Costs
What it really costs to get licensed
Every figure on this page comes from CSLB's published fee list, PSI's guide or the code. Where CSLB doesn't set the price, we say so instead of making a number up.
What is actually published
Original application
$450
One classification, by exam or waiver. Not refundable if you fail.
Exam (each registration)
$51.43
Paid to PSI, not CSLB. Each exam is a separate fee, and so is each retake.
Fingerprints (Live Scan)
$49
$32 for DOJ and $17 for FBI, plus the rolling fee each site sets. CSLB does not set that price.
Initial license fee
$200 / $350
Sole owner / partnership, corporation, LLC or joint venture. Paid after you pass.
Sole owner, two exams, first try
$801.86
Figures checked against CSLB and PSI in September 2026. Excludes your bond premium, insurance and the Live Scan site's rolling fee.
What CSLB requires but doesn't charge for
This is where the real money goes, and where sites promising you an exact total are guessing. These amounts are what the law requires you to guarantee or insure — not what you pay.
Contractor's bond: $25,000
Required to hold an active license (B&P §7071.6). You pay a surety an annual premium based on your credit. A $25,000 cashier's check deposited with CSLB is also accepted.
Bond of qualifying individual: $25,000
Added when the person qualifying the license isn't the owner or a general partner — an RME, for example (B&P §7071.9).
Workers' compensation
A certificate of insurance, a certification of self-insurance, or an exemption if you have no employees. Classifications C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 and C-61/D-49 cannot use the exemption.
LLCs only: $100,000 and $1,000,000
A $100,000 employee/worker bond (B&P §7071.6.5) and liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 aggregate with five or fewer personnel of record, up to a required maximum of $5,000,000 (B&P §7071.19).
After that: renewal and classifications
- The license expires two years from the last day of the month it was issued.
- Timely active renewal: $450 sole owner, $700 everyone else. C-10s pay $20 more.
- Inactive renewal: $300 sole owner, $500 everyone else.
- Renew late and a delinquency fee of 50% of the renewal is added.
- Adding a classification to an existing license: $230.
Where prep fits in
Against that total, prep is the small line — and the only one that decides whether you pay the rest once or twice. Failing costs $51.43 plus a 21-day calendar wait, and eats into the 18 months you have to pass.
Our pass is a one-time $99, covers both languages and comes with a pass guarantee. The 20-question test costs nothing and needs no account.
See what the pass includes or read what happens if you fail.
FAQ
How much does a California contractor license cost in total?
CSLB and PSI's published fees come to $801.86 for a sole owner who passes both exams first try: application, two exam registrations, fingerprints and the initial fee. On top of that sit your $25,000 bond premium and workers' compensation insurance, which the market sets, not CSLB.
How much does the contractor bond cost?
The bond is $25,000, but that's not what you pay — it's what's guaranteed. You pay a surety an annual premium, and that premium depends on your credit and history. CSLB neither sets nor publishes it, so we won't invent a figure. You can also deposit a $25,000 cashier's check with CSLB instead of a bond.
Do I pay the exam fee again if I fail?
Yes. The $51.43 fee is per registration, first attempt or repeat, and it is neither refundable nor transferable.
How often do I renew, and what does it cost?
The license expires two years from the last day of the month it was issued. Timely active renewal is $450 for a sole owner and $700 for everyone else (C-10s pay $20 more). Renew late and a delinquency fee of 50% is added.
Do I have to pay a school to pass?
No. You need the official outline, explained practice questions and timed exams. Our pass is a one-time $99, and the 20-question test is free.
What if I miss the initial fee deadline?
You have 90 days from the notice to pay the initial license fee and file your bonds and documents. Miss it and your application is void (B&P §7074).
Before you pay anything, measure where you are
20 free questions with results by section. If you're already close, save your money; if not, you'll know exactly what's missing.
Official sources: CSLB fee list · PSI Examination Information Guide · CSLB fingerprinting / Live Scan · CSLB license issuance · B&P Code §7071.6