01 / REPORTED COVERAGE
Check the record type and the work classification.
CSLB offers public searches for contractor licenses and Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registrations. Its classification list includes C specialty trades such as C-10 Electrical and C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning. Whether the lookup captures every subcontractor classification needed for a particular project is not established; confirm the required classification with CSLB.
Record type
Business and contractor records
What to check
Match the license number and listed classification to the proposed work.
Record type
Home Improvement Salesperson records
Separate from a contractor license
An HIS registration is not a contractor license. Check the contractor license separately when the work requires one.
Classification list
Examples listed by CSLB
Electrical and HVAC
C-10 Electrical Contractor; C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor.
Classification matters: CSLB’s list describes license categories. The available reference data does not establish that every subcontractor classification needed for a particular project is covered.
02 / LOOK UP A RECORD
A simple check, in five steps.
The official page provides searches by contractor license number, business name, or personnel name, and by HIS registration number or HIS personnel name. CSLB suggests beginning a business-name search with 10 to 15 letters and shortening it if needed.
- 01
Open CSLB’s official search
Use the Check a License page linked here. Contractor licenses and Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registrations are separate record types.
- 02
Search with the strongest identifier you have
For a contractor, search by the license number, business name, or personnel name. A contractor license number is up to eight digits. For a business-name search, start with 10 to 15 letters and shorten the query if needed. For an HIS registration, search by its registration number (up to eight digits followed by SP) or the person’s name.
- 03
Match the result to the person or business
Compare the license or registration number and the listed business or person. If a name search returns several records, do not assume the first result is the right one.
- 04
Review the record for the work at hand
Check the displayed status, expiration date, classification, and related record details. Compare the classification with the actual work being considered.
- 05
Confirm anything time-sensitive with CSLB
If a recent change is missing, the result is unclear, or a deadline depends on current status, contact CSLB directly before relying on the lookup.
03 / REVIEW THE RESULT
Check the details that affect your decision.
Review area
Confirm the business or personnel name and the license or registration number belong to the party you intend to hire.
Review area
Read the status and expiration details shown on the record. For a deadline or a newly reported change, confirm directly with CSLB.
Review area
Compare the listed classification with the specific work. CSLB’s classification page describes the license categories, including the C specialty examples below.
Review area
Review related personnel, bond, workers’ compensation, and disclosure information when shown and relevant to your review.
04 / FRESHNESS AND LIMITS
Treat the lookup as one part of your review.
CSLB warns that workload may mean relevant information has not yet been entered into its license database. Treat a result as a point-in-time reference and confirm time-sensitive status directly with CSLB; Rookbeam does not verify the result.
CSLB cautions that workload may mean relevant information has not yet been entered into its license database, so a recent change may not appear right away.
Some complaint and legal information is limited by law and reporting rules. A result is not a complete history of every dispute or a guarantee that a contractor complies with every requirement for your project.
The available reference data does not establish that every subcontractor classification needed for a particular project is covered. Confirm the required classification and time-sensitive status with CSLB.
A lookup is not a compliance guarantee. It does not determine whether a contractor meets every contract, project, local permit, insurance, or legal requirement. Confirm current status and job-specific requirements with the relevant authorities and qualified professionals.
05 / OFFICIAL SOURCES
Go straight to CSLB.
These official CSLB pages support the lookup and classification details above.
Guide sources reviewed October 19, 2026.