Licensed Contractors and Industry Professionals List

Los Angeles County and the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) do not endorse or recommend any contractor or licensed professional listed below. Inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement, certification, or guarantee of services, nor does it imply that the individual or company specializes in rebuilding services. The contractors and licensed professionals appearing here have voluntarily requested to be included and are licensed in their respective fields. Consumers are encouraged to conduct their own research and due diligence before hiring any contractor or professional.

Contractors must use a fixed price contract. A fixed-price contract lists the full agreed upon price for the project. Contractors are not allowed to use “time and materials” or “cost plus” contracts for disaster-related home improvement work.

Down payments should not be more than $1,000 or 10%. Contractors cannot ask for or accept a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. Any other payments must be clearly listed in the contract. They must also be based on the actual value of work already completed or on materials that have been delivered to your home.

These rules apply to all home improvement projects, including residential solar installations and the construction of residential accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Before agreeing to work with a contractor to rebuild your home after a declared disaster or perform other home improvement work, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) reminds homeowners to:

• Verify the contractor is licensed and in good standing. You can check a license here.
• Make sure the contract is a fixed-price contract.
• Agree to a total contract price that works for you and your contractor.
• Make sure the down payment isn’t more than $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less.
• Never sign any contract or change order that requires a progress payment larger than the value of the work completed.
• Get any other payments clearly listed in the contract.
• Seek other bids if a contractor can’t meet these requirements.

For more information and resources, visit CSLB’s Disaster Help Center.

We strongly recommend that property owners take the following steps before hiring or engaging any contractor

• Check the CSLB website: Go to cslb.ca.gov and use the “Find My Licensed Contractor” tool to search for the contractor by city, zip code, or specific classification, or by license number. If you have the contractor’s license number, you can enter www.cslb.ca.gov forward-slash license number (for example, www.cslb.ca.gov/88888888)
• Check license status: Verify the contractor’s license number is current and in good standing.
• Review complaint disclosure: The CSLB website also allows you to check for any disclosable consumer complaints or legal actions taken against the contractor.
• Does the contractor have employees? Confirm workers’ compensation insurance compliance.
• Get at least three bids: Compare quotes from different contractors to ensure you’re getting a fair price.
• Request and check references: Ask for references from previous clients and follow up with them to inquire about their experience with the contractor.
• Ask about recent projects: Have they done debris removal before? Visit the contractor’s previous job sites if possible.

For additional resources and information, visit:

• Los Angeles County Consumer and Business Affairs: Hiring a Contractor – Consumer & Business
• CSLB Disaster Help Center or call the CSLB Disaster Hotline, (800) 962-1125, available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Property owners are also encouraged to review Guides and Publications, including Ten Tips for Making Sure Your Contractor Measures Up, Checklists for Prescreening Contractors, What You Should Know Before Hiring a Contractor, What Seniors Should Know Before Hiring a Contractor, and more.

Licensed contractors, architects, engineers, and other professionals who wish to be included on our list may submit a request by completing the form at this link. Inclusion is voluntary and limited to licensed professionals in good standing. For a list of self-certified building professionals, please visit our Self Certification page.