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How to verify a contractor license in California

The licensing agency's own record is the authority. This page says where to find it, what to check, and what Tradesfile's copy of the file holds.

The official source

California Contractors State License Board (CSLB): contractors with workers' comp and bond. Tradesfile holds 244,571 business records, read on Nov 15, 2026. Each record carries an expiry date. Insurance is on file for 123,278 of them. A bond date is published for 9,267.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA): construction haulers with insurance filings. Tradesfile holds 45,974 business records, read on Nov 15, 2026. The file gives a license status but no expiry date. Insurance is on file for 45,974 of them. This is a federal file of motor carriers. It is not a state contractor license.

What to check

  1. Ask the contractor for the license number and the exact name the license is under. A number is the surest match.
  2. Look the license up with California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
  3. Check that the name on the record is the business you are hiring, that the license has not passed its expiry date or been suspended, and that the license type covers the work.
  4. This state publishes insurance and bond dates for some licenses. Where the record shows one, check that date too.

Search the California records Tradesfile has read

Each result shows the license number, type, status and the date the file was read. A record missing here is not proof there is no license: see what is and is not covered.

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