In brief
Two licenses are in play in Long Beach: the state’s CSLB contractor license and the city’s business license. The state says “It is illegal for an unlicensed person to perform contracting work on any project which requires a building permit, or employee labor is used or the project is valued at $1,000, or more”. The city says a licensed contractor pulling a permit needs the CSLB license “and an active City of Long Beach Business License”.
- CSLB’s license check is online, or by phone at (800) 321-CSLB (2752); the agency advises asking for “their pocket license, along with a picture I.D.”3.
- The $1,000 minor-work exemption applies only if “the work cannot require a permit” and no one is employed2.
- The city offers a “Look Up a Business License” tool through its Business License Division5.
- A contractor’s agent pulling a permit needs a notarized letter “dated within the last year”, and the city verifies workers’ compensation before issuing a permit6.
- A vehicle-based business must carry an identifying decal issued by the city8.
A building permit in Long Beach is tied to whoever pulls it, and the city’s pages list what that person has to hold. This page lays out the state check, the $1,000 rule, the city license check, what the Permit Center asks of a contractor and the vehicle decal rule. The permit process the license feeds into is in Permits in Long Beach, the section pillar, and a contractor’s side of the same rules is in Running a Contracting Business From Long Beach.
This page describes the rules as of October 2026. It is not legal advice.
The short answer
| If you are… | What the pages say |
|---|---|
| Hiring for work that needs a building permit | Contracting work on any project that requires a permit is illegal for an unlicensed person1 |
| Hiring for work valued at $1,000 or more | The same: illegal without a license “valued at $1,000, or more”1 |
| Hiring for work under $1,000 | Exempt only if the work cannot require a permit and no one is employed2 |
| Looking up a state license | CSLB’s Check a License page, or (800) 321-CSLB (2752)34 |
| Looking up the city license | The Business License Division’s “Look Up a Business License” tool5 |
| Meeting a contractor with a work vehicle | The city’s identifying decal must be on a vehicle-based business8 |
Step 1: the CSLB license
CSLB, the Contractors State License Board, publishes a Check a License page. A license number or a business name goes in, and the license history page shows the status, any complaint disclosure, workers’ compensation and insurance4. The agency’s guidance is to check “online or call (800) 321-CSLB (2752)”, and to ask for “their pocket license, along with a picture I.D.”3. It also advises collecting “at least three written bids”, comparing identical scopes, and says “Do not automatically accept the lowest bid”34.
The $1,000 rule
CSLB’s page on illegal activity states the rule in one sentence: “It is illegal for an unlicensed person to perform contracting work on any project which requires a building permit, or employee labor is used or the project is valued at $1,000, or more”1. Three triggers sit in that sentence: a permit, employee labor, or a value of $1,000 or more.
CSLB’s implementation bulletin for AB 2622 describes the minor-work exemption narrowly: it applies only if “the work cannot require a permit”, and no one is employed2. A job that needs a building permit is therefore a licensed-contractor job whatever its price.
Good to know The $1,000 figure is a licensing threshold, not a permit threshold. The municipal code, in its 2023 compilation, exempts from a building permit work “valued at seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750.00) or less, unless it affects the fire life-safety, structural stability or required accessible route”, and every code exemption is conditioned on the work not violating the zoning regulations9. The two numbers answer different questions, and work that needs a permit is covered by the licensing rule at any value19. What the permit threshold covers is in What Needs a Building Permit in Long Beach.
Step 2: the city business license
A licensed contractor pulling permits in Long Beach holds a city business license in addition to the state license. The Business License Division’s page offers a “Look Up a Business License” tool5. For permits, the city’s owner and contractor bulletin, IB-029 (revised July 27, 2026), says licensed contractors need a CSLB license “and an active City of Long Beach Business License”6.
The same bulletin sets out two more conditions for a contractor6:
- A contractor’s agent who pulls the permit needs a notarized letter “dated within the last year”.
- Workers’ compensation is verified before a permit is issued.
The city’s business license tax is a separate subject, covered in Long Beach Business License Cost.
Step 3: who pulls the permit
The Permit Center’s online system accepts “Contractors with a pre-authorized PIN” for building, electrical, mechanical (residential) and plumbing permits; owners or agents attach a letter or FORM-006 instead. Invoices on the PIN route arrive “within 1-3 business days”7.
| Who is at the counter | What the city’s pages require |
|---|---|
| A licensed contractor | A CSLB license and an active City of Long Beach business license6 |
| A contractor’s agent | A notarized letter “dated within the last year”6 |
| An owner or an owner’s agent, online | A letter or FORM-006 attached to the application7 |
Requirements as of October 2026. Sources:6 and7 as marked.
IB-029 also sets out when an owner may pull a permit for work on their own property, with conditions on sale, residence and the number of times the exemption is used; those conditions are in Pulling Your Own Permit in Long Beach6.
The vehicle decal
The city license application prints Municipal Code section 3.80.425.5: “Every person having a license shall prominently display the license at the place of business. If the business is operated from a vehicle, an identifying decal issued by the City shall be affixed to the vehicle, and the business license shall be carried by the licensee”8. For a contractor, that rule puts two requirements on a vehicle-based business: the decal affixed to the vehicle and the business license carried by the licensee. The application text does not say where the decal is issued or whether it carries a fee.
What the lookups show
The state record shows license status, complaint disclosure, workers’ compensation and insurance4. The city’s tool shows the business license5. Neither is a record of the work itself; a past permit at an address can be searched in Long Beach Permit History Lookup. The city verifies workers’ compensation before it issues a permit6. The site earns a commission on some links to business services, which does not affect what is recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check a contractor's license in Long Beach?
Do I need a licensed contractor for a job under $1,000?
The state’s exemption applies only if the work cannot require a permit and no one is employed2.
Does a contractor need a Long Beach business license?
For a permit, yes: IB-029 says licensed contractors need a CSLB license “and an active City of Long Beach Business License”6.
What should a contractor show before starting?
CSLB’s guidance is to ask for “their pocket license, along with a picture I.D.”3.
Does a contractor's truck need a decal in Long Beach?
A business operated from a vehicle must have “an identifying decal issued by the City” on the vehicle, under code section 3.80.425.58.
Does the city check workers' compensation?
Yes. IB-029 says workers’ compensation is verified before a permit is issued6.
Related Articles
Sources
- What Is Illegal Contractor Activity — Contractors State License Board. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- AB 2622 Implementation (industry bulletin, 2024) — Contractors State License Board. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Finding the Right Contractor — Contractors State License Board. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Check a License — Contractors State License Board. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Business License — City of Long Beach, Finance. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Information Bulletin IB-029: Owner-Builder and Contractor Permit Requirements (rev. 07-27-2026) — City of Long Beach, Development Services. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Permits Online — City of Long Beach, Development Services. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- City of Long Beach Business License Application (6-9-25) — City of Long Beach, Finance. Accessed 2026-10-02.
- Long Beach Building Standards Code, Title 18 (2023 compilation, section 18.04.020) — City of Long Beach, Development Services. Accessed 2026-10-02.