California contractor license lookup.
Check a California contractor through the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Choose your search method to get started.
Have the license number ready.
Enter the numeric contractor license number on CSLB’s site. CSLB accepts up to eight digits; a salesperson registration is a different search.
Enter your search on CSLB’s website. Results open there in a new tab.
Official search links and guidance for all 50 states, reviewed September 8, 2026. A state listing does not mean every trade or local jurisdiction is covered. ObservedWork does not currently return license records or linked permit activity here. Source-link review is not a contractor status check.
Official source guide checked October 15, 2026. This is not a check of any individual contractor.
How to use the CSLB license lookup
CSLB offers separate searches for contractor licenses and home improvement salesperson registrations. Choose the contractor search for the business you are researching. Open the official tool above, enter your identifier there, and review the full matching record.
Read the record in context
Compare the business identity with your proposal or other project documents. Review the license status and classifications; investigate any qualifications or notices shown in the agency record. For questions about what a classification permits, consult CSLB’s classification descriptions.
Record the URL and the date you actually checked it. Do not treat this guide’s review date as a license verification date. If a business name is similar but other details differ, keep that identity match unresolved.
What to capture from a CSLB record
| Field | Record it separately | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| License number and business identity | Match the exact entity to your proposal and project documents. | A similar business name is not a verified match. |
| Status and expiration | Save the displayed status, expiration date, source URL and actual check date. | A renewal reminder or submitted application does not establish renewed status. |
| Classification | Compare the listed classification with CSLB’s description and proposed scope. | An active credential alone does not establish authorization for every trade. |
| Disclosures and qualifications | Read the full record and linked notices; keep unresolved questions visible. | A search-result name is not a complete review or an endorsement. |
Download the California license and renewal worksheet →
Renewal timing: use the actual expiration date
CSLB says active licenses expire every two years and inactive licenses every four years. Find the individual expiration date in the official record or current pocket card; there is no single statewide renewal deadline for every contractor.
The board says it sends a renewal application about 60 days before expiration. If it has not arrived within 45 days of expiration, request one through CSLB. Keep the address on file up to date. If an acceptable renewal is not received by expiration, a delinquent fee applies. Follow the official instructions and recheck the resulting license record; sending paperwork is not proof that renewal has been accepted.
CSLB general renewal information, application route and current fees ↗
For a supplier account review, capture the expiration and an internal recheck date alongside the source. This guide does not monitor individual licenses or send renewal reminders.
When a name search does not find a match
Try fewer characters, check spacing and initials, or obtain the license number directly from the contractor. CSLB provides specific name-search tips beside its search fields. If the result remains unclear, contact the board rather than inferring license status.
Does an active license prove recent work?
No. Credential status and project activity need separate evidence. A permit record can help identify a project participant, but it does not prove that the participant performed the work, employs a listed contact, or has current capacity for another job.
ObservedWork’s public lookup currently links to CSLB. It does not import a contractor’s license status or attach permit histories. Visit our coverage page for the questions to ask when evaluating activity data.
Before you rely on a search
- Match the business and credential to the proposed work.
- Review the full source record, not just a search-result name.
- Save your actual check date and source link.
- Resolve inconsistent identities with the contractor and agency.
For distributors and manufacturer teams
A consumer checking one contractor can use the official CSLB search above. A business researching contractor activity across a territory can request a B2B coverage review. Licensing evidence and permit activity remain separate checks.
Source review and changes
October 15, 2026: checked CSLB’s search and renewal guidance; added a record-interpretation table and renewal worksheet. Review official links and process guidance quarterly, next by January 15, 2027, and after a relevant CSLB announcement. If source access fails, preserve the dated guide and mark unresolved instructions for recheck; never infer a contractor’s current status from this page.
Source & further reading
CSLB: Check a License and official search tips ↗
This is an independent search guide. The agency provides the authoritative record.