Can a handyman do this job in California?
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · by Carlos Morones
Since Jan 1, 2025, California requires a CSLB license for any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and for any job that needs a building permit or where the worker hires help. Below that, an unlicensed handyman may do the work. Above it, hire a licensed contractor with the right class, and check the license first.
That's straight from CSLB's AB 2622 bulletin, which raised the old $500 limit: "the work cannot require a permit, and the unlicensed person cannot employ anyone for the project." CSLB's licensing page spells out that the $1,000 is the total cost, labor and materials, across every contract on the job.
The rule in one table
| The job | Who can do it |
|---|---|
| Under $1,000 total, and no permit needed, and the handyman works alone | An unlicensed handyman may do it |
| $1,000 or more in labor and materials | A CSLB-licensed contractor |
| Needs a building permit, at any price | A CSLB-licensed contractor |
| The worker brings a helper or employee, at any price | A CSLB-licensed contractor |
| Part of a bigger job split into small contracts | A CSLB-licensed contractor (splitting isn't allowed) |
Sources: CSLB bulletin #24-07, CSLB: who must be licensed, B&P Code §7048.
Common jobs and the license they need
When a job needs a license, it needs the right class. Your city's building department decides which jobs need a permit, so ask them if you're not sure. Counts are active licenses with a California address in CSLB's Oct 20, 2026 file (how we counted).
| Job | License class | Active in CA |
|---|---|---|
| Water heater, leaks, repipe | C-36 Plumbing | 17,279 |
| Panel upgrade, EV charger, rewiring | C-10 Electrical | 26,923 |
| Furnace, AC, heat pump | C-20 HVAC | 11,387 |
| Roof repair or replacement | C-39 Roofing | 5,398 |
| Interior or exterior painting | C-33 Painting | 15,211 |
| Remodel, addition, ADU (two or more unrelated trades) | B General Building contractors | 100,200 |
Can a general contractor do a one-trade job?
Usually not on their own. A B General Building contractor can take a job that needs at least two unrelated trades, or a framing or carpentry job. For a stand-alone roof, plumbing job or electrical job, the B contractor needs that specialty license too, or has to subcontract it to someone who has it. That's B&P Code §7057, explained in CSLB's B General Building Fast Facts. Plenty of B contractors do hold specialty classes: in the Oct 20, 2026 file, 4,130 B licensees also held C-36 plumbing and 6,725 also held C-10 electrical.
Keep the deposit small
On a home improvement contract, the down payment can't be more than 10% of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less. CSLB explains this on its home improvement contract page. Someone asking for half up front on a $6,000 job is asking for more than the law allows.
Check before you hire
Whoever you hire, ask for the license number and look it up. It takes two minutes. Here's how to check a contractor license, including what the status and workers' comp lines mean.
Questions people ask
Can a handyman do a $900 job that needs a permit?
No. Under CSLB's rule, any job that needs a building permit needs a licensed contractor, whatever the price. The $1,000 exemption only covers work that needs no permit and where the handyman doesn't hire anyone to help.
Can a handyman split a bigger job into several small ones?
No. CSLB says work on a larger project can't be broken into amounts under $1,000 to fit the exemption. If the whole job is $1,000 or more, it needs a licensed contractor.
Does the $1,000 include materials?
Yes. CSLB counts the total cost: labor, materials and everything else, across all the contracts for that job. A $400 labor charge plus $700 in materials is an $1,100 job.
Can an unlicensed handyman advertise?
Only for jobs under $1,000, and the ad has to say they're not licensed. Someone who advertises as licensed, or as qualified to act as a contractor, can't use the minor-work exemption at all.
How do I check if the person I'm hiring is licensed?
Ask for the license number and look it up. Here's how to check a contractor license step by step.
Sources
- CSLB #24-07: License requirement for minor work increases from $500 to $1,000 (Dec 31, 2024)
- CSLB: Who must be licensed as a contractor?
- B&P Code §7048 and §7057
- CSLB Fast Facts: What jobs B General Building can and cannot perform
- CSLB: What should be in a home improvement contract
This is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, ask CSLB or a lawyer. California Trusted Pros isn't affiliated with CSLB.