Fee information checked against CSLB sources on . Confirm amounts before paying. This guide is for budgeting, not legal or insurance advice.
Quick answer: what you pay and to whom
- CSLB (fixed): $650 for a sole owner or $800 for a corporation, partnership or LLC.
- PSI exams (separate): paid directly to PSI for each exam; check the current fee when scheduling.
- Fingerprints: $49 DOJ and FBI processing, plus the Live Scan operator's fee.
- Bond premium: a surety quote for the required $25,000 bond, not the $25,000 itself.
- Insurance: workers' compensation if you have employees; LLCs also need liability insurance and a $100,000 employee/worker bond.
Start with the fixed CSLB charges
The application fee is $450. The initial license fee is paid later: $200 for a sole owner or $350 for a non-sole owner, such as a corporation, partnership or LLC.
| CSLB charge | Sole owner | Non-sole owner |
|---|---|---|
| Application | $450 | $450 |
| Initial license | $200 | $350 |
| Subtotal | $650 | $800 |
These subtotals are not your total cost to get licensed. See the official CSLB fee schedule for additional classifications, renewals and other charges.
Exam and fingerprinting costs are separate
CSLB's examination FAQ says you pay PSI directly for each exam. Check the current fee when scheduling; do not assume a fixed $100 retake fee or that the application fee includes exams.
Fingerprint processing is $32 for DOJ plus $17 for FBI, a $49 processing subtotal. Add the operator's rolling fee. Ask your Live Scan provider for the full price before your appointment.
A bond amount is not a bond premium
The contractor bond requirement is $25,000. You buy a bond from a surety and pay its quoted premium, not the $25,000 face value. A qualifying-individual bond may also be required depending on your situation.
For an active LLC, CSLB also requires a $100,000 employee/worker bond and liability insurance. The minimum liability coverage starts at $1 million for five or fewer personnel of record. See CSLB's LLC requirements. Get separate quotes rather than treating LLC costs as a flat estimate.
Insurance and renewal: budget beyond the first payment
Workers' compensation depends on your employees and classification. CSLB's exemption guidance lists C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 and C-61/D-49 as classifications that cannot use the no-employees exemption. Do not assume a sole owner is automatically exempt.
The fee schedule lists timely active renewal at $450 for sole owners and $700 for non-sole owners; C-10 fees are $470 and $720. Timely inactive renewal is $300 or $500. Late fees differ. Check the current schedule and your renewal notice rather than applying one rate to every business.
Build your own cost worksheet
- Start with the $650 or $800 CSLB subtotal for your entity type.
- Add current PSI fees for the exams you must take.
- Add $49 fingerprint processing plus the operator's rolling fee for each person required to be fingerprinted.
- Add quoted bond premiums, required insurance and any local business fees.
- Add optional study materials separately; do not count them as state fees.
Entity choice has legal and tax consequences beyond the license fee. Discuss it with an appropriate professional rather than choosing solely to save on the initial fee.
Check the requirements, then choose your study path
Use our California licensing guide for the application sequence. Try the free practice sample to see which study topics need attention, or compare available courses. Prep is optional; License Contractor School is independent and not affiliated with CSLB.