CSLB Quick Facts

License required for jobs over
$1,000
Minimum contractor bond
$25,000
Journey-level experience
4 years
Current exam passing scores
School-observed: 65% for Law & Business and 63% to 71% for trade exams; CSLB does not publish fixed passing scores

The CSLB oversees 46 contractor classifications in California.

Free

Free Practice Exam

Try a 40-question practice exam plus 14-day course access, no cost, no commitment.

99% first-time pass rate. 100% Money-Back Guarantee

Need Help?

Start Your Contracting Business

From license to incorporation, we help you handle the paperwork so you can focus on the work.

800-809-6463

Advice from Recent CSLS Graduates: Start Your Business the Right Way

By 2 min read

Advice from Recent CSLS Graduates: Start Your Business the Right Way

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_single_image image=”21670″ img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”670×337″][vc_column_text]

Have you ever had the experience of wishing you could go back in time, meet with your younger self, and give him or her a heaping dose of good advice? Most of us have – it’s a natural byproduct of thinking what could have been if we had made a better decision at some point in life, or if we had only known what kinds of challenges would be waiting for us in our later years.

Unfortunately, we can’t put you into a time machine and change the course of history. What we can do, though, is give you a good piece of advice that our graduates seem to pass on from one year to the next: Start your business off on the right foot.

In other words, get your paperwork, certification, and other details in order before you start marketing yourself as a licensed California contractor. That way, you won’t be playing “catch-up” later, and you won’t have to deal with the kinds of problems that come up when you haven’t filed things correctly for your brand-new business. It’s easy to overlook details, but the details matter a great deal, particularly when it comes to things like business licenses, incorporation, and insurance.

So, here are a few things to get in order for your new California contractor business:

Your certification as a licensed contractor. At CSLS, we can help you fill out paperwork for your application, so you can avoid the unnecessary (but surprisingly common) mistakes that students make before they ever take their certification exams.

Your business registration and/or incorporation paperwork. Business registrations and incorporation papers are complicated, legally binding documents that need to be filled out carefully by professionals who know what they’re doing. Why not let our team of experts help you get it right?

Insurance for your construction company. If you’re lucky, you won’t need insurance very often. However, if you have some sort of accident or incident at your company, you’ll be very grateful to have the right coverage.

It can be tempting to skip over important details and paperwork when you have other things on your mind, and no current customers or construction projects to worry about. Things can happen quickly, though, and the last thing you want is to be unprepared to deal with new clients and government agencies.

Click here to read more about CSLS “turnkey” packages that make it easier than ever to get your new construction business off the ground.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Keep reading

All articles

Since 1985

40+ Years

200,000+

Students Licensed

99% Pass Rate

First-Time

100% Money-Back Guarantee

Tuition Refund

Verified Google Reviews

What Our Students Say

Ready to get licensed?

99% of our students pass the CSLB exam on their first try, backed by our 100% Money-Back Guarantee. Talk to an advisor about the right program for you.

Select Your Trade Classification

Choose your CSLB classification to see exam prep programs

Not sure? Call 800-809-6463, we'll help you choose.