Which license each job needs in San Diego
| Work | CSLB classification | San Diego firms matched to an active CSLB license | Matched to a non-active one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remodel, addition, ADU, new home | B General Building; B-2 Residential Remodeling for remodels | 63.1% remodel, 52.0% ADU, 56.6% addition | 14, 22, 6 |
| Solar and batteries | C-46 Solar (C-10 may also do solar electrical) | 64.1% of 423 | 11 |
| Electrical, panels, EV chargers | C-10 Electrical | 72.9% of 576 | 16 |
| Furnace, heat pump, AC | C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning | 61.6% of 177 | 2 |
| Plumbing, water heaters | C-36 Plumbing | 66.1% of 375 | 12 |
| Pools and spas | C-53 Swimming Pool | 62.4% of 133 | 1 |
| Foundation and seismic retrofit | B, or A General Engineering for heavy work | 64.4% of 59 | 0 |
Classifications are from CSLB's list. The classification on the record is the scope: a C-46 solar firm is not licensed to add a bedroom.
The dollar line is $1,000. AB 2622 raised the handyperson exemption "from $500 to $1,000" on 1 January 2025, and it applies only when the worker does "not hire workers and no building permits are needed" (CSLB). Every permit in our file is past that line by definition. CSLB also requires a "$25,000" contractor's bond and caps a home improvement down payment at "10% of the contract price" or $1,000, whichever is less (Finding the Right Contractor, read 22 October 2026).
The City's own requirement is tax, not competence. Its Business Tax FAQ says "Self-employed persons and independent contractors are also required to pay the Business Tax", and that "no person shall engage in any business, trade calling, or occupation until a certificate of payment is obtained" (City Treasurer, read 22 October 2026). The FAQ lists no public lookup of certificates, so ask the contractor for the number.
How to run the lookup in five minutes
- Get the CSLB number from the quote. California requires it on contractors' advertising, and a licensed firm will have it on the bid.
- Open Check a License and enter the number. Read the status and expiry, then Classifications against your job, then Bonding and Workers' Compensation. An exemption from workers' comp on a firm that arrives with a crew is a question to ask.
- Check discipline: the same record carries complaint disclosure and any disciplinary bond.
- Track record: open the firm on our San Diego remodel list, ADU list or solar list.
How to search San Diego permit records
Development Services' Information Bulletin 110 lists three online tools (read 22 October 2026):
- Permit Finder, a map launched in November 2023 that the City says holds "more than one million permits", back to 2003, searchable by address, parcel number, project, permit or approval number (press release).
- OpenDSD Approval Search, by approval or project ID, or by street number and base road name ("Santa Fe" for 7325 W. Santa Fe St.). It covers projects from 2003, but "some permit types submitted after January 16, 2018" live on the next site.
- Accela Citizen Access, the City's online permitting portal for newer filings.
Those tools are organised by property. Ours is organised by firm: each firm's San Diego permits over three years, the share finaled and the days it took, on the San Diego permit statistics page and the compare lists.
What 42,447 San Diego permits show
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Finaled | Usual days to final | Active CSLB match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, plumbing and HVAC (no plans) | 20,942 | 1,521 | 59.5% | 84 | 66.5% |
| Solar | 10,027 | 423 | 73.3% | 72 | 64.1% |
| Electrical | 2,265 | 576 | 75.5% | 71 | 72.9% |
| Plumbing | 1,844 | 375 | 65.0% | 41 | 66.1% |
| HVAC | 1,839 | 177 | 61.4% | 103 | 61.6% |
| Remodel and alteration | 1,681 | 534 | 79.1% | 162 | 63.1% |
| ADU (companion unit) | 1,278 | 640 | 75.1% | 442 | 52.0% |
| Addition | 671 | 422 | 82.7% | 343 | 56.6% |
"Finaled" is the share of permits a year or more old with a recorded final. Usual filed values: remodel $18,998, ADU $127,372, addition $85,351.
The no-plan trade permits are where firms differ most. Among the 150 firms with 10 or more of them, the 10th-percentile firm finaled 33.3% and the 90th 84.1%; 88 were under 70%. For solar it runs 59.2% to 90.4%.
See every San Diego electrician, plumber and HVAC firm by finals and CSLB status →
Red flags in San Diego
- A CSLB status other than Active. 33 trade firms, 22 ADU firms and 16 electrical firms in our file matched a license that is not active. They pulled permits in the window; check the license today.
- A classification that does not fit the job, such as a C-46 solar firm quoting a panel upgrade with a remodel attached.
- A down payment above 10% or $1,000, whichever is less.
- An ADU builder whose permits sit open. The usual ADU took 442 days to final; a firm with several older ones still open has something to explain.
- A "handyman" quoting $1,000 or more, or any job that needs a permit.
What this lookup does not tell you
We match CSLB's license file to permits by business or owner name. 31.4% of trade firms and 34.3% of remodel firms had no match, usually because the permit spells the firm differently; unmatched is not unlicensed. We do not hold City business tax records. A license says the firm may work, not how its last job went. The statewide rules, status definitions and penalties are in How to check a contractor's license in California; unincorporated areas are in the San Diego County ADU cost guide and on the San Diego County pages.
How we know this
Permits are City of San Diego Development Services permits on homes, 2023-10 to 2026-09, grouped into the trades above. "Finaled" uses permits a year or more old; the percentile figures use firms with 10 or more permits. License status is our name match against CSLB's public license file. Rules are quoted from CSLB and City of San Diego pages, read 22 October 2026.
Numbers come from City of San Diego Development Services approvals, data through October 15, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Does the City of San Diego license contractors?
No. Contractors are licensed by the state, through the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). The City requires a Business Tax Certificate from anyone doing business there; its FAQ says independent contractors are also required to pay the business tax. There is no public City lookup of those certificates.
- When does a San Diego job need a licensed contractor?
For any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and for any job that needs a building permit whatever it costs. AB 2622 raised the handyperson limit from $500 to $1,000 on 1 January 2025, and the exemption holds only if no workers are hired and no permit is needed (CSLB).
- Which CSLB license does an ADU builder need?
A B General Building Contractor license (or B-2 Residential Remodeling for remodel work). The electrician, plumber and HVAC contractor on the job need C-10, C-36 and C-20 classifications if they contract separately.
- How do I see the permits on a San Diego address?
Use the City's Permit Finder map, OpenDSD's Approval Search (by address, project or approval number, for projects since 2003) or the Accela portal for newer permits. Development Services lists all three in Information Bulletin 110.
- How big is a San Diego contractor's bond?
$25,000, per CSLB. CSLB also caps a home improvement down payment at 10% of the price or $1,000, whichever is less, unless the contractor has a blanket performance and payment bond on file.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Check a License — CSLB (2026-10-22)
- Finding the Right Contractor — CSLB (2026-10-22)
- CSLB Licensing Classifications (2026-10-22)
- Handyperson Exemption to Increase to $1,000 in 2025 — CSLB press release (AB 2622) (2026-10-22)
- Business Tax Frequently Asked Questions — City of San Diego Treasurer (2026-10-22)
- Information Bulletin 110: Researching Records — City of San Diego Development Services (2026-10-22)
- Approval Search — OpenDSD, City of San Diego (2026-10-22)
- City of San Diego Launches New Online Permit Finder Tool (press release, 17 Nov 2023) (2026-10-22)