A contractor hands you a business card with a license number on it, and the bid looks reasonable. That number is a starting point, not proof. California’s Contractors State License Board (CSLB) lets anyone look up a license for free, and the search takes only a few minutes.

Where to look up a license

Go to CSLB’s Check a License or HIS Registration page. You can search four ways: by license number, by business name, by the name of a person on the license, or by Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration. If you’d rather not search online, CSLB also answers license status questions by phone at (800) 321-2752. A few of CSLB’s own search tips save time:

• License numbers are digits only, up to eight of them. Start typing at the left and leave out any letters.

• If a business name includes a person’s first and last name, try the last name first.

• Type only the first part of a long business name, then shorten it if nothing comes up.

• The database is down for maintenance from Sunday at 8 p.m. until Monday at 6 a.m.

A worked example: license #1111311

Here is what a lookup looks like using our own license. Enter 1111311 in the license number box. The record lists the license under Albert James Joya, doing business as All American Renovations, at 4143 E Madison Ave in Fresno, with the business phone (559) 269-0376. The entity type is sole ownership, and the page goes on to list status, classification, bond, and insurance details.

We checked the record while writing this guide. At that time, it showed:

• License status: current and active

• Classification: B-2 Residential Remodeling

• Bonding information: a contractor’s bond on file with a surety company

• Workers’ compensation: a policy on file with an insurance carrier

Run the same search yourself rather than taking our word for it. The CSLB record is the source of truth, and it changes as bonds, insurance policies, and renewals change.

What each part of the record tells you

Status

The status line should say the license is current and active. If it says anything else, stop and ask questions before you sign. The record also shows the issue and expiration dates.

Classification

The classification tells you what kind of work the license covers. B is general building, B-2 is residential remodeling, and specialty licenses start with C, such as C-10 for electrical, C-36 for plumbing, and C-22 for asbestos abatement. Make sure the classification matches the work in your contract.

Bond and workers’ compensation

California contractors must carry a contractor license bond, and the record shows which surety issued it. Workers’ compensation is required when a contractor has employees. CSLB suggests asking for a certificate of insurance too, and asking how damage to your property would be covered, since the state doesn’t require commercial general liability insurance.

Complaint disclosure

If CSLB has taken certain actions against a license, a disclosure link appears on the record. CSLB is clear about the limits: what it can disclose is restricted by law, only construction-related civil judgments reported to it are listed, and arbitrations are not listed unless the contractor fails to comply with the terms.

What a B-2 Residential Remodeling license covers

The B-2 classification is defined in Business and Professions Code Section 7057.5, which took effect on January 1, 2021. It covers contractors whose main business is improving existing residential wood-frame homes, on projects that use at least three unrelated building trades in a single contract. A B-2 contractor can’t take a contract with fewer than three unrelated trades.

The statute lists trades a B-2 contractor may take a prime contract for, including drywall, finish carpentry, flooring, insulation, painting, plastering, and tiling. It also covers installing, repairing, or replacing fixtures:

• Electrical fixtures such as lights, fans, dimmers, switches, and outlets

• Plumbing fixtures such as faucets, sinks, toilets, and tubs

• Mechanical fixtures such as air filters, air grilles, and preassembled exhaust fans

The law also draws firm lines. A B-2 contractor may not contract to make structural changes to load-bearing parts of a home, such as footings, foundations, load-bearing walls, partitions, and roof structures. Installing, replacing, substantially altering, or extending electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems requires the matching license classification or an appropriately licensed contractor, and so do fire protection, asbestos abatement, and well drilling. Minor alterations to existing systems are allowed when they are needed to install fixtures.

What that means for a kitchen or bathroom

Most of what you see in a finished kitchen or bathroom fits the B-2 scope: cabinets, counters, tile, flooring, drywall, paint, and new fixtures in existing locations. Bigger changes are different. Moving or removing a load-bearing wall needs engineering, and new circuits, panel upgrades, re-piping, and moving gas lines belong to licensed electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trades.

At All American, those items are evaluated during the in-home consultation, so you know early which parts of a plan fall outside B-2 work and call for licensed electrical, plumbing, or mechanical trades, or for engineering. If another bidder proposes structural or system changes, check that the right license is attached to that part of the job. Our remodeling process page shows where those conversations happen.

Other checks worth a few minutes

• Ask to see the contractor’s pocket license and a photo ID, and make sure the person matches the license.

• If a salesperson is involved, look up their HIS registration, which ends in SP.

• Compare the business name and address on the contract with the license record.

• Confirm the license number appears on the bid and the contract.

• If a specialty contractor will handle electrical, plumbing, or asbestos work, look up that license too and check for the matching C classification.

• For older homes, ask who will handle lead-safe work and any asbestos testing. Our guide to remodeling older Fresno homes explains when that comes up.

• Read CSLB’s guide to hiring a licensed contractor before you sign.

Once the license checks out, the next step is comparing what each contractor is offering. Our guide to comparing remodeling bids covers scope, allowances, and contract terms, and our About page explains who is responsible for your project at All American.