Contractor Licensing FAQs

The Capitol Connection is our weekly Q & A column for contractors that focuses on topics pertaining to contractor's licensing.

CSLB Recognition

Over a hundred people got special ‘bracelets’ from the CSLB in recognition of their ‘work’. Can a contractor preserve a partnership license while removing a partner? ‘Generally’ that has some ‘limited’ consequences. Another contractor discovers why what worked for him one year, may not the next when it comes to providing Worker’s Comp coverage… Q: I…

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Unlicensed Contractors Give Bad Name

They are not actual rats, but they don’t deserve any more respect than real vermin. Who? Unlicensed contractors who give legitimate licensed contractors a bad name and cause real damage to consumers who fall victim to their ‘low-down’ pitches. Now, another layer of ‘rat’ protection is actively seeking to trap these criminals. While most of what…

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Is it right to do wrong?

Is it right to do wrong, if it’s only once in a while? ‘Are you only guilty if you get caught?’ I saw that ‘philosophy’ on a T-shirt recently and that may explain the first question. If you ‘bet’ on working in Nevada, it’s a little more difficult than dropping a chip on the table… Q:…

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Dangers of Late Renewal

You will not hear any trumpets blaring, bells ringing or alarms sounding warning but I have a serious call to action for contractors. Don’t read this at your own peril, or to paraphrase John Donne, ‘don’t ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee’! Like blood in the water it doesn’t take ‘sharks’ long…

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A, B, C Licenses

You can’t always believe what someone ‘knows’ to be true when it comes to contractor’s licensing. A large part of those rules and regulations are complex, depend on exact wording and how they’ve been interpreted and applied by the Board over time. I share a quick way to research what is fact and what is ‘rumor’.…

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C-10 Certification

I’ve always said perception is 90% reality. Or, simply your viewpoint is always what drives your opinions, decisions and, as humans, your emotions. When I am asked for answers by contractors, lawyers and others about licensing law and how it’s interpreted that viewpoint, or that perception, is always important. After this first question it’s ‘back to…

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Legal vs. Illegal Electricians

Is the electrician wiring your project doing so illegally? You might be ‘shocked’ to learn that could easily be the case if some important deadlines for certification were missed. Another contractor hopes to shed ‘light’ on some other electrical work, but first we begin at the beginning. A question about how to structure a new business…

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A Landscape Contractor

A pat on the back is often the best praise, and I thank our first contractor for his. I will also help a landscape contractor with a ‘swimming’ lesson before sharing some news from CSLB about protecting seniors from fraudulent, unlicensed work… Q: To begin, I’d like to commend you on your columns! They are very…

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