What is illegal contractor activity?

Who is considered an illegal contractor?

It is illegal for an unlicensed person to perform contracting work on any project valued at $500 or more in combined labor and material costs. Besides being illegal, unlicensed contractors lack accountability and have a high rate of involvement in construction scams. They also are unfair competition for licensed contractors who operate with bonds, insurance, and other responsible business practices.

What is CSLB doing to stop illegal activity?

CSLB's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) monitors and combats illegal activity. SWIFT has teams around the state that conduct stings on a regular basis and sweep construction sites.

SWIFT also conducts joint operations and sweeps with other state agencies dedicated to combating underground activity. Partnerships with other agencies help raise the penalties and fines for violators by increasing the scope of violations to include taxes, illegal payrolls, workers' compensation insurance, and worker safety.