How to Check a Concrete Contractor in Escondido
Look up the license on the CSLB website before you pay anyone. In California any concrete job over $1,000 needs a licensed contractor.
At a Glance
- Search the license at cslb.ca.gov.
- Concrete work falls under the The state license class for concrete contractors. It covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing concrete. class.
- The unlicensed limit is $1,000 per job.
- Get the scope, price and schedule in writing.
Step by Step
- Ask for the license number. A licensed contractor has to show it in ads.
- Open the CSLB license lookup and search it.
- Check that the name matches the person or company you are dealing with.
- Check that the license is active and lists the right class for the job.
- Get a written contract with the scope, price, payment schedule and start date before work begins.
The Right License Class
The CSLB The state license class for concrete contractors. It covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing concrete. Concrete Contractor class covers forming, pouring, placing, finishing and installing flat and mass concrete. It does not cover a contractor whose only work is placing reinforcing steel or applying plaster.
Work in the street is a separate question. CSLB says a general engineering contractor, the A license, may do concrete work only where it is part of fixed works like roads. Ask Escondido Engineering at (760) 839-4651 which license it wants for a curb cut or sidewalk job.
The $1,000 Rule
$1,000
Since January 1, 2025, AB 2622 lets an unlicensed person take a job only up to $1,000 in labor and materials.
- It only applies if the job needs no permit.
- It only applies if the worker hires no one for the job.
- An unlicensed person who advertises must say they are not licensed.
- It does not apply to anyone who claims to be licensed.
So if a job needs a permit, or the price tops $1,000, you want a licensed contractor.
Red Flags
- No license number, or a number that belongs to someone else.
- Cash only, with nothing in writing.
- Pressure to skip a permit the city requires.
- A price that splits one job into small pieces to stay under $1,000.
How We Fit In
We are a free referral service, not a contractor. We pass your request to a licensed local contractor. Check their license the same way you would check anyone else. More about the service.
Common Questions
What license does a concrete contractor need in California?
The CSLB C-8 Concrete Contractor class covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing concrete. Any job over $1,000 needs a licensed contractor.
How big a job can an unlicensed person take?
Up to $1,000 in labor and materials since January 1, 2025, under AB 2622. It only applies when no permit is needed and the worker hires no one.
Where do I look up a contractor's license?
On the CSLB website at cslb.ca.gov. Search by license number, business name or personal name.