Every active California contractor license requires a $25,000 surety bond under B&P §7071.6. Premiums start at $188/year for well-qualified applicants. Same-day filing with the CSLB. All license classes. Credit-challenged options available.
The CSLB contractor license bond is a three-party agreement between the contractor (principal), the surety company, and the State of California, protecting consumers from contractor fraud and contract breaches.
Most contractors need the standard $25,000 contractor license bond. LLCs and disciplined licensees have additional requirements. We handle all of them.
The $25,000 surety bond required by B&P §7071.6 for every active CSLB license. Covers sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, and LLCs. Annual premium from $188 for clean-credit applicants. Filed directly with CSLB same day.
Required when the Responsible Managing Employee (RME) or Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) is not also the owner of the licensed entity. Separate $25,000 bond in the individual's name, filed alongside the contractor license bond.
Required under B&P §7071.6.5 for every contractor licensed as an LLC. $100,000 bond protecting employees and workers of the LLC from wage theft or contract violations. In addition to — not instead of — the standard $25,000 bond.
Ordered by the CSLB when a license is revoked and the contractor seeks reinstatement. Amount set by the board, typically $25,000–$100,000. Demonstrates financial responsibility to the CSLB before the license is reinstated. We work with high-risk surety markets to place these.
Most bonds we write are filed electronically with the CSLB the same business day — typically within hours of application approval. New license applicants, license reinstatements, and renewal gaps all qualify. Call by 3pm PT for same-day filing.
Bankruptcy, prior claims, low credit score — standard sureties will decline. We work with specialty surety markets that underwrite on contracting experience and trade history rather than credit score alone. Higher premium, but we get you bonded and licensed.
A CSLB bond rejection can delay your license by weeks. We get it right — correct entity name, correct license number, correct bond form — so the CSLB accepts it on the first submission.
Call by 3pm PT and your bond is filed with the CSLB the same day. Electronic filing confirmation provided. We know the CSLB filing system and process bonds correctly on the first attempt — no rejections from form errors.
Contractor license bond, Bond of Qualifying Individual, LLC Employee/Worker Bond, and Disciplinary Bond — we handle all of them. Most agents only know the standard $25k bond. We know the full CSLB bond schedule and how to structure multi-bond filings for LLCs.
We don't send you to one surety and call it done. We quote across multiple admitted surety companies to find the lowest premium for your credit profile. Starting from $188/year for well-qualified applicants with clean credit and no prior bond claims.
Bankruptcy, prior bond claims, or low credit score — standard surety markets will decline. We have relationships with specialty sureties that underwrite on contracting history rather than credit score alone. We get contractors bonded when other agencies can't.
Three steps. No lengthy application before you talk to a person. Most bonds are approved and filed within hours.
License class, entity type (sole proprietor, corp, LLC), any credit issues, and your timeline. A quick five-minute call or the form above is all it takes. No lengthy paperwork upfront.
We run your application across multiple admitted surety companies and come back with the best rate for your profile. Most applicants get approved the same hour. Credit-challenged applicants may take slightly longer to place with specialty markets.
Once you approve the premium, we issue the bond and file it electronically with the CSLB. You receive the filed bond confirmation by email. New applications, reinstatements, and renewal gaps are typically processed and confirmed the same business day.
Representative examples of CSLB bond filings we've processed — from new license applications to reinstatements and LLC multi-bond structures.
Electrical contractor applying for a new C-10 license. $25,000 contractor bond filed electronically with the CSLB within two hours of application approval.
General contractor (B) newly structured as an LLC. Required both the $25,000 contractor license bond and the $100,000 LLC Employee/Worker Bond under B&P §7071.6.5. Both filed simultaneously.
Painting contractor's bond lapsed without notice; CSLB suspended the license. New $25,000 bond placed and filed same day, reinstatement process initiated immediately.
General contractor with prior bankruptcy and a prior bond claim. Standard sureties declined. Placed through a specialty surety market underwriting on 12 years of contracting experience.
Corporation's RME was not an owner. Required a separate Bond of Qualifying Individual ($25,000) in the RME's name alongside the corporate contractor bond. Both filed the same day.
Landscaping contractor renewal — existing surety increased premium at renewal. Shopped across three markets, placed at a lower rate with a higher-rated surety. Renewed and filed before expiration.
I needed my CSLB bond filed ASAP to get my new contractor license. Tamir had it done in under two hours. The bond was filed with the CSLB before lunch. Incredible speed.
My previous bond company let my bond lapse without telling me and my license got suspended. Tamir got a new bond filed and my license reinstated in one day. He also set up automatic renewal reminders so it never happens again.
I have a bankruptcy on my record and two bond companies turned me down. Tamir found a surety market that looked at my 15 years of contracting experience instead of my credit score. Got bonded at a reasonable rate.
The CSLB contractor license bond is a $25,000 surety bond required by California Business and Professions Code §7071.6 for every contractor holding an active CSLB license. It is a three-party agreement between the contractor (principal), a licensed surety company, and the State of California. The bond does not protect the contractor — it protects consumers and employees who suffer financial harm from a contractor's fraud, incomplete work, or code violations. If a valid claim is paid by the surety, the contractor is obligated to reimburse the surety company.
The bond amount is fixed by statute at $25,000. The annual premium — what you actually pay — is a percentage of that amount, set by the surety based on your credit and experience. Well-qualified applicants with clean credit typically pay from $188/year. Applicants with fair credit may pay $200–$400/year. Contractors with prior claims, bankruptcy, or poor credit pay more and may need to go through specialty surety markets, but can still get bonded. We quote across multiple sureties to find the lowest rate for your profile.
Every contractor holding an active CSLB license must maintain a $25,000 contractor license bond — sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, and LLCs alike. If the Responsible Managing Employee (RME) or Responsible Managing Officer (RMO) is not also an owner of the licensed entity, they must also file a separate Bond of Qualifying Individual in their own name. LLCs have an additional requirement: a $100,000 LLC Employee/Worker Bond under B&P §7071.6.5, protecting the LLC's employees and workers.
In most cases, same day. We file bonds electronically with the CSLB on all standard applications — new licenses, reinstatements, and renewals. Call or submit a request by 3pm Pacific time and we aim to have your bond filed and confirmed the same business day. Once filed, you receive the bond document and the CSLB filing confirmation by email. The CSLB typically updates the license record within one business day of receiving the filing.
A consumer, employee, or the CSLB can file a claim against your contractor bond if you cause financial harm — for example, abandoning a project, committing fraud, or violating wage laws. The surety investigates and, if the claim is valid, pays the claimant up to $25,000. Critically, this is not like insurance: you are obligated to reimburse the surety for any claims paid. A bond claim will also make it significantly harder and more expensive to get bonded in the future. The bond does not protect you — it protects the people you work for and with.
Under B&P §7071.6.5, every contractor licensed as an LLC must maintain a separate $100,000 LLC Employee/Worker Bond in addition to the standard $25,000 contractor license bond. This bond protects the LLC's employees, workers, and subcontractors from wage theft, contract violations, or other financial harm caused by the LLC. It is not a substitute for the contractor license bond — both bonds must be on file with the CSLB for an LLC license to remain active. We handle both bonds simultaneously and file them together.
The Contractors State License Board (CSLB), headquartered in Sacramento, regulates all contractor licensing in California under the Contractors State License Law (B&P §7000–§7191). The CSLB sets the bond requirements, accepts and processes bond filings, and can suspend or revoke a license if the bond lapses. Bond forms must be issued by a surety company licensed to do business in California and meet CSLB specifications. CSLB Bond (a division of Thrive Risk Management Insurance Solutions, CA License #6012320) specializes exclusively in CSLB bond filings for California contractors.
New license, reinstatement, renewal, or LLC multi-bond structure — one call or form submission and we handle everything. From $188/year.
A CSLB license bond is just the start of staying compliant and bondable. These are the partners and official resources we put in front of licensed California contractors to keep the license clean, the safety record strong, and bond and insurance costs down. GotSafety is our official safety-program partner; the rest are independent vendors and government resources we trust.
Our official safety-program partner — a Cal/OSHA-ready IIPP, training, and toolbox talks carriers reward. Thrive clients get preferred onboarding through their advisor.
gotsafety.com →On-demand safety professionals for jobsite audits, crew training, and OSHA support.
Visit site →Transitional / return-to-work placements that shorten workers’ comp claims and limit severity.
Visit site →California Contractors State License Board — license classifications, the required $25,000 license bond, and the public license lookup.
cslb.ca.gov →Federal construction-industry safety standards (29 CFR 1926) that govern licensed jobsites.
osha.gov →Vendors listed are independent companies and not affiliated with Thrive Risk Management unless noted as an official partner. We receive no referral commission. The GotSafety client enrollment portal is reserved for active Thrive clients; contact your advisor to enroll.