D-49 Tree Service License Changed to C-49 Tree and Palm License

The Board just announced they are phasing out the D-49 Tree Service limited specialty and changing it to the C-49 Tree and Palm classification that will require a trade exam.

This change will be effective January 1, 2024. After the 1st, no new D-49 licenses will be issued. Although currently licensed D-49 contractors will be allowed to keep their license and are not required to apply for the C-49, if the current qualifier leaves, the new qualifier must apply for the C-49 classification and take the trade exam.

You can see the description of the C-49 classification here: https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/I74808540F7AF11EC8236E412E16FB063?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)

For any questions, please call us at (800) 580-8129.

New Law Requiring All Contractors to get Workers Comp Policy

Based on the CSLB-sponsored Senate Bill 216 that was just passed 09/30/22, the CSLB will be requiring all contractors to get a workers comp policy with or without employees effective 01/01/2026. The following trades, however, will be required to get workers comp policies starting 01/01/2023:

C-8 (Concrete),

C-20 (Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning),

C-22 (Asbestos Abatement), and

D-49 (Tree Service)

This is in addition to the existing law that already requires C-39 (Roofing) contractors to have a workers comp policy in place.

Please feel free to call us for any questions at (800) 580-8129.

CSLB Increasing Bond Amounts to $25,000

Effective January 1, 2023, the CA Contractors State License Board (CSLB) will increase the bond amounts for both the Contractors Bond (currently $15,000) and the Bond of Qualifying Individual (currently $12,500) to $25,000 each.

This will trigger an increase in premiums. The bond companies will automatically increase your bond amounts with the CSLB, and mail out invoices for the premium increase. The premium increase amount will depend on your current rate with the bond company so the amount will vary per contractor.

Check with your current bonding agent for any questions on the premium increase.

If you’d like to get a bond quote from us, please call us at (800) 580-8129 or submit an inquiry on our website here.

Testing for CSLB Is Now Through PSI Exams

As of 07/01/2022, CSLB will be transferring the administration of their exams to PSI, which will open up more available locations and times (including Saturdays) for contractors.

After work experience approval, applicants will receive a letter from PSI Exams with instructions for online registration. Fees are still processed through CSLB directly and no additional charges will occur because of the change. Current application fee of $450 includes the first try for the exams, and an additional $100 fee is required for rescheduling / retaking exams.

You can read the CSLB’s announcement here: https://www.cslb.ca.gov/Resources/IndustryBulletins/2022/22-08_Test_Centers.pdf

If you have any questions on how the above will affect your licensing process, please call us at (800) 580-8129.

New Contracting Law for Qualifiers (RMO/RME/RMM) in Effect January 1, 2022

There are a few laws coming into effect on January 1, 2022, but one that will affect applicants is AB 830 (Flora).

This bill authorizes the CSLB to require an applicant to provide the qualifier’s employment duty statement describing their responsibilities for the applicant. They will be looking to tamp down on absentee qualifiers and applicants will need to show “active engagement” of the qualifier in the company.

At this point, we will need to wait and see if the CSLB will offer their own form or require specific wording for the employment duty statement. Since their fees are increasing on 01/01/22 as well, the CSLB will be updating their application forms in January.

If you have any questions on how the above will affect your licensing process, please call us at (800) 580-8129.

CA Contractors State License Board Increasing Fees as of January 1, 2022

The CA Contractors Board is increasing their fees for most of their applications and renewals. Of note, they are increasing renewal fees for Corporations, LLCs, Partnerships, and Joint Ventures, while Sole Ownerships retain the same renewal fee except for inactive renewals.

The renewal fee schedule is listed below:

Sole Ownerships

Active License - (on or before 12/31/21) $450 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $450

Inactive License - (on or before 12/31/21) $225 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $300

Delinquent Active License - (on or before 12/31/21) $675 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $675

Delinquent Inactive License - (on or before 12/31/21) $337.50 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $450

Corp/LLC/Partners/JV

Active License - (on or before 12/31/21) $450 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $700

Inactive License - (on or before 12/31/21) $225 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $500

Delinquent Active License - (on or before 12/31/21) $675 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $1,050

Delinquent Inactive License - (on or before 12/31/21) $337.50 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $750

C-10 Contractors

Additional $20 fee to all the above.

HIS Registration

Renewal - (on or before 12/31/21) $95 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $200

Delinquent Renewal - (on or before 12/31/21) $142.50 ; (on or after 01/01/22) $300

Please note that the new renewal fees will kick in based on the actual expiration date of your license e.g. if your renewal is due/expiring on 01/31/22, even if you paid your renewal in December 2021, the fee will still be the new rates.

For the full list of fees, you can read the Board’s announcement of their new fee schedule here.

If you have any questions regarding the fees, please call us at (800) 580-8129.

New C-47 Applicants Now Required to Show Training Certificate

As of 09/30/2021, all new applicants for a C-47 General Manufactured Housing classification will be required by the CSLB to show a Certificate of Completion of Training from an approved vendor by the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) before their application can be completed.

Already licensed C-47 contractors do not need to show the certificate. You can read about the official final approval for the above requirement by the CSLB here.

You can read about the HUD’s training program here: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/rmra/mhs/mhip

For more information, please call us at (800) 580-8129.

B-2 Residential Remodeling Available on June 1, 2021

Since SB 1189 became effective January 1, 2021, the Board has been working on the trade exam for the B-2 Residential Remodeling classification. The Board just announced today that they will start accepting applications for the B-2 on 06/01/2021.

The requirements are similar for any other classifications: 4 years of work experience current within the last 10 years. For self-employed work experience, applicants will need to show three or more trades performed on residential projects.

Once licensed, B-2 contractors are allowed to perform the following:

Make improvements to, on, or in an existing residential wood frame structure requiring at least 3 trades for a single contract. The trades are:

1. Drywall

2. Finish carpentry

3. Flooring

4. Insulation

5. Painting

6. Plastering

7. Roof repair

8. Siding

9. Tiling

10. Electrical fixtures installation, repair, or replace (i.e. dimmers, fans, lights, outlets, switches)

11. Plumbing fixtures installation, repair, or replace (i.e. faucets, sinks, toilets, tubs)

12. Mechanical fixtures installation, repair, or replace (i.e. air filters, air delivery and return grills, preassembled exhaust fans)

B-2 contractors are not allowed to make structural changes to load bearing portions of an existing structure such as footings, foundations, load bearing walls, partitions, and roof structures. And as noted on items 10-12 above, B-2 contractors are not allowed to install, replace, substantially alter, or extend electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems (fixtures only) unless they hold the appropriate specialty classification.

If you’d like to find out if your work experience applies or what kind of documentation the Board will request, please feel free to call us at (800) 580-8129.

CSLB Reopening Test Centers

The Contractors Board is finally reopening their test centers on 02/01/2021 after being closed in December and January.

To accommodate for the approximately 10,500 applicants waiting to take the tests, most of the test centers will have longer hours. Applicants can expect to receive phone calls and/or emails (if they listed one on their application) with their rescheduled test date.

Applicants must wear a mask or other face covering to be allowed into the test center, and if you appear ill or are ill, CSLB will require you to reschedule the exam at least 5 days later at no additional charge.

For any questions, please feel free to call us at (800) 580-8129.

2 New Major Bills Effective January 2021: 90 Day Renewal & B-2 Residential Remodeling License

The Contractors Board has passed and will be enacting a few bills effective 01/01/2021. 2 of the major ones are:

1) SB 1474: Retroactive reinstatement of an expired license when a complete application and renewal and delinquency fees are received by the Board within 90 days of the expiration date.

2) SB 1189: The creation of a new B-2 Residential Remodeling license which is limited in it’s scope of work to primarily light renovation/remodel.

Please note that SB 1474 includes wording for delinquency fees. This means the Board will still most likely require late fees to be paid after the expiration date. We will have to wait and see how the Board’s administrative rules change with regards to the new bill.

SB 1189 is essentially the handyman license that’s been missing in the State. It allows a B-2 contractor to make improvements to, on, or in an existing residential wood frame structure requiring at least 3 trades for a single contract. The trades are:

1. Drywall

2. Finish carpentry

3. Flooring

4. Insulation

5. Painting

6. Plastering

7. Roof repair

8. Siding

9. Tiling

10. Electrical fixtures installation, repair, or replace (i.e. dimmers, fans, lights, outlets, switches)

11. Plumbing fixtures installation, repair, or replace (i.e. faucets, sinks, toilets, tubs)

12. Mechanical fixtures installation, repair, or replace (i.e. air filters, air delivery and return grills, preassembled exhaust fans)

B-2 contractors are not allowed to make structural changes to load bearing portions of an existing structure such as footings, foundations, load bearing walls, partitions, and roof structures. And as noted on items 10-12 above, B-2 contractors are not allowed to install, replace, substantially alter, or extend electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems (fixtures only) unless they hold the appropriate specialty classification.

The B-2 license, although limited in scope, will allow for more applicants to be able to get a contractors license for handyman work since the work experience required will be lesser than applying for a B General Building license.

In addition to the above 2 laws, there are other new laws the Board is enacting, including switching to a public or private organization to administer the State exams (AB 3087). If PSI Exams or Prometric gets the contract, this will give applicants more testing facilities as options instead of just the 6 locations in the entire State, and also allow for out-of-state testing.

You can read the list of the new laws on the Board’s website here. As always, please feel free to call us for any questions at (800) 580-8129.