California contractor license exam · Independent, not affiliated with the state board
Pass the California contractor license exam.
Going independent in California means passing the exams run by California's Contractors State License Board (CSLB) at a PSI test center. Get through the gate with a free Law and Business practice test, plus fee, bond, and requirement facts checked against the state board and dated.
No signup to practice · Every fee checked against the state board and dated · Not affiliated with CSLB or PSI
- 50
- Practice questions original, sourced
- 7
- Exam domains full blueprint coverage
- $820 to $1,140
- Typical out-of-pocket California, CSLB fees + bond
- July 2026
- Fees last verified checked against the state board
Start where you are
Everything is free, current, and sourced
Pick the path that matches where you are in the process. Every guide opens with a quotable answer and carries a visible last-reviewed date.
How to get a contractor license
The CSLB Law & Business exam
What a license really costs
California requirements
Handyman vs contractor
How hard is the exam?
The path
How California licensing works
Five steps from tradesperson to licensed contractor. The Law and Business exam is the same gate whether you are chasing a C-10, a C-36, or a B.
-
Log four years of journey-level experience
California wants four years of qualifying, verifiable experience at the journey level or higher in the classification you are applying for.
-
Apply to the CSLB and pay the application fee
File your application for the right classification (C-10 electrical, C-36 plumbing, B general building, and so on) and pay the non-refundable application fee.
-
Pass two closed-book exams at a PSI center
Everyone sits the Law and Business exam. You also take the trade exam for your classification. Both are closed-book at a PSI testing center.
-
File your $25,000 bond and get fingerprinted
Post the contractor bond (you pay an annual premium, not the full amount), complete Live Scan fingerprinting, and pay the initial license fee.
-
Get your license number and go to work
Once the CSLB processes the bond, fingerprints, and fees, your license issues and you can legally contract for jobs over $500.
Why you can trust these numbers
Every number here is checked and dated
A fee or bond number that is out of date could cost you money or a retake, so we check every figure against the CSLB and show the date we last confirmed it.