How to Verify Your Contractor Work Experience for CSLB

What Experience Counts

• Journeyman: a fully qualified worker who can perform the trade without supervision, or someone who completed an apprenticeship.
• Foreman or supervising employee: has journeyman skills and directly supervises physical construction.
• Contractor: a current or former licensed California contractor, personnel of record on a license, or an out of state licensed contractor.
• Owner builder: has journeyman skills and did the work on their own property. A Project List form is required for each project.

Experience as a helper, laborer, trainee or apprentice does not count as journey level time. The four years must fall within the last ten years and must be in the classification you are applying for.

How to Describe Your Experience

• Name the specific tasks you performed, not just a job title.
• Show that the work matches the classification’s scope.
• Give accurate dates and note whether the work was full time.
• Make sure what you write matches what your certifier signs.

Who Signs the Certification

The certifier must have firsthand knowledge of your work, meaning they observed it. See who can certify your experience.

Supporting Documentation

Even with a signed certification, be ready to provide documents when CSLB asks. Failing to provide them can lead to a returned or void application or a denied license. Useful records include pay records such as W-2s, union records, building permits, signed contracts and invoices, and tax records. CSLB publishes a list of acceptable supporting experience documentation.

Using Education or Apprenticeship

Up to three years of the requirement can come from approved education, apprenticeship or technical training, but at least one year must be practical experience. See education and trade school credit.

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