About Romerico

Romerico makes California contractor license records easier to search and read. The records come from the Contractors State License Board (CSLB), part of the California Department of Consumer Affairs — the state agency that licenses contractors. We use the state's own license, classification, bond, and workers' compensation data and present it in a clear, consistent format. Romerico does not rate, rank, or score contractors — we show the record as it stands, so you're in control of the decision.

Romerico is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Contractors State License Board.

Search a California CSLB license

You can look up a contractor three ways, and results update as you type:

• By CSLB number. The most reliable way. Enter the license number and Romerico takes you straight to that contractor. Contractors must show this number on their advertising, so it is usually easy to ask for.
• By contractor or business name. Type all or part of a business name or a person's last name. Sometimes less is better — a shorter fragment matches more spellings.
• By telephone number. Enter the phone number on file to find the matching contractor.

What a California license means

California licenses are trade-based classifications rather than endorsements, and a single license may hold more than one classification.

• Classifications. (A) General Engineering, (B) General Building, (B-2) Residential Remodeling, and dozens of C-specialty classifications — for example (C-10) Electrical or (C-36) Plumbing. Each classification defines the kind of work the license covers.
• Qualifier. Every active California contractor license has a qualifying individual. Depending on the business entity, this may be the sole owner, a qualifying partner, a Responsible Managing Employee (RME), a Responsible Managing Officer (RMO), a Responsible Managing Member (RMM), or a Responsible Managing Manager (RMG). If a qualifier disassociates, the licensee generally has 90 days to replace that person; otherwise the license may be suspended or the affected classification removed. Different rules may apply when a partner leaves a partnership license.
• How Romerico shows status. CSLB's downloadable data is a dated snapshot, and license standing can change after the file is published. Romerico therefore shows the source date on each profile and links to CSLB's official license check for current status, complaint-disclosure information, and disciplinary details.

What Romerico checks

Each contractor profile reads the following straight from the CSLB record:

• License status. Romerico displays the license status information contained in the CSLB master file, which can include more than one status at a time. The downloadable file includes currently renewed licenses and licenses that are expired but still renewable; it does not include cancelled, revoked, or expired non-renewable licenses. Because the file is a dated snapshot, use CSLB's official license check to confirm current standing.
• Classifications the license holds, such as General Building (B) or Electrical (C-10).
• Contractor bond amount and surety, plus any LLC employee/worker bond or disciplinary bond, with the effective and cancellation dates CSLB provides.
• Workers' compensation. The current or most recent workers' compensation record supplied by CSLB, which may show an insurance policy, self-insurance, or an exemption, together with the available effective, expiration, and cancellation dates.
• The qualifier and personnel on the license.
• Date first licensed.

Business names and DBAs

On a California contractor license, the business name shown is the name appearing in CSLB's license record. CSLB may separately identify a "doing business as" (DBA) name, and contractors are generally required to advertise and contract using the exact business name on their license. California does not maintain a single statewide registry covering county fictitious-business-name filings; those are generally made with the county clerk where the principal place of business is located. Romerico's DBA information comes from CSLB and does not independently verify any corresponding county filing.

Before hiring a contractor

• Match the business name on the license to the business you are dealing with.
• Confirm the classification fits the work — for example, that a (C-10) Electrical classification covers an electrical job.
• Review the contractor bond and workers' compensation details, not just the license status.
• Review complaints and discipline in the official CSLB record — look the contractor up at CSLB. Romerico does not reproduce that information.

Data source and limitations

License, classification, bond, personnel, and workers' compensation information comes from the CSLB Public Data Portal master list — the license, personnel, and workers' compensation files — and is refreshed on our schedule. Each profile shows when its data was last current and links to the official CSLB license check so you can verify it at the source.

The CSLB public file lists only licenses that are currently renewed or expired but still renewable; cancelled, revoked, and expired non-renewable licenses are not included, so absence from Romerico does not mean a contractor was never licensed. Complaint disclosure appears as an indicator only — the details live on the official CSLB record, and disclosure is limited by California law. Email addresses are not published.

Romerico is independent and is not affiliated with the CSLB. The official CSLB record is the authoritative source and should be used to resolve any discrepancy.

CSLB makes these records publicly available through its Public Data Portal. Public Records Act requests may also be submitted directly to CSLB.

Formatting and limited corrections

Romerico may format public-record information for readability — for example, standardizing the capitalization and spacing of business names and the presentation of telephone numbers and addresses. Romerico does not alter substantive license, bond, workers' compensation, classification, personnel, complaint-disclosure, or status information.

Frequently asked questions

What is a CSLB number?

It is the unique license number the Contractors State License Board assigns to every licensed contractor. Contractors must display it on their advertising, business cards, and websites, and it is the most reliable way to look a contractor up.

How do I find a contractor by name?

Type all or part of the business name, or a person's last name, into the search box; results appear as you type. If a name does not match, the contractor may be on record under a different name — searching by CSLB number is the surest match.

Does an active license mean workers' comp is current?

Not necessarily. License status and workers' compensation coverage are separate facts. Romerico shows the workers' compensation coverage, self-insurance, or exemption on record — confirm it before you rely on it.

Does Romerico include complaint history?

Romerico may show CSLB's complaint-disclosure indicator, but it does not reproduce allegations, legal actions, disciplinary documents, or other details. Follow the link to the official CSLB record to review any information CSLB makes publicly available.

How often is the information updated?

The underlying data is refreshed on our schedule from the CSLB Public Data Portal. Each profile shows the date its data was last current.

Reports

Romerico prepares a quarterly report on California CSLB license data. The schedule is not guaranteed; each report shows the period it covers.

Contact

For corrections and general information, contact us at [email protected].

Romerico