What the data shows
49% of active California contractor licenses rely on an exemption. Of 243,757 licenses in CSLB’s file of 10/3/2026, 119,318 show an exemption, 119,782 show a workers’ comp policy, self-insurance or a leasing or staffing firm’s coverage, and 4,236 show no current workers’ comp on file. 2,960 licenses are suspended for workers’ comp.
The exemption is ending. SB 216 extends the workers’ comp requirement to every licensed contractor, regardless of classification and with limited exceptions, on January 1, 2028 (what changes and what to do). Of the exempt licenses, 12,217 expire in 2026, 59,002 in 2027 and 48,099 in 2028.
Where it’s already required, almost no one is exempt. CSLB requires C-20 Warm-Air Heating, C-39 Roofing, C-8 Concrete, C-22 Asbestos Abatement and C-61/D-49 tree service to carry workers’ comp even with no employees. Exemptions on file in those classes: C-20 17 of 12,179, C-39 1 of 5,760, C-8 16 of 5,609, C-22 1 of 322; D-49 9 of 2,831.
Exemptions are highest in B-2 Residential Remodeling (73%), B General Building (57%), C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (53%), C-33 Painting and Decorating (53%). Among the largest trades, B General Building is 57% exempt; see every trade below.
One-person businesses lean on the exemption. 70% of 113,956 sole-owner licenses are exempt, against 29% of 111,697 corporations. Among counties with at least 2,000 licenses, the exempt share runs from 43% in Fresno to 59% in El Dorado; Los Angeles County, with 49,723 licenses, is 50%.
By county
| County | Active licenses | Exempt | Exempt share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 49,723 | 24,838 | 50% |
| San Diego | 21,613 | 10,987 | 51% |
| Orange | 20,152 | 9,724 | 48% |
| Riverside | 16,549 | 7,908 | 48% |
| San Bernardino | 11,221 | 5,586 | 50% |
| Sacramento | 9,909 | 5,306 | 54% |
| Santa Clara | 9,790 | 4,358 | 45% |
| Alameda | 7,587 | 3,567 | 47% |
| Contra Costa | 7,587 | 3,702 | 49% |
| Ventura | 6,564 | 3,188 | 49% |
| Sonoma | 5,582 | 2,583 | 46% |
| San Mateo | 4,748 | 2,260 | 48% |
| Placer | 4,741 | 2,562 | 54% |
| Fresno | 4,350 | 1,881 | 43% |
| San Francisco | 3,915 | 1,917 | 49% |
| Kern | 3,764 | 1,766 | 47% |
| San Joaquin | 3,640 | 1,683 | 46% |
| San Luis Obispo | 3,426 | 1,962 | 57% |
| Santa Barbara | 3,393 | 1,584 | 47% |
| Stanislaus | 3,017 | 1,432 | 47% |
| Monterey | 2,830 | 1,270 | 45% |
| Marin | 2,696 | 1,319 | 49% |
| El Dorado | 2,565 | 1,519 | 59% |
| Santa Cruz | 2,556 | 1,382 | 54% |
| Solano | 2,448 | 1,211 | 49% |
| Shasta | 1,870 | 1,080 | 58% |
| Butte | 1,850 | 1,110 | 60% |
| Nevada | 1,792 | 1,032 | 58% |
| Tulare | 1,763 | 785 | 45% |
| Napa | 1,155 | 529 | 46% |
| Yolo | 1,140 | 569 | 50% |
| Merced | 1,123 | 495 | 44% |
| Humboldt | 1,099 | 658 | 60% |
| Mendocino | 947 | 520 | 55% |
| Madera | 898 | 470 | 52% |
| Calaveras | 679 | 404 | 59% |
| Tuolumne | 644 | 398 | 62% |
| Sutter | 639 | 323 | 51% |
| San Benito | 613 | 254 | 41% |
| Lake | 554 | 308 | 56% |
| Yuba | 508 | 274 | 54% |
| Amador | 435 | 286 | 66% |
| Siskiyou | 420 | 255 | 61% |
| Imperial | 409 | 152 | 37% |
| Tehama | 391 | 231 | 59% |
| Kings | 307 | 130 | 42% |
| Plumas | 278 | 161 | 58% |
| Mono | 224 | 118 | 53% |
| Glenn | 185 | 105 | 57% |
| Mariposa | 183 | 103 | 56% |
| Inyo | 177 | 93 | 53% |
| Lassen | 172 | 103 | 60% |
| Del Norte | 141 | 87 | 62% |
| Trinity | 121 | 78 | 64% |
| Colusa | 94 | 50 | 53% |
| Modoc | 61 | 39 | 64% |
| Sierra | 36 | 24 | 67% |
| Alpine | 20 | 16 | 80% |
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