California Contractor License Exam Prep

To earn a California contractor license, most applicants pass two exams: the shared Law & Business exam and a trade exam for their classification. Pick your classification below.

Step 1 — required for every classification

California Law & Business Exam Prep

Contracts, business finances, employment requirements, licensing law, safety, and lien law — the exam every California contractor takes regardless of trade.

Step 2 — your trade classification

AGeneral Engineering BGeneral Building B-2Residential Remodeling C-8Concrete C-10Electrical C-15Flooring and Floor Covering C-20Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)C-27Landscaping C-33Painting and Decorating C-36Plumbing C-39Roofing C-2Insulation and Acoustical C-4Boiler, Hot-Water Heating and Steam Fitting C-5Framing and Rough Carpentry C-6Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry C-7Low Voltage Systems C-9Drywall C-11Elevator C-12Earthwork and Paving C-13Fencing C-16Fire Protection C-17Glazing C-21Building Moving / Demolition C-22Asbestos Abatement C-23Ornamental Metal C-28Lock and Security Equipment C-29Masonry C-31Construction Zone Traffic Control C-32Parking and Highway Improvement C-34Pipeline C-35Lathing and Plastering C-38Refrigeration C-42Sanitation System C-43Sheet Metal C-45Sign C-46Solar C-47General Manufactured Housing C-50Reinforcing Steel C-51Structural Steel C-53Swimming Pool C-54Ceramic and Mosaic Tile C-55Water Conditioning C-57Well Drilling C-60Welding

C-61 Limited Specialty applicants take only the Law & Business exam — no trade exam is required for that classification.

Start with the exam everyone takes

Law & Business prep is $99 with instant access. Trade bundles (your classification + Law & Business) are $149.

Start Law & Business prep — $99

California licensing guides

How to Get a Contractor License in California
The CSLB path to a California contractor license: four years of experience, the application, two exams, the $25,000 bond, workers' comp and renewal.
The California Contractor License Exam
How CSLB's Law and Business and trade exams work at PSI: scheduling, the $51.43 fee, 3 1/2 hours, closed book, the 21-day retake wait and study guides.
California Contractor License Classifications
What California's A, B, B-2 and C specialty classifications allow, which need a CSLB trade exam, and how the C-61 Limited Specialty license works.
The California Law and Business Exam
The seven sections of CSLB's Law and Business exam, their weights, the closed-book format, and the references CSLB's study guide tells you to read.