14. How do I apply for a contractor's license?

You must complete the following steps:

• Obtain an Application for Original Contractor's License from any office of the Contractors State License Board. You may request an application form by telephone from CSLB headquarters, use the CSLB's 24-hour automated public information line, (800) 321-CSLB (2752). You may also request an application by contacting any CSLB district office.
  
• Take the time to read and follow carefully the instructions attached to the application. Note especially that if you are applying for credit for experience, all experience and certificates in support of experience must be submitted with the application. No experience verification will be accepted after the application has been accepted.
  
• Complete the application and all accompanying forms in ink or with a typewriter. Forms completed in pencil will be returned to you. Make sure you sign and date the application;

NOTE: Applicants with a disability requiring special testing accommodations must complete form 13E-77, Special Accommodation Request For Examination.

• Proofread your application for any omissions. If the Board has to return the application to you for any missing information, your license will be delayed.
  
• Submit the $250 nonrefundable application processing fee. (Note the $50 fee for each additional classification).

You may apply for only one classification for which you are required to pass an examination. After your license is issued, you may apply for any additional classifications for which you qualify.

You may submit an application for more than one classification at a time only if you have already qualified for each of the classifications for which you are applying.

If you are required to take the examination, complete the following:

• Submit the application, processing fee, and all required documents to:

Contractors State License Board                                        P.O. Box 26000                                                          Sacramento, CA 95826

Be certain to include your return address on the envelope.

• Do not submit any bonds or the initial license fee with your application. Upon successful completion of your examination, you will be notified to submit the required documents and initial license fee.

If you are not required to take an examination for any classification for which you are applying, you must:

• Submit an application and $400 ($250 for the application processing fee and $150 for the initial license fee);
  
• Submit a Contractor's Bond or equivalent in the business name of the applicant and a Bond of Qualifying Individual or exemption statement for each responsible managing Officer or Responsible Managing Employee, as appropriate.
  
• The Bond of Qualifying Individual must be in the names of the qualifying individuals and the business.
  
• Submit proof of workers' compensation, or exemption therefrom. (If you have no employees, an exemption certificate, form 13L-50 must be submitted.)

If you are applying for an inactive license, you must:

• Submit an application, the appropriate application processing fee, and the initial license fee. The same fees are required for inactive licenses as for active licenses.

NOTE: Bonds and workers' compensation are NOT required for an inactive license.

15. How long does it take to complete the license application process?

If all application materials are filed correctly on a timely basis and the exam is passed on the first try, a first-time applicant can typically expect 10 to 12 weeks between the time he or she files the application and the time the license is issued.

16. Will the CSLB acknowledge receipt of my application?

The CSLB will send you a letter of acknowledgment. This letter will contain two important numbers: a nine-digit application fee number and a four-digit personal identification number (PIN), together with instructions on how to use these numbers to check on the progress of your application.

Your application fee number, also known as your "receipt number," will also appear on the front of your canceled check, on the Notice to Appear for Examination, and on a request for you to submit the appropriate documents and initial license fee. Please retain a record of this number and use it in all inquiries regarding your pending application.

17. How will I know if my application is approved?

After your application is reviewed and approved, you will receive either a Notice to Appear for Examination, or, if the examination is waived, a request for documents and the initial license fee. Applications which require no examination can be submitted with the Contractors Bond, Bond of Qualifying Individual (if required), proof of workers' compensation, and applicable fees.

18. How can I check on the status of my application?

After you have received an acknowledgment from the Board that it has received your application, you can call the board's automated toll-free number, 1-800-321-2752. This acknowledgment will contain instructions on how to make inquiries, together with your application fee number and a personal identification number (PIN) that will give you private access to your own application status.

19. What happens if my application is not approved?

Your application may be returned to you if it is insufficient or incomplete. You must provide any missing information, make corrections, and return your application within 90 days from the date it was returned. If it is not returned to the CSLB within 90 days, your application becomes void. You cannot reinstate it, and you must submit a new application and application processing fee if you wish to pursue a license.

20. If my application is not approved, will my application fee be refunded

No. The fee is for processing the application, whether or not the application is approved. Since each application is filed for processing as soon as it arrives at the CSLB, the fee cannot be refunded.