Go to cslb.ca.gov, use the license check tool, and search the license number or business name. The record shows the license class, whether it is active, the bond, workers' compensation coverage and any disciplinary history. Our license is CSLB 1083262.
What to look at on the record
Status should say Active. The classification should match the work, Class B for general building. The bond should be current. Workers' compensation should show a policy, or a valid exemption if they truly have no employees, which is rare for anyone doing real construction. Any complaints or citations appear right on the record.
The deposit rule people do not know
California caps the down payment on a home improvement contract at $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. That is Business and Professions Code section 7159.5. There is no swimming pool exception and no special-order materials exception. The only way around it is a contractor who carries an approved bond or joint control arrangement, and the licensing board publishes that short list.
If someone asks for 30 percent up front, they are either breaking the law or do not know it. Either way it tells you something.
The other checks worth five minutes
Ask for a certificate of liability insurance with your name on it as certificate holder. Make sure the business name on the contract matches the name on the license. Ask for references on jobs like yours, and actually call one.
Los Angeles County figures, reviewed 2026-10-29 by America General Contractors, California contractor licence CSLB 1083262. Planning ranges, not a quote, and not legal advice. We confirm the current rules for your parcel before anything gets drawn.
