California Home Improvement Contracts and the Down Payment Limit
In California, home improvement work over $500 needs a written contract, and the down payment cannot be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less.
California
Contractors
How to check a California contractor's CSLB license, and what the law says about contracts and down payments.
Articles
How to Check a California Contractor License with CSLB
California contractors are licensed by the Contractors State License Board in classes such as B, C-10, C-20 and C-36. Here is how to check a license and the $1,000 minor work rule.
Are you a licensed contractor?
Electricians, plumbers, HVAC and general contractors in California can apply to the Swift Agent Network, a network of licensed local businesses. The basic listing is free. It does not promise you jobs or a ranking.
Subscribe the feed to your site
New posts appear on your site automatically. Keep each post's canonical link pointed at the hub article.
Once you are listed for contractors in California, your feed is /hubs/california/contractors/feed/<agent-slug>.xml.
The shared feed has no personal byline: contractors/feed.xml.
Want a site that can pull these as editable drafts?
Official lookup: CSLB license check.