What Are the Carpenters License Requirements in California?

According to California law, anyone who performs carpentry work valued at $500 or more (including materials and labor) must hold a valid contractor’s license.

Contractor licenses are granted by the Contractors State License Board, a division of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Licenses may be granted to individual carpenters, partnerships, companies, and joint ventures—so long as they can prove their experience, meet necessary qualifications, and pass the licensing exam.

Different Types of California Contractor Licenses and Certifications

There are three overall types of contractor’s licenses:

• General Engineering Contractor (class A): requires specialized engineering knowledge to perform work on drainage systems, hydroelectric projects, streets and highways, airports, sewage systems, parks, plants, paving projects, and other large-scale projects.
• General Building Contractor (class B): principal responsibilities are constructing structures that require the involvement multiple related building trades.
• Specialty Contractor (class C): performing construction work that requires a special skill and/or a specialized trade.

Unless they are managing larger projects that include other specialized skills, most carpenters will pursue a Class C Specialty Contractor License.

There are two Class C classifications that apply to California carpenters:

• C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor: for carpenters who perform form work, framing, and rough carpentry for framed structures, framing systems, sub-flooring, siding, exterior staircases, exterior railings, overhead doors, roof decking, truss members, and sheathing.
• C-6 Cabinet, Millwork, and Finish Carpentry Contractor: for carpenters who create cabinets, doors, sashes, trims, and other finished objects with a functional surface. (This also applies to placing, erecting, and refining finished items or millwork in a structure.)

You can obtain as many Class C classifications for your license as you qualify for. Therefore, if you regularly perform finish carpentry and rough carpentry (and you have the skills and experience required for each), you can add both classifications to your California Contractor’s License.

Experience and Age Requirements

Applicants for a California contractor’s license must be at least 18 years old and have at least 4 years’ worth of experience in the classification they are applying for. (These 4 years of experience must be within the last 10 years of employment.)

Work experience must be verifiable with other people familiar with your work. Carpentry experience can come as a "journeyman," meaning an individual who has completed an apprenticeship or is an experienced worker who can perform carpentry without supervision. A journeyman is someone who does not have a license and cannot bid for jobs valued at $500 or more in labor and materials.

There are several requirements and exemptions to review when it comes to journey-level experience. For example, there are specific rules for owner-builder situations, where the owner performed the work in question, or situations where qualifying experience happened before the age of 18.

For all work experience, the burden of proof is on the individual applying for the contractor license. All claims of work experience must be verified by a qualified person, such as the homeowner, employer, contractor, union representative, inspector, architect, or engineer.

California Carpenter’s License Exam

Applicants for the California contractor’s license must pass an examination to be officially licensed. Contractor’s license exams are administered in testing centers throughout the state; currently, there are facilities in San Diego, San Bernardino, Norwalk, Oxnard, Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose, and Fresno.

Once your contractor’s license application (including the Certification of Work Experience, form 13A-11, and the $330 application processing fee) has been approved, you will receive a Notice to Appear for Examination. This notice will include details of the date and time of your exam, necessary identification, and directions to the testing site.

You will have 3 ½ hours to complete the exam using a computer-assisted testing system.

Fingerprinting and Criminal Background Check

Once the application is complete, applicants are required to undergo a criminal background check and fingerprinting. (Live Scan fingerprinting services are often available at local police departments and sheriff’s offices, as well as select other public facilities. A full list of Live Scan locations is available on the California State Licensing Board website.)

Applicants with a criminal record are not necessarily denied from contractor licensing. Each case is reviewed by the CSLB to determine whether the conviction (and subsequent rehabilitation, if applicable) demonstrates a public safety, health, or welfare risk. According to the CSLB, the primary factors in the evaluation process are the nature of the crimes, severity of the crimes, the amount of time since the conviction, and rehabilitation efforts on the part of the applicant.

Contractor Licensing and Insurance in California

According to the California State Licensing Board, an applicant must have a Contractor’s Bond in place before the license is issued. The bond for a contractor is $15,000, and the bond for a qualifying individual is $12,500. This bond protects consumers (and contractors) in the state of California from damages related to poor construction or licensing violations.

A contractor insurance specialist Fairbanks Insurance Brokers offers specially tailored insurance plans for carpenters and other specialty contractors in California. With a general liability policy, California carpenters can protect themselves from financial and physical losses, giving you the freedom of an independent contractor with the protection of a large company.

Contact Fairbanks Insurance Brokers to learn more about carpentry licensing and insurance requirements in California.