Individuals seeking to work in California on rough and finish carpentry need to get a license from the California Contractors State License Board. There are two separate classifications of California carpenter licenses. First, you need a license with the C-5 classification for doing framing and rough carpentry. You need a C-6 contractors license if you intend to do cabinet, millwork and finish carpentry.
The general requirements for a license include a certain amount of work experience and an exam. If you wish, you can take recommendations from existing carpenters on carpentry or construction schools in California. However, there is no specific education requirement for state carpentry contractors. Nonetheless, a solid grounding in carpentry theory may help you pass the California carpentry exam.
Work Experience Requirements:
You must have experience as a journeyman, supervisor, contractor or foreman for four of the last ten years in teh carpentry field. Time spent as merely a trainee does not count toward your total work time.
The board has published a “Blueprint for Becoming a California Licensed Contractor” that will give you all of the license requirements and exceptions. For example, if you never do work over $500, you are generally exempt from a California contractor license.
Exam Requirements:
Passage of two exams is required to get a license. First, the California Law and Business Exam is a generic contractor test that gauges your knowledge of how to run a contracting business. Second, there are separate tests for the two carpentry classifications. If you want both classifications, then you would take a total of three tests.
When you have satisfied your work requirements, you can then apply using the California contractor license application in the Resources below.
Note on Fees:
When you first apply, there is a nonrefundable application fee of $250, payable to the Registrar of Contractors. If you pass your exam, you then pay an extra $150 license fee. Thus, the total is $400 to get a state carpenter license.
Warning:
You will also have to pass a criminal background check, including fingerprints. There is no certain way to tell if you will be rejected if you have a record except to say that you will definitely be rejected if you lie about your criminal history.
In the Resources below, you can see study guides to the general Law and Business exam and both carpentry exams. Study the reference materials mentioned in those guides to prepare for your California carpenter exam.
There is a fairly low working-capital requirement of $2500 to start work as a licensed carpenter. Applicants with employees must also get workers comp insurance.
California also seeks to protect the public to some degree by requiring a contractors surety bond. The first bond required of California carpenters is a $12,500 contractor license bond. The qualifying individual of the contractor must also have a $7500 bond. A cash deposit will suffice in place of these bonds.
Resources:
Study Guide for the California Contractors Law and Business Exam
California Contractor Exam Study Guides for Rough and Finish Capentry
California Contractors Blueprint for Getting a Carpenter’s License
