California’s contractor license bonds run through CSLB statewide, not through a city-by-city registration maze. An active license ordinarily needs the contractor’s bond. An LLC license adds a second employee/worker bond. Some RME or low-ownership RMO structures also need a bond of qualifying individual (BQI) on top of the contractor’s bond. Bid, performance, and payment bonds for individual jobs sit outside this license-and-permit Resource Center.
California · Surety Bond Resource Center
California surety bonds
CSLB contractor license bonds are a licensing requirement—not business insurance. Use this page to open the contractor’s bond, LLC employee/worker bond, or bond of qualifying individual guide that matches your license setup.
California at a glance
- Contractor’s bond
- $25,000
- LLC employee/worker bond
- $100,000
- Bond of qualifying individual
- $25,000
- Who requires it
- CSLB
Required for active CSLB licenses under BPC § 7071.6.
Additional bond for LLC licensees under BPC § 7071.6.5.
Required for certain RME/RMO qualifier structures under BPC § 7071.9.
Statewide licensing authority for California contractor licenses.
How it works in this state
How California bonding is organized
California bond directory
Find your bond requirement
These guides cover license and permit bonds with verified educational content. Your agency notice or application checklist is always the final authority.
BondAgencyCommon amountHow you file
- Contractor’s BondLicense & permitContractors State License Board (CSLB)$25,000File the CSLB-approved form (commonly 13B-1); stays in force while licensedMaintain for as long as the license remains active
- LLC Employee/Worker BondLicense & permitContractors State License Board (CSLB)$100,000File with CSLB; stays in force while the LLC license requires itCoordinate with LLC license renewal
- Bond of Qualifying IndividualLicense & permitContractors State License Board (CSLB)$25,000File the CSLB-approved BQI form; stays in force while the qualifier structure requires itMaintain while the BQI requirement applies
Who sets the requirement?
California licensing agencies
Each agency below sets its own bond requirement. Open the related guide for amounts and filing steps.
Contractors State License Board
Issues and renews California contractor licenses and receives required surety filings.
Open related guide →Before you apply
Confirm these details from the agency notice
Bring these five items when you request a bond. For the full checklist, see how to read a bond requirement.
- 1
Who requires it
Contractors State License Board (CSLB).
- 2
Bond title or form
CSLB-approved form for the bond type (for example, Form 13B-1 for the contractor’s bond).
- 3
Required amount
Statutory amount for that bond type—if another source shows a different figure, follow the statute.
- 4
License / application identifiers
Business name and license or application number exactly as shown in CSLB records.
- 5
Qualifier details (if BQI)
Qualifier name and role (RME or low-ownership RMO/manager/member) when a BQI is required.
Learn more about surety bonds
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need more than the $25,000 contractor’s bond?
Often yes. LLC licenses also carry a $100,000 employee/worker bond. Some RME or low-ownership qualifier setups need a $25,000 BQI as well. Open the guide that matches your entity and qualifier structure.
Start your California bond application
California will be preselected in the application. Choose the bond type on the next step—we verify the current agency form before anything is issued.
Last verified 2026-08-06. Official sources are retained with this guide and checked before publication.
Agents Ready to Help
Need help matching a California agency notice to the correct bond form? Our surety team can review the requirement with you.
Talk to the pro →