CSLB Law & Business Exam: The Topics That Win Points
Every CSLB classification requires the same Law & Business exam. 115 questions, 3.5 hours, 73% to pass.
Section weights
- Business organization & licensing — 12%
- Contracts & bidding — 16%
- Employment requirements — 16%
- Safety (Cal/OSHA) — 14%
- Public works & prevailing wage — 8%
- Insurance & bonds — 10%
- Financial management — 14%
- Lien laws & collections — 10%
High-yield topics
- Mechanic's liens — deadlines, preliminary notice, foreclosure timelines
- Home Improvement Contract rules — down payment limits, required language
- Workers' comp thresholds and exemptions
- Independent contractor vs employee (ABC test)
- Cal/OSHA IIPP requirements
Quick wins
Memorize these numbers — they appear nearly every exam:
- $500 — threshold for needing a license
- 10% or $1,000 — max home improvement down payment
- 20 days — preliminary notice deadline
- 90 days — mechanic's lien recording deadline after completion
Study tip
Flash-card every dollar amount, percent, and day count in the curriculum. ~30% of Law & Business questions come down to remembering one specific number.