How to Get a California C-36 Plumbing License: CSLB's 7 Steps, With the Official Details

To get a California C-36 plumbing contractor license, the person who qualifies the license must be at least 18 years old and have four years of at least journey-level work experience in the last 10 years in plumbing. You file the application with a $450 fee, get fingerprinted, pass two computer-based exams (Law and Business, and the C-36 trade exam) within 18 months, and then CSLB issues the license after you pay the initial license fee ($200 for a sole owner) and post a $25,000 bond. CSLB lays this out as seven steps. Here they are, with the official details for each.

Key facts

What the C-36 license covers

CSLB describes a plumbing contractor as one who provides a means for a supply of safe water, ample in volume and of suitable temperature for the purpose intended, and the proper disposal of fluid waste from the premises in all structures and fixed works. The classification includes water and gas piping, on-site waste disposal systems, gas appliances, flues and gas connections, and piping for gases including medical and dental gases.

You need it because any construction project in California valued at $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined must be performed by a contractor licensed by CSLB. If the work requires a permit or workers, a license is required no matter the project cost.

Step 1: Make sure you qualify

Each license needs a qualifier who directly supervises and controls the construction work under the license. That person must be at least 18 years old and have four years of at least journey-level work experience in the last 10 years in the classification applied for. CSLB's guide counts experience as a journeyperson, foreperson, supervising employee, or contractor in the trade.

If you do not have the four years yet, CSLB gives two options: choose someone else who meets the requirements to act as the qualifier, or work for a licensed contractor until you do.

Step 2: Line up proof of your experience

Someone other than you must verify your experience claims, and that person must have observed the work: an employer, fellow employee, other journeyperson, contractor, union representative, building inspector, architect, engineer, business associate, or a homeowner or client if you were self-employed. They certify it on the Certification of Work Experience form.

Get your documentation ready before you file. CSLB says the qualifier could be randomly selected to provide documentation of the work experience.

Step 3: Complete the application

All applications require a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The application and instructions are on CSLB's website. If you want a translator for the exams, check the box in Field 16 on the application form and CSLB will send more information.

Step 4: Submit the application and the $450 fee

A $450 fee must accompany each application. It is not refundable: the $450 fee is for processing your application, regardless of whether it is accepted.

Step 5: Get fingerprinted

Each new applicant must submit fingerprints for a mandatory criminal background check. CSLB sends you instructions once it accepts your application. The cost for fingerprints varies depending on the Live Scan location.

Step 6: Schedule and pass both exams

The qualifier must pass two computer-based exams: Law and Business, and the C-36 trade exam. You schedule and pay for each one directly with PSI after CSLB mails you the Notice to Schedule for Examination. Each exam is a separate fee, and you can take them on the same day or at different times.

What to know about the exams:

• You get 3½ hours for each.
• Both are closed book, multiple choice, with four choices per question.
• CSLB does not publish a passing percentage; it "varies for each exam."
• If you fail one, you can retake it after 21 calendar days.
• You must pass both within 18 months of the day your application is accepted, or the application is void.

The full official rules are in C-36 exam facts: what CSLB actually says.

Step 7: Get the license issued

After you pass, CSLB mails you a Bond and Fee letter that lists what your application needs. CSLB's list of issuance requirements includes:

• the initial license fee of $200 for a sole owner or $350 for a non-sole owner (good for two years),
• a $25,000 contractor's bond or cashier's check, for an active license,
• completion of the asbestos open book exam, and
• proof of workers' compensation insurance if you hire any employees who reside in California.

Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged get a 50-percent reduction in the initial license fee under B&P Code section 7137. Every fee is broken down in how much a C-36 license costs.

Common questions

How many years of experience do you need for a C-36 license?

Four years of at least journey-level work experience in the last 10 years, in plumbing. Someone who observed your work has to verify it.

Do I need to go to a school to get a C-36 license?

None of CSLB's seven steps is a school. CSLB also says there are no schools or application preparation organizations that are affiliated with or agents of CSLB.

Can I take the C-36 exam before my application is approved?

No. CSLB says only applications deemed acceptable and required to take the exam are referred for testing. Once yours is, you get a Notice to Schedule for Examination and book with PSI.

How long do I have to pass the exams?

18 months from the day your application is accepted. If you do not pass in that time, the application is void and you submit a new application with new fees.

What does a C-36 license let me do?

Contract for plumbing work: a supply of safe water and the proper disposal of fluid waste in all structures and fixed works, including water and gas piping, gas appliances and connections, and on-site waste disposal systems.

Sources

• CSLB, Get Licensed to Build
• CSLB Examinations Frequently Asked Questions
• CSLB, Description of Classifications
• California Business and Professions Code: Contractors State License Law

_Last reviewed: 2026-10-15. Every fact above is quoted from the CSLB document it cites and checked by code against our stored copy of that document. Lee esta página en español._

Start with the exams

Step 6 is the one that takes the most work. Take the free 21-question C-36 diagnostic to see, topic by topic, where you would lose points today. No account needed. The full course is $148.75 one time: lessons for both exams, practice questions with written explanations, and timed practice exams, in English and Spanish. See what is included.