Contractors License in California: Deck Restoration

[kenfitz 14]

As I understand in order to go further with my Deck Restoration company here in California I need a painters Contractor license. I have been staining decks for a year now and frequently go over the $500 limit. To get a contractors license I need to have 4 years experiance as a painter. Are there ways around this requirement? Is there a handyman license? Any help from somebody in California would be great.

Ken

[HotShot 34]

Hey Ken, this thread may help a little bit

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Would take that info with a grain of salt though myself and stress the difference between building something and servicing something...

Far as I ever knew a general contractors license applies to the building industry soley and not for service folks. (Such would apply if yer trying to contract a construction type job out especially if it is subject to inspections under building codes)... Ironically my city business license has about the same amount of #'s as that Sacramento fella on the *** thread calling his a contractors license..A general contractors license I suspect you take a test for and the other you just pay a yearly fee and file a ficticious business statement in a newspaper for to do business under. Running a business which normally includes a license to start will generally allow you to hire and sub to anyone you wish UNLESS your building something far as I ever knew.... correct me if I am wrong though folks as I often am :)...I suspect the $500 applies the same as in any field as in you must report the income for tax purposes and be licensed in general in yer area to do more business. Otherwise yournot really in business and just doing odd jobs and never needed the business license infirst place..

But hey , When someone figures it out let me know..until then I will be doing a city business license period... :)

[HotShot 34]

Kevin...yeah, that was kinda the point that the thread made....If you make 15 calls to ask the officials these questions, you'll prolly get 15 different answers....It's a joke!

[newlook 265]

Ken,

Welcome to TGS. I am just up the road from you in Solano County.

There are many different answers that are given at the state level regarding the licensing. As Anthony down in Barstow mentioned, you could call the CSLB on any given day and get so many different answers regarding the rules and regulations.

I do know for a fact that there is no licensing classification for the power washing industry. As with wood restoration I am not sure about that.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I know in Maryland we have to have a license. Doesn't matter that we are not building. It matters that we are "improving" the property.

Beth