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California: under $1,000 a job without a contractor license (no-permit jobs only)
In California a job under $1,000 needs no state contractor license (only if no permit is needed and you have no employees). Plumbing, electrical and HVAC: state license. Read from California's own pages, checked November 6, 2026.
The limit in California
The limit: Under $1,000 per job; only if no permit is needed and you have no employees. In short: under $1,000 per project, labor + materials + all other costs; no building permit; no employees; ads must say you are not licensed.
What counts: "the total cost (labor and materials) of one or more contracts on the project"; "The $1,000 includes all costs associated with the project." Materials count toward the limit, not just your labor.
Conditions: work cannot require a building permit of any kind; cannot employ anyone on the project; advertising must state the person is not licensed; a larger project may not be broken into contracts under $1,000; does not apply to anyone who advertises as licensed.
Raised from $500 to $1,000 by AB 2622 (Ch. 240, Stats. 2024), effective January 1, 2025.
Licenses in California
General contractors: State license. CSLB license (e.g. B General Building) required when the project is $1,000 or more, or at any value if it needs a building permit or uses employees.
Plumbing: State license. CSLB C-36 Plumbing Contractor classification.
Electrical: State license. CSLB C-10 Electrical Contractor classification.
HVAC: State license. CSLB C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor classification.
Your license number in California
Your license number: Licensed contractors must show the number on contracts, subcontracts, calls for bid, advertising and vehicles. None of these rules names invoices.
In the rule's words: “Licensed contractors must include their license number in all construction contracts, subcontracts, and calls for bid, and all forms of advertising.” (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7030.5; § 7029.6 (vehicles))
Where California's own pages disagree
The board's guide for building officials still says $500, but its December 31, 2024 bulletin says a new law (AB 2622) raised the limit to $1,000 from January 1, 2025. The guide is out of date, so this page uses $1,000.
California's board, and when this was checked
The board: Contractors State License Board (CSLB). As of November 6, 2026. Dates on the state's pages: CSLB bulletin #24-07 2024-12-31, CSLB press release #24-21 2024-12-30 and CSLB vehicle bulletin 2020-09-17.
This is a summary of each state's own pages as of November 6, 2026, not legal advice. Rules change, and cities and counties add licenses of their own. Check with your state's board, linked on this page, before you rely on it.
Compare California with every state's limit.
Official sources for California
7 of California's own pages, each quoted with its link:
- CSLB Industry Bulletin #24-07: License Requirement for Minor Work Increases from $500 to $1,000 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7048): “Starting January 1, 2025, Assembly Bill 2622 (Carrillo, Chapter 240, Statutes of 2024) increases the minor work license exemption from $500 to $1,000, but there is a catch: the work cannot require a permit, and the unlicensed person cannot employ anyone for the project.”
- CSLB press release #24-21: Handyperson Exemption to Increase to $1,000 in 2025 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7048): “a person who is not licensed may advertise for construction work if the total contract price for labor, materials, and all other items on a project is less than $1,000. The $1,000 includes all costs associated with the project. The advertisement must state the person is not licensed.”
- CSLB — Step 1: Before Applying for the Examination: “must be licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if the project requires a building permit or uses any additional workers or the total cost (labor and materials) of one or more contracts on the project is $1,000 or more.”
- CSLB Fast Facts: Advertising Guidelines for Contractors (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7030.5): “Licensed contractors must include their license number in all construction contracts, subcontracts, and calls for bid, and all forms of advertising.”
- CSLB #20-21: Reminds Contractors to Include License Number on Vehicles and Advertisements (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 7029.5, 7029.6, 7030.5): “According to Business and Professions Code (BPC) § 7029.6, your business name and contractor license number should be clearly visible on your commercially registered vehicle in print type of at least 72-point font”
- CSLB Licensing Classifications (Bus. & Prof. Code Div. 3, Ch. 9, Art. 4): “C-36 - Plumbing Contractor; C-10 - Electrical Contractor; C-20 - Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor”
- CSLB Building Official Information Guide (stale on the threshold) (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7048): “the aggregate contract price, including labor, materials, etc. is less than $500”
Every state in one file: Excel and CSV downloads