Plumber license requirements in California.
California licenses plumbing contractors at the state level through the Contractors State License Board. The trade classification is C-36 — Plumbing, and you need it to contract for plumbing work on projects of $500 or more in combined labor and materials. The license is held by the business through a qualifying individual.
What California requires.
C-36 — Plumbing Contractor
The trade classification for plumbing work. Required to bid and contract plumbing jobs of $500 or more (labor plus materials) anywhere in California.
Journey-level plumber (no state license)
California does not issue a separate state journeyman plumber license — journey-level workers are employed under a licensed contractor, and their experience is what qualifies someone to apply for the C-36.
Getting the C-36 — Plumbing Contractor
- At least four years of journey-level plumbing experience within the past ten years — as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee, contractor, or owner-builder
- Approved schooling, an apprenticeship, or military training can substitute for up to three of those four years
- Pass two exams: Law & Business, and the C-36 plumbing trade exam
- Fingerprinting and a criminal background check
- File a contractor license surety bond with CSLB ($25,000)
- Carry workers’ compensation insurance if you have employees
Renewal: CSLB licenses renew every two years.
- · The $500 threshold is the line between handyman-scale work and work that requires the license — it counts labor and materials together.
- · Some cities and counties add their own business or permit requirements on top of the state license.
- · You get 18 months from application acceptance to pass both exams — miss the window and the application is void, fees and all.
Verified 2026-08 against the sources below. Licensing rules change — confirm with the board before relying on this page.
Time and money, start to finish.
The path
- Journey-level experience4 yearsStep 1.
Within the past ten years, certified on your application by someone who can vouch for it.
- Application reviewStep 2.
CSLB works its queue in date order — commonly a few weeks. The board publishes live processing times, linked below.
- ExamsStep 3.
Schedule with PSI once your acceptance letter arrives (typically 1–3 weeks out). You have 18 months from acceptance to pass both parts.
- Bond + issuanceStep 4.
Pass both exams, file the $25,000 contractor bond, pay the initial license fee — licensed.
What it costs
Application fee
includes your first sitting of both exams
Initial license fee
sole owner; $350 for non-sole entities
Contractor bond
required coverage — the annual premium is a fraction of this, set by the surety
Fingerprinting (Live Scan)
set by the Live Scan provider
State fees to get licensed (sole owner)
$650Plus your bond premium. Renewal runs $450 every two years for a sole owner ($700 non-sole). Confirm current amounts against the CSLB fee schedule.
Step by step
Document journey-level experience
Four years within the past ten as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee, contractor, or owner-builder — certified on the application.
Apply to CSLB
Submit the Application for Original Contractor License with the $450 fee, then complete Live Scan fingerprinting when noticed.
CSLB — applying for the contractor examination ↗Watch the queue
CSLB publishes exactly which application dates it is processing right now.
CSLB live processing times ↗Schedule and pass both exams
Law & Business plus the C-36 trade exam, through PSI, within your 18-month window.
PSI Exams — CSLB testing ↗Bond, pay, renew
File the $25,000 bond, pay the initial license fee, and renew every two years.
The exams
Passing score: 72% on each part
PSI testing centers across California, scheduled after CSLB accepts your application. Both parts must be passed within 18 months of acceptance.
California plumbing licensing FAQ.
Do you need a license to do plumbing work in California?
Yes, for essentially any real job. California requires a C-36 Plumbing contractor license from the Contractors State License Board to bid or contract plumbing work where labor and materials total $500 or more. Below that threshold you can work unlicensed, but almost any service call, repipe, or fixture install crosses it.
What is a C-36 license in California?
C-36 is the CSLB trade classification for plumbing. It authorizes you to contract plumbing work statewide — supply, drainage, venting, fixtures, and water heaters — as a licensed plumbing contractor.
How much experience do you need for a C-36 plumbing license?
Four years of journey-level plumbing experience within the last ten years. Approved schooling, an apprenticeship, or military training can cover up to three of those four years, but at least one year has to be practical, on-the-job experience.
Does California have a journeyman plumber license?
Not as a separate state license. California licenses the contracting business through the C-36 classification. Journey-level plumbers work for a licensed contractor, and that experience is what qualifies them to apply for their own C-36 later.
What bond do California plumbing contractors need?
CSLB requires a contractor license bond of $25,000 on file before the license is issued. If you employ anyone, you also need workers’ compensation coverage.
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