Renewal rules by classification
Renewal works the same for every classification — but the workers' comp rules don't. Find yours:
- A general engineering
- B general building
- B-2 residential remodeling
- C-2 insulation and acoustical
- C-4 boiler, hot water heating and steam fitting
- C-5 framing and rough carpentry
- C-6 cabinet, millwork and finish carpentry
- C-7 low voltage systems
- C-8 concrete
- C-9 drywall
- C-10 electrical
- C-11 elevator
- C-12 earthwork and paving
- C-13 fencing
- C-15 flooring and floor covering
- C-16 fire protection
- C-17 glazing
- C-20 warm-air heating, ventilating and air-conditioning
- C-21 building moving/demolition
- C-22 asbestos abatement
- C-23 ornamental metal
- C-27 landscaping
- C-28 lock and security equipment
- C-29 masonry
- C-31 construction zone traffic control
- C-32 parking and highway improvement
- C-33 painting and decorating
- C-34 pipeline
- C-35 lathing and plastering
- C-36 plumbing
- C-38 refrigeration
- C-39 roofing
- C-42 sanitation system
- C-43 sheet metal
- C-45 sign
- C-46 solar
- C-47 general manufactured housing
- C-49 tree and palm
- C-50 reinforcing steel
- C-51 structural steel
- C-53 swimming pool
- C-54 ceramic and mosaic tile
- C-55 water conditioning
- C-57 well drilling
- C-60 welding
- C-61 limited specialty
- D-49 tree service (limited specialty)