As of 19 October 2026. Every fact on this page links to the California statute or the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) page it comes from. California only.
The short version: Search the license on CSLB's free Check a License page and open the license detail. The Workers' Compensation section shows either the insurer, policy number and effective and expiration dates the insurer filed, or that the licensee certified it has no employees. An exemption is the licensee's own statement. CSLB is required to have a verification process in place by 1 January 2027.
TL;DR
- CSLB License Check is free and public. You can search by license number, business name or personnel name. (CSLB License Check)
- Insurers report the policy number and coverage dates to CSLB for each required policy. (B&P § 7125)
- An "exempt" entry means the licensee certified it has no employees. It does not mean a policy is on file. (B&P § 7125; CSLB License Check)
- Five classifications (C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39, C-61/D-49) can't be exempt at all. (CSLB)
How to look it up
- Open CSLB's Check a Contractor License page. Search by license number (California license numbers contain only digits), by business name or by personnel name. (CSLB License Check)
- Open the license detail and scroll to the Workers' Compensation section. It also links to the license's Workers' Compensation History. (CSLB License Check)
- Read the license status near the top of the same page. A workers' comp suspension shows on the license record, and a pending suspension can be posted up to 45 days before the suspension itself. (B&P § 7125.2)
How to read the Workers' Compensation section
| What the record says | What it means | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| "This license has workers compensation insurance with" an insurer, plus a policy number and effective and expire dates | A certificate is on file. The insurer reports the license number, policy number, and the dates coverage starts and lapses, plus any cancellation date. | B&P § 7125; CSLB |
| Workers' compensation classification code(s) | Up to three classification codes with the highest estimated payroll on the policy, as listed by the licensee. CSLB says it does not verify or investigate whether these codes are accurate, and one policy can cover several businesses. | CSLB (citing B&P § 7125.6) |
| "This license is exempt from having workers compensation insurance; they certified that they have no employees at this time" | The licensee filed the no-employees statement. No policy is on file. | B&P § 7125(b); CSLB |
| An expire or cancellation date that has passed, and no newer entry | Coverage has to be continuous. A lapse in required coverage suspends the license. | B&P § 7125.2; CSLB |
Sources for the table: (B&P § 7125; B&P § 7125.2; CSLB; CSLB License Check)
Reading an exemption carefully
- It is self-certified. The law exempts a licensee with no employees that files a statement saying so. (B&P § 7125) CSLB has to set up a process to verify exemption eligibility, which may include an audit or proof, by 1 January 2027. (SB 1455; SB 291)
- Some licenses can't be exempt. A license with a C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 or C-61/D-49 classification must have a certificate or self-insurance on file, with or without employees. (CSLB)
- It stops being valid on the first hire. Once the licensee employs someone, the exemption is no longer valid and CSLB requires proof of coverage within 90 days of the hire. (CSLB)
- It ends for most licenses in 2028. From 1 January 2028, under SB 1455, only joint ventures with no employees can be exempt. (B&P § 7125; SB 1455)
What the record does not tell you
The CSLB record shows what is on file for the license. It does not say whether the policy covers a particular worker, job or location, and the classification codes are not verified by CSLB. (CSLB) A certificate of insurance that a contractor hands you is a separate document. If a contract asks for one, the two can be compared, but neither is a coverage opinion. For questions about a specific job, ask a licensed professional, or ask Erni below.
Sources
Every statement above is taken from these primary sources, each read on 19 October 2026. Laws change: check the source before you rely on a date or an amount.
- Business and Professions Code section 7125 (current version, and the version operative 1 January 2028). Read 19 October 2026.
- Business and Professions Code section 7125.2. Read 19 October 2026.
- SB 1455 (Ashby), Stats. 2024, ch. 485, chaptered text. Read 19 October 2026.
- SB 291 (Grayson), Stats. 2025, ch. 455, chaptered text. Read 19 October 2026.
- CSLB, Workers' Compensation Requirements. Read 19 October 2026.
- CSLB, Check a Contractor License or HIS Registration. Read 19 October 2026.