Contractor License Requirements: CA, TX, FL, NY & AZ Compared (2026)

There is no national contractor license. Each state sets its own rules, and the differences are dramatic. California requires a $25,000 surety bond and a 100-question exam. Texas has no general contractor license at all.

If you're a contractor looking to get licensed, or a homeowner trying to understand what "licensed" actually means in your state, this guide breaks it down.

How Contractor Licensing Works in the US

Licensing authority sits entirely with individual states, not the federal government. That means there are 50 different systems, each with its own agency, exam, bond amount, insurance requirement, and renewal schedule.

Most states fall into one of three models:

• Full licensing: Contractors must pass a written exam, document experience, post a surety bond, and carry insurance before they can work. California, Florida, and Arizona are examples.
• Registration only: Contractors register with the state and pay a fee, but there's no exam. Washington and Oregon use versions of this model for some trades.
• No statewide license: Some states leave licensing to counties and municipalities. Texas is the clearest example: no statewide GC license, though specific trades are regulated.

The result: a contractor who is fully licensed in California cannot assume they meet Arizona's requirements, even if they move next door.

California Requirements (CSLB)

California has one of the most rigorous licensing systems in the country, administered by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). The requirements to get licensed:

• Experience: 4 years of journeyman-level experience in the trade within the last 10 years. This can include time as an apprentice, foreman, or supervising employee — but not general labor.
• Exam: Two-part written exam: a law and business section (all applicants) plus a trade section specific to your classification (B, C-10, C-36, etc.). The trade exam is 100 questions and you need a 70% to pass.
• Surety bond: $25,000 contractor's bond, filed with the CSLB. Cost is typically $150-$300/year depending on credit.
• Workers' comp: Required if you have employees. Solo operators can file an exemption.
• Application fee: $450 for initial license.
• Renewal: Every 2 years. Active licenses must renew by the expiration date or the license lapses.

California uses a classification system with 44 specialty licenses (C-10 electrical, C-36 plumbing, C-39 roofing, etc.) and one general building contractor license (B). Each classification is a separate license.

Full California contractor license requirements →

Texas Requirements (TDLR)

Texas takes a fundamentally different approach. There is no statewide general contractor license. Anyone can call themselves a general contractor in Texas and take on construction projects — no exam, no bond, no state registration required.

However, specific trades are regulated at the state level through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and other agencies:

• Electricians: Licensed through TDLR. Master and journeyman levels, each with exam and experience requirements.
• Plumbers: Licensed through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE). Apprentice → journeyman → master levels.
• HVAC contractors: Licensed through TDLR. Must pass a state exam and carry liability insurance.
• Electricians' bond: Not required at state level, though some municipalities require it.

Some Texas cities add their own requirements on top. Houston, Dallas, and Austin all have municipal registration programs for general contractors doing work above certain dollar thresholds.

Full Texas contractor license requirements →

Common Requirements Across States

Despite the variation, most licensing states require some combination of these four elements. Five states illustrate the range of requirements across the country.

Requirements are subject to change. Verify current amounts with your state licensing board before applying.

Specialty vs General Contractor Licenses

The distinction between specialty and general contractor licenses determines what work a contractor can legally perform, and it affects both contractors and homeowners.

A general contractor license allows you to manage full construction projects — new homes, major remodels, additions. In California, the B license covers this. In Florida, the CGC (Certified General Contractor) license does. General contractors can hire licensed subcontractors to do trade work (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) that they themselves aren't licensed for.

A specialty contractor license is limited to a specific trade. In California, a C-10 electrician can wire an entire house but cannot act as the general contractor for a new build. In Arizona, specialty licenses are broken into categories like CR-37 (swimming pools), C-11 (electrical), and L-37 (landscaping).

The practical impact: if someone with only a specialty license offers to manage your entire renovation — pulling all the permits and coordinating all the trades — they're likely operating outside their license scope. That can void permits and create liability issues if something goes wrong.

To verify what a contractor's license actually covers, check the classification listed on their license record, not just the license status.

How to Verify Any Contractor's License

Every state with a licensing program publishes its license database. Most are searchable by license number, contractor name, or business name. But the databases are fragmented. There's no single national lookup.

The fastest approach is to use our free license verification tool, which pulls from state databases and shows you license status, classification, bond status, disciplinary actions, and expiration date in one place.

If you prefer to go directly to the source:

• California: CSLB license check at cslb.ca.gov
• Texas: TDLR license verification at tdlr.texas.gov
• Florida: DBPR license search at myfloridalicense.com
• Arizona: ROC license search at roc.az.gov

When you run a check, verify three things: the license is active (not expired or suspended), the classification matches the work being done, and there are no recent disciplinary actions.

What Happens When a License Expires

A contractor with an expired license is legally the same as an unlicensed contractor for the duration of that lapse. They cannot legally take on new jobs, pull permits, or sign contracts while expired.

In California, the CSLB gives a 5-year window to reactivate a lapsed license before the contractor must reapply from scratch. During that window, they can renew without retaking the exam, but they cannot work. After 5 years, they start over: new application, new exam, new bond.

For homeowners, this has a practical implication: always verify the expiration date, not just the status. A license that was active when you hired someone but expired during a long project may affect permit validity and bond coverage mid-project.

License expiration is the most common reason a license check shows a problem. Not fraud, just a contractor who let their renewal slip. Either way, you want to know before you sign anything.