Quick Quiz

1. Can I do anything to have my application processed right away so I can start bidding and working on new jobs?
   1. Yes, but only if you send enough money to pay CSLB employees for their overtime wages.
   2. Maybe, depending on the detail in your expedite request letter that describes why the rush is needed, and if the cause/situation is justifiable.
   3. No, CSLB won't consider expedites.
2. If, in the past 10 years, I have had three years of full-time, hands-on trade experience, is that enough to qualify me for a license?
   1. Possibly, if you had the right training in your classification of choice.
   2. Yes, but you have to prove that you have gained usable experience.
   3. No, because the legal minimum requirement states that the qualifying individual must document at least four full years of journey-level or higher experience in the classification for which he or she is applying. The experience must have been obtained within the last 10 years, and some education MAY provide credit toward a portion of the necessary hands-on experience.
3. How many years can I leave my license expired until I am required to reapply instead of reactivating or renewing it?
   1. You cannot leave it expired for more than three months before being required to reapply.
   2. You do not have a limit on time; you can renew or reactivate it, even if you choose to wait 20 years from date of expiration.
   3. You have up to five years from the date your license expires to renew or reactivate it. After that, you will be required to reapply.
4. When I apply for a contractor license, do I have to disclose a misdemeanor conviction more than seven years old?
   1. No, misdemeanor convictions are purged after seven years, much like credit report information.
   2. Yes, all convictions, including misdemeanors, must be disclosed on the license application. Misdemeanors are not removed from a person's criminal record. Through the fingerprinting process, CSLB will be notified by the Department of Justice of all convictions.
5. Once I submit my application, when will I receive my test date(s)?
   1. On average, you will receive information about your test date and time (in the mail) in roughly three weeks. Once you do receive the letter, you can go to the scheduled test center on a non-translator day if there is an opening and ask to take the test as a "walk-in."
   2. On average, it takes five to seven business days, but you can only ask for a walk-in test IF you submit a letter as to why you need a sooner test date than the one scheduled.
6. If I am applying for a Corporation license, do I need to register with the Secretary of State's office (SOS) to have a Corporate ID number assigned to me before finishing the application process with CSLB?
   1. Yes. You must register with SOS, but AFTER submitting your live-scan documentation / fingerprints.
   2. Yes. You must register with SOS to proceed with your application process through CSLB.
   3. No. You may submit your application with CSLB and then apply for a Corporate ID number from SOS, whatever is easiest for you to do first.