Get ready for the CSLB workers’ comp requirement.
California law will require every active contractor licensee to carry workers’ comp, even with no employees, and some classifications already must. Send your license number and current filing, and we show where you stand and what to prepare. Free, reviewed by a person and back within one business day.
What you get
- Your classifications checked against those already required to carry workers’ comp, such as C-39 roofing
- Your current filing confirmed as a policy, a certificate of self-insurance or an exemption
- The date the requirement applies to your license under current law, with its source
- Payroll and class information to prepare so a policy can be written without delay
- Policy and filing dates tracked in your workspace, with reminders before each one
- Plain questions to confirm with the Contractors State License Board or your broker
How it works
- 01
Send your license
Share your license number, classifications and current workers’ comp policy or exemption.
- 02
Your status is checked
Software reads the public license record and compares it with the requirements CSLB publishes.
- 03
A person reviews
A qualified reviewer checks the dates and classifications that apply to you.
- 04
You get a readiness summary
Where you stand, what applies when, and what to prepare before your date.
What to send
- Your CSLB license number and classifications
- Your current workers’ comp policy, or your exemption on file
- Your entity type and the owners or officers who work in the business
- Payroll by role for the last twelve months, if you have employees
- Any notice you have received from CSLB
What you receive and when
Our standard is a readiness summary within one business day of receiving your license number and filing. A person replies within one business hour, 8 am to 6 pm Pacific, Monday to Friday. Every summary shows the date the requirement was checked.
Get a free readiness checkQuestions, answered
When must all CSLB licensees carry workers’ comp?
Under current law, all active licensees must carry workers’ comp from 1 January 2028. Senate Bill 216 first set the requirement for 2026, and a later bill moved the date to 2028. The Contractors State License Board has discussed further changes, so confirm the current date with CSLB.
Which contractors must already carry it?
The Contractors State License Board lists C-8 concrete, C-20 HVAC, C-22 asbestos abatement, C-39 roofing and D-49 tree service as classifications that must carry workers’ comp even without employees. Contractors with employees in any classification must already carry it. Confirm your classification with CSLB.
What if I have no employees?
Today many licensees without employees file an exemption. Under current law, that option ends for active licenses on the date the universal requirement takes effect. A sole owner may need a policy that covers only themselves. We show what applies to your license and what to prepare.
Is the readiness check really free?
Yes. There is no fee and no obligation, and you keep your broker. We compare your license and filing with published requirements and report what we find. If you later want help with a policy, that is a separate conversation.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general information based on what the Contractors State License Board and California law publish, and on the documents you send. CSLB decides licensing questions. We cite the source and date for each requirement so you can confirm it with CSLB.
What does a workers’ comp application ask for?
Payroll by job classification, a description of the work, your license details and your prior coverage and claims. SF Coverage organizes that information so the application is complete the first time.
Know where your license stands before the requirement applies.
Send your license number and current filing. Within one business day you get a dated readiness summary and the payroll details an insurer will ask for.