The C-10 electrical license in California is a contractor classification issued by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) that authorizes you to install, maintain, and repair electrical systems anywhere in the state. To earn one you need at least four years of journey-level experience, a passing score on two exams, a $25,000 contractor bond, a fingerprint-based background check, and roughly $650 to $800 in state fees depending on your business structure. Plan on several months from application to license number.
What the License Lets You Do
The C-10 classification covers installing, connecting, and maintaining electrical wiring, fixtures, appliances, raceways, conduits, battery energy storage systems, and solar photovoltaic systems that generate, transmit, or use electrical energy in any form.1Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 16 Section 832.10 – Class C-10 – Electrical Contractor In practice that runs from wiring a kitchen outlet to tying rooftop solar into the grid to connecting industrial power distribution.2Contractors State License Board. C-10 – Electrical Contractor Repair and maintenance of existing systems is included, as are low-voltage communication lines that integrate with a building’s power system. Every project has to comply with the National Electrical Code and applicable California building codes.
When You Actually Need One
Any person or business taking electrical contracts in California where the total project price (labor, materials, everything combined) reaches $1,000 or more must hold a C-10 or hire someone who does.3California Legislative Information. California Business and Professions Code BPC 7048 The exemption below $1,000 only applies if the work is casual and minor, needs no building permit, is not part of a larger project, and you do not hire anyone to help. Most electrical work that touches a building’s wiring triggers a permit, so the exemption rarely lands on anything real.
Contracting without the license is a misdemeanor. A first conviction brings a fine of up to $5,000, up to six months in county jail, or both. A second conviction raises the minimum jail time to 90 days and the fine to 20 percent of the contract price or $5,000, whichever is greater. A third offense can mean up to a year in jail and fines reaching $10,000 or 20 percent of the contract price.4California Legislative Information. California Business and Professions Code BPC 7028 The CSLB can also issue civil citations with fines between $200 and $15,000 per violation. And an unlicensed contractor cannot sue to collect payment, no matter the quality of the finished work.
Experience Requirement
You need at least four years of journey-level experience in the electrical trade, earned within the ten years before you apply.5Contractors State License Board. Certification of Work Experience Journey level means you can perform the full range of electrical tasks without someone supervising you. Apprenticeship time counts only for the portion you spent working at journey level or higher. You also have to be at least 18 and provide your Social Security Number or ITIN; the CSLB will not process the application without it.6Contractors State License Board. Application for Original Contractor License
Experience is documented on the Certification of Work Experience form, with a detailed breakdown of the tasks you performed over the four years. Someone with direct knowledge of your work — a former employer, a coworker, another journey-level electrician you worked alongside — must sign as certifier. The CSLB audits these forms. Fabricated experience claims can get your application denied and trigger disciplinary action.
Military service can shorten the climb. CSLB staff will evaluate your training and experience from active duty against the four-year requirement. Submit your DD-214 (or a California driver’s license with a veteran endorsement) along with your Joint Service Transcripts.7Contractors State License Board. Military Application Assistance Programs If your service covers only part of the four years, the CSLB will contact you about making up the balance.
Submitting the Application
Start with the Application for Original Contractor’s License, available on the CSLB website as both an interactive online form and a downloadable PDF.8Contractors State License Board. Application for Original Contractor License You will pick a business entity (sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation), provide a business name, and list your contact information. The entity choice shapes your tax exposure, liability, and the specific fees you pay down the line.
The completed application, your Certification of Work Experience forms, and a $450 non-refundable processing fee get mailed to the CSLB’s Sacramento office.9Contractors State License Board. List of All CSLB Fees Check everything twice. An incomplete package gets returned and costs you weeks.
The CSLB processes applications in the order received and posts weekly updates on its processing timeline page. As of early 2026, staff were working on exam applications received roughly two weeks earlier.10Contractors State License Board. CSLB Processing Times That window can stretch during busy periods. Track your status online using the application fee number and personal identification number the CSLB assigns after it receives your package.
The Two Exams
Once your application is accepted, you take two separate computer-based exams: the Law and Business exam that every contractor classification sits for, and the C-10 Electrical trade exam.11PSI. California Contractors Examination State License Board (CSLB) Exam Both are multiple-choice, administered at testing centers across the state.
The trade exam leans heavily on the National Electrical Code, load calculations, circuit sizing, grounding procedures, and California-specific safety regulations. The CSLB publishes a study guide for each classification that outlines every topic and subtopic you can expect. Use it as your blueprint.
Fail either exam and you wait 21 calendar days before you can pay to reschedule. You have 18 months from the date your application is accepted to pass both. Miss that window and the application expires; you start over with new forms and new fees.12Contractors State License Board. Step 5 – My Original Exam Application Was Accepted That 18-month clock is one of the most overlooked deadlines in the process.
Finishing the Process After You Pass
Passing both exams does not hand you a license. Several steps stand between the pass notice and the license number.
Contractor Bond
You must file a $25,000 contractor bond with the CSLB.13California Legislative Information. California Code BPC 7071.6 You do not pay $25,000 out of pocket. You pay an annual premium to a surety company, typically 1 to 15 percent of the bond amount depending on your credit score, which puts most applicants between $250 and $3,750 a year.
If someone other than the business owner is the qualifying individual, the CSLB may require a separate Bond of Qualifying Individual, also for $25,000. That second bond applies when the qualifier is a Responsible Managing Employee, or a Responsible Managing Officer who does not own at least 10 percent of the corporation’s voting stock.14Contractors State License Board. Bond Requirements
Workers’ Compensation
If you plan to hire employees, you must carry workers’ compensation insurance and get proof to the CSLB within 90 days of hiring.15Contractors State License Board. Workers’ Compensation Requirements A sole owner with no employees can file an exemption form instead, but that exemption becomes invalid the moment you bring on your first employee.
Fingerprints and Background Check
Every applicant submits a full set of fingerprints, which the CSLB runs through the California Department of Justice and the FBI for criminal history.16Contractors State License Board. Fingerprinting, Disclosure, and Background Review A record does not automatically disqualify you, but certain convictions can. All officers, partners, owners, and responsible managing employees tied to the license get fingerprinted.
Initial License Fee
The last payment before issuance is $200 for sole owners or $350 for partnerships and corporations.9Contractors State License Board. List of All CSLB Fees Once this clears and the other requirements are satisfied, the CSLB issues your license number and you can legally contract for electrical work.
Total Cost
Budget for these as you move through the process:
- Application processing fee: $450, non-refundable9Contractors State License Board. List of All CSLB Fees
- Initial license fee: $200 for sole owners, $350 for partnerships and corporations
- Contractor bond premium: roughly $250 to $3,750 per year depending on credit
- Fingerprinting: varies by provider, typically under $100
- General liability insurance: roughly $450 to $4,800 per year for a small electrical firm
Just the application fee and initial license fee come to $650 for sole owners or $800 for other entities. Add bond premiums and insurance, and first-year startup costs for a new C-10 contractor often land between $1,500 and $5,000.
Renewing Your License
Active C-10 licenses expire every two years. Renewal is $450 for sole owners and $700 for non-sole owners, plus a $20 surcharge that funds electrician certification enforcement. Miss the expiration and you enter delinquent status, where the renewal fee jumps 50 percent, to $675 for sole owners or $1,050 for other entities.17Contractors State License Board. Step 1 – General Renewal Information Working under an expired license is grounds for discipline and exposes you to the same criminal penalties as unlicensed contracting. California does not currently require continuing education for renewal, though staying current with code changes is on you.
If you do not need to work but want to keep the license, you can place it on inactive status. Inactive licenses renew every four years at a lower fee ($300 for sole owners, $500 for others), but you cannot contract for any work while inactive.