The California Contractors License Exam

Before you can apply for California contractors license, you must meet the following experience requirements:

• 4 years of experience in the trade.*
• Be at least 18 years old.**
• Social Security number or ITIN

Don't have 4 years of experience?

A college degree can be substituted for up to three years of that experience.

The State will accept self-employed experience.

*You must have a combined total of 4 years full-time journeyman-level experience in the last 10 years. Journey-level experience applies to a person who has completed an apprenticeship program or is an experienced worker, not a trainee, and is fully qualified and able to perform a specific trade without supervision.

**Even though you can apply for a contractors license when you are 18 years old, it is recommended that you be at least 23 years old due to the experience requirement.

The experience you document has to match the classification you apply for. Most applicants qualify under the B general building contractors license, A general engineering contractors license, C-10 electrical contractors license, C-36 plumbing contractors license, C-20 HVAC contractors license, C-27 landscaping contractors license, C-33 painting contractors license or C-39 roofing contractors license. New to the process? Read our guide on how to get your contractors license in California.

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