California Contractor Workers’ Comp & Ghost Policies: CSLB Rules + How to Buy (2026–2028)

By Kevin Leipsic, President & Founder Licensed CA insurance agent #0D72064 · Member & Insurance Advisor, California Building Industry Association (CBIA) and National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Host of ContractorTV on YouTube and the California Contractor Podcast on Spotify Last reviewed November 1, 2026, against CSLB and California law

Renewal coming up? No employees? And CSLB just told you it needs a workers’ comp certificate?

You’re not the only one. I get this call almost every week, and the fix is simpler than it sounds.

Here’s everything you need to know, in plain English.

Do you need workers’ comp yet?

Licensed and insured? Homeowners can find you in our directory. Claim your free Verified listing, free and never tied to buying anything.

You need it now if anyone works for you, your license is qualified by a Responsible Managing Employee (RME), or your license includes C-8 Concrete, C-20 HVAC, C-22 Asbestos Abatement, C-39 Roofing, or C-61/D-49 Tree and Palm. That’s true even if you’re a one-person shop.

Everyone else with no employees can still file a CSLB exemption for now. That option goes away on January 1, 2028. After that, every active license needs a workers’ comp certificate (or self-insurance) on file. Inactive licenses aren’t affected.

If you’re currently operating under a workers’ compensation exemption, there’s no need to purchase a policy before it’s required, assuming you remain eligible for that exemption. However, it’s important to understand when the new requirements will apply to your license so you can plan accordingly.

For newly licensed contractors in classifications that already require workers’ compensation, you don’t have to wait until your license number is issued. You can begin the insurance process using your CSLB application fee number while your license application is being reviewed.

What a ghost policy is (and what it isn’t)

“Ghost policy” is just an industry nickname. You’ll also hear owner-only, minimum premium, or zero-payroll policy. Here’s what it really is:

• It’s real workers’ comp insurance. It comes with a Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance, and that’s what CSLB wants to see.
• It’s not an exemption. An exemption is a form that says you don’t need coverage. A ghost policy says you have coverage, and here’s the proof. When your classification requires coverage, or after January 1, 2028, only the policy works.
• It doesn’t cover you. Every ghost policy excludes the owner. If you want coverage for yourself, that’s a standard policy, not a ghost policy.
• It gets audited. Every ghost policy is audited to confirm no payroll was issued.

For a contractor who truly works alone, a ghost policy is the correct, legal way to get a certificate on file. Where people get in trouble is buying one while running a crew off the books or calling their helpers “1099 subs.” The audit catches that, and it’s exactly what the new penalties are aimed at.

On cost: because there’s no payroll, a ghost policy is typically written at the carrier’s minimum premium, which varies by carrier and by classification. I’d rather quote your actual license than throw out a number that doesn’t fit you.

If you’re about to hire someone

Congrats, first of all. Just call me before their first day.

If you’re on an exemption, it stops being valid once you hire, and CSLB needs proof of coverage within 90 days. Don’t treat that as a grace period, though. California requires workers’ comp even with one employee, so get the policy in place first.

If you’re on a ghost policy, we’ll move you to a standard policy that covers payroll. And a heads-up on helpers: paying someone cash or giving them a 1099 doesn’t automatically make them an independent contractor. If they work under your direction and do the core work of your business, California can treat them as your employee. When in doubt, ask me first.

How much does workers’ comp cost for California contractors?

Straight answer: it depends on your license, your payroll and your history. Anyone who quotes you a price before asking about those things is guessing.

You’ve probably seen the online “average cost” charts. Here’s the problem: they mix roofers with remodelers, one-person shops with 40-person crews, and last year’s rates with this year’s. The number might be accurate for somebody. It’s just not built on your license. So we don’t publish prices. We quote your license.

Here’s what actually drives your premium:

• Class code. Every type of work has its own workers’ comp classification, and each carries a different rate based on how risky the work is. Roofing and drywall are not priced the same. Some California construction classes are also split by the hourly wage you pay (“dual-wage” classes), so the same trade can land in two different codes. (More on dual class codes)
• Payroll. For a standard policy, premium is calculated on the payroll in each class code. More payroll means more premium, and accurate payroll means fewer surprises at audit.
• Experience mod (X-Mod). Once your business is large enough to be experience-rated, your own claims history is compared with similar contractors. Fewer and smaller claims bring the mod down over time. More claims push it up.
• Claims. Even before you have a mod, carriers look at your loss history. A clean record gives you more carriers to choose from.
• Your operations and where you work. Residential or commercial, new construction or remodel, height, the equipment you use, and the regions you work in all affect which carriers want your business and how they price it.
• The carrier itself. California carriers file their own rates and set their own minimum premiums, so the same contractor can get noticeably different quotes. That’s why shopping matters.
• For ghost policies: with no payroll, there’s nothing to multiply. A ghost policy is usually written at the carrier’s minimum premium, which varies by carrier and by classification.

What you can control: keep your class codes right, keep your payroll clean, run a real safety program, report injuries promptly, and let us shop it at renewal instead of auto-renewing. (8 ways to save on workers’ comp)

Want your real number? Send us your license number (or application fee number) and we’ll shop it.

Does workers’ comp cover me as the owner?

Not if it’s a ghost policy. Every ghost policy excludes the owner, with no exceptions. A ghost policy exists to put a valid certificate on file with CSLB when you have no employees. If you fall off a ladder, it pays nothing for your injury.

A standard (payroll) policy can include you, if you choose that. Depending on how your business is set up (sole proprietor, partnership, LLC or corporation), owners, partners, members or officers can often elect to be included for coverage, or in some cases elect to be excluded. Once the owner is included, it’s a standard policy and no longer a ghost policy. Your included payroll counts toward the premium under the carrier’s and rating bureau’s rules.

When owners usually choose to cover themselves:

• You’re on the tools every day doing physical work, and you don’t have strong health and disability coverage.
• One injury would stop your income and your business.
• A GC, property manager or contract requires it.
• You already carry a crew policy, and adding yourself is a small step compared with being uninsured.

The rules for including or excluding owners depend on your entity type and the paperwork filed with the carrier. That’s exactly what we walk through on the first call. (Sole proprietor vs. LLC vs. corporation) (General information, not legal advice.)

Ghost policy vs. workers’ comp with employees (ContractorGHOST vs. ContractorCOMP)

These are CRC’s two workers’ comp programs. Through them, we shop California carriers, the same carriers other brokers can access. What’s different is who handles it (me), how fast, and the follow-through on CSLB filing, renewals and audits.

ContractorGHOST: the owner-only ghost policy (ghost policy quote)

• Who it’s for: contractors with zero employees who need a workers’ comp certificate on file (must-carry classes now, nearly everyone on Jan 1, 2028).
• Payroll: none.
• Covers the owner? No. The owner is always excluded.
• Premium basis: usually the carrier’s minimum premium for your classification.
• Audit: confirms that no payroll was paid during the policy term.
• CSLB: we file your certificate with CSLB as your authorized agent.

ContractorCOMP: workers’ comp for contractors with employees, or owners who want coverage

• Who it’s for: contractors with one or more employees, or owners who want themselves covered.
• Payroll: reported by class code.
• Covers the owner? Can, when the owner elects to be included (depends on entity type).
• Premium basis: payroll × class rates, adjusted by experience mod and carrier.
• Billing: standard installments or Pay As You Go where available.
• Audit: trues up your estimated payroll against actual payroll.
• CSLB: we file your certificate with CSLB as your authorized agent.

Rule of thumb: If anyone is working under your direction and getting paid, even “just a helper,” even in cash, even on a 1099, ContractorGHOST is the wrong tool. Call me first. (Employee vs. independent contractor)

Moving from ghost to full coverage is one of the most common calls I get. When you hire, we replace the ghost policy with a standard policy before the new hire’s first day, and we file the new certificate with CSLB.

Pay As You Go workers’ comp

Pay As You Go is a way of paying for the policy, not a different kind of coverage. The coverage is the same workers’ comp. Only the billing changes.

How it works: Instead of paying a big deposit based on a payroll estimate, you pay premium each pay period based on the actual payroll you just ran. Your payroll data goes to the carrier (usually through your payroll provider), and premium is calculated from it.

Why contractors like it:

• Cash flow. No large upfront deposit sitting with the carrier during the slow months. Premium rises and falls with your actual work.
• Seasonal work. If you run a big crew in summer and a skeleton crew in winter, you pay for what you actually run.
• Fewer audit surprises. Because you’re paying on real payroll all year, the year-end gap is usually smaller.

What it doesn’t do:

• It doesn’t skip the audit. Pay As You Go policies are still audited at year end. The audit just tends to be cleaner.
• It doesn’t fix bad payroll. If your class codes are wrong in payroll, premium is wrong every single pay period. Setup matters.
• It isn’t for ghost policies. With no payroll, there’s nothing to report, so ghost policies are generally billed as a minimum premium.
• It isn’t offered by every carrier, for every class. We’ll tell you which options fit your license when we shop it.

Why you’ll need a payroll provider

(Educational only. We don’t sell or recommend a specific payroll company.)

Once you have employees, your workers’ comp premium is built on payroll. Accurate, organized payroll is what keeps your premium fair and your audit painless. A real payroll provider (not a spreadsheet and a checkbook) helps you:

• Split payroll by class code. If one employee does both framing and finish work, or you have office staff and field crew, clean records let the auditor rate each part correctly instead of putting everything in the highest-rated class.
• Track overtime the right way. In California, the overtime premium portion is often excluded from workers’ comp payroll if your records show it separately. Good payroll reports make that easy to document.
• Feed Pay As You Go. Most Pay As You Go setups depend on payroll data flowing to the carrier each pay period.
• Produce audit-ready reports. Quarterly payroll tax filings, payroll registers and year-end reports are exactly what the auditor asks for.
• Stay compliant beyond workers’ comp: withholding, payroll taxes, wage statements and California wage rules.

Bottom line: if you’re paying people, set up payroll the right way from the first paycheck. Before you choose a provider, ask whether it can report payroll by workers’ comp class code and whether it connects to Pay As You Go billing.

The year-end workers’ comp audit

Expect an audit on every workers’ comp policy, ghost or full. It may be a mail or online questionnaire, a phone audit, or an in-person audit. Your premium at the start of the policy is an estimate. The audit settles the real number.

If you have a ghost policy (ContractorGHOST):

The audit confirms you paid no payroll during the policy term. Expect questions about who helped on your jobs and how they were paid. If the auditor finds payroll, or finds “subs” who were really working as employees, you can be charged additional premium, the carrier may cancel or non-renew, and you may have bigger problems with CSLB. The ghost policy only works if it’s true.

If you have a payroll policy (ContractorCOMP):

The audit is a true-up. The auditor compares estimated payroll with actual payroll by class code.

• Paid more payroll than estimated → you owe additional premium.
• Paid less → you may get a return premium.
• Wrong class codes, no overtime records, or missing subcontractor paperwork → the audit usually goes against you.

Subcontractors: keep a current certificate of insurance on file for every sub you pay. If a sub has no workers’ comp of their own, the auditor may treat what you paid them as your payroll.

Why honesty matters: the audit compares your answers with your tax filings, 1099s, bank activity and job records. Under-reporting doesn’t save money. It moves the bill to later and can turn into a fraud problem. (Workers’ comp fraud: real consequences)

How we help you prepare:

• We tell you what the auditor will ask for before the audit letter arrives.
• We help you gather payroll reports, quarterly filings, 1099s and subcontractor certificates of insurance.
• We review the results with you. If something looks wrong (a misclassification, overtime left in, an insured sub counted as payroll), we help you ask the carrier to review it.
• We use what we learn at audit to set a better estimate at renewal.

Why an IIPP and safety program matter

(Educational only, not legal advice. Check the current Cal-OSHA rules or ask a safety professional for your specific situation.)

IIPP stands for Injury and Illness Prevention Program. Under Cal-OSHA rules (Title 8, §3203), every California employer needs a written IIPP, and construction employers have additional requirements (Title 8, §1509), such as a Code of Safe Practices and regular toolbox or tailgate safety meetings. If you’re a true one-person shop on a ghost policy, think of this as homework for the day you hire. Once you have employees, it isn’t optional.

Why it matters for your workers’ comp, not just Cal-OSHA:

• Culture. A written program, regular safety meetings and a real Code of Safe Practices make safety part of how your crew works, not a poster in the truck.
• Claims. Fewer injuries means fewer claims. Fewer claims means a better experience mod over time, and a better mod means a better premium.
• How carriers see you. Underwriters often ask whether you have a written safety program, how you train new hires, and how you handle injuries. A real answer gives us more carriers to shop.
• When something goes wrong. If there’s an injury or a Cal-OSHA visit, a documented program that you actually follow is the first thing you’ll want to show.

Starter steps (no vendor needed):

1. Write down who’s responsible for safety, how hazards get reported, and how you’ll fix them.
2. Build a Code of Safe Practices for your trade and keep it on the job site.
3. Hold short toolbox talks on a regular schedule and keep a sign-in sheet.
4. Train new hires before their first task, and train again when the job changes.
5. Write down how an injury gets reported and treated, and do it the same way every time.

More: What is an IIPP and how do I start one? · Creating a Code of Safe Practices · Communicating your safety program to employees

How soon can I get workers’ comp and a certificate?

Usually faster than people expect, as long as your information is ready. Here’s the process:

1. Quick call or quote form. Your license number (or CSLB application fee number if your license hasn’t been issued yet), classifications, business structure, and whether anyone works for you. For payroll policies, add estimated payroll by type of work and your claims history.
2. We shop it. We go to the California carriers that write your type of work and bring you the options with a plain-English recommendation.
3. You pick, sign and pay. Once the carrier approves and the policy is bound, you have a start date.
4. Certificate of insurance, same day. You get your certificate of insurance for GCs and customers the same day your policy starts.
5. We file your certificate with CSLB. As your authorized agent, we submit the Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance to CSLB electronically. Contractors can’t file it themselves. CSLB then posts it to your license record on their timeline, and we check the license lookup with you.

Timing details that matter:

• New license? Don’t wait for your license number. Coverage can be lined up with your application fee number while your application is in review.
• Future start date? If your policy starts more than 30 days out, CSLB holds the certificate until the effective date.
• Renewal coming up? Start a few weeks ahead, not the week of. A lapse in coverage suspends your license.
• Hiring? The policy should be in place before the new hire’s first day.

How we help

You’ll work with a licensed construction insurance specialist, not a call center. Here’s what that looks like:

1. A short conversation. We’ll ask for your license number (or application fee number), your classifications, how your business is set up, and whether anyone works for you.
2. A straight answer. If you can still file an exemption and that’s the better fit for you, we’ll tell you. If you need a policy, we’ll tell you which kind.
3. We shop California carriers for you. No employees? That’s an owner-only ghost policy through ContractorGHOST, our ghost policy program. Have a crew of any size, or want coverage for yourself? That’s ContractorCOMP, our workers’ comp for contractors with employees.
4. We file your certificate with CSLB. Only insurers and their authorized agents can file it electronically. As your agent, we take care of it.
5. You get your certificate of insurance the same day your policy starts, so you’re ready when a GC or customer asks.
6. We stay with you. Renewals, the audit, adding employees, moving from ghost to full coverage: one call, same person.

Why The Contractors Resource Center vs. other brokers

Every broker can get you a workers’ comp quote. Most can reach the same carriers we do. What’s different here is who you work with and what happens after you buy.

• You work with our team of construction insurance specialists, not a call center. You get a real person who knows your license and remembers your situation at renewal, with the agency owner a call away when you need him.
• We shop it. ContractorGHOST and ContractorCOMP are our programs for contractors. Through them we shop California carriers, the same markets other brokers can access, to find the right fit for your class and payroll. No one has a secret carrier. Service and follow-through are the difference.
• We file your certificate with CSLB. As your authorized agent, we submit the Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance and help you confirm it posts to your license record.
• Same-day certificate of insurance once your policy starts, so you’re not losing a job waiting on paperwork.
• We stay through the audit and renewal. Audit prep, reviewing audit results, moving from ghost to full coverage, adding employees, re-shopping at renewal: one call, same person.
• We follow CSLB closely. I regularly attend CSLB Board Meetings, so when the rules change (like the 2028 deadline and the exemption verification process due by January 1, 2027), you hear it from us first and in plain English.
• Rooted in the industry. Member & Insurance Advisor with the California Building Industry Association (CBIA) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI).
• A community, not just a policy. CRC is trusted by 180K+ contractors through our Facebook groups (a group in every U.S. state), the California Contractor Podcast and ContractorTV on YouTube.
• 15+ years with California contractors. CA Insurance License #0D72064. Insurance offered in California only.

Guides by trade

• C-20 HVAC workers’ comp & ghost policy
• C-8 Concrete workers’ comp & ghost policy
• C-22 Asbestos Abatement workers’ comp & ghost policy
• C-61/D-49 Tree and Palm workers’ comp & ghost policy

More reading: The January 1, 2028 deadline · Do I need workers’ comp? (no employees, 1099s, day labor) · Workers’ comp cost and how to pay less · State Fund rate changes · For homeowners and GCs: how to verify coverage · When are independent contractors employees?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Which California contractors are required to carry workers’ comp insurance?

Right now, you must carry it if anyone works for you, if your license is qualified by a Responsible Managing Employee (RME), or if your license includes C-8 Concrete, C-20 HVAC, C-22 Asbestos Abatement, C-39 Roofing or C-61/D-49 Tree and Palm, even if you work alone. Everyone else with no employees can still file a CSLB exemption for now. Starting January 1, 2028, every active license needs a workers’ comp certificate or self-insurance on file, with one narrow exception for a joint venture with no employees. Inactive licenses aren’t affected.

2. When do California’s new contractor workers’ comp requirements take effect?

The big change is January 1, 2028. That’s when the no-employee exemption ends and every active license needs a workers’ comp certificate or self-insurance on file. SB 216 originally set that date for January 1, 2026, and SB 1455 pushed it back to 2028, which is why you’ll still see 2026 online. For C-39 Roofing (since 2013) and C-8, C-20, C-22 and C-61/D-49 Tree and Palm (since 2023), the requirement is already in effect.

3. Can I keep my CSLB workers’ comp exemption?

Yes, for now, as long as you stay eligible. If you remain eligible for the exemption, there’s no need to buy a policy before it’s required. Just know when that is for your license: the exemption already doesn’t apply to licenses with an RME or a C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 or C-61/D-49 Tree and Palm classification, and it ends for nearly all licensees on January 1, 2028. Expect closer checks before then, too, since CSLB has to set up a process to verify exemption eligibility by January 1, 2027.

4. What is a workers’ comp ghost policy?

“Ghost policy” is an industry nickname for a real workers’ comp policy written with no payroll, also called an owner-only or zero-payroll policy. It comes with a Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance, which is what CSLB wants to see, so it’s not an exemption. Every ghost policy excludes the owner and is audited to confirm no payroll was issued. For a contractor who truly works alone, it’s a legal way to get a certificate on file; using one to hide a crew is what gets people in trouble.

5. Do I need workers’ comp if I’m a sole proprietor with no employees?

Until January 1, 2028, it depends on your license. If you have no employees, no RME and none of the must-carry classifications, you can file a CSLB exemption instead; starting January 1, 2028, you’ll need a policy on file even if you work alone. One catch: paying a helper cash or giving them a 1099 doesn’t automatically make them an independent contractor, and if they work under your direction doing the core work of your business, California can treat them as your employee.

6. Does a ghost policy cover me if I get hurt on the job?

No. Every ghost policy excludes the owner, so it won’t pay for your own injury. If you want coverage for yourself, you need a standard workers’ comp policy, and at that point it’s no longer a ghost policy.

7. How much does a workers’ comp ghost policy cost?

There’s no single price. Because there’s no payroll, a ghost policy is typically written at the carrier’s minimum premium, and that minimum varies by carrier and by classification. A C-39 roofer and a C-10 electrician, for example, won’t pay the same, so a number you see online may not fit your license.

8. What happens if I hire an employee?

If you’re on an exemption, it stops being valid once you hire, and CSLB must receive proof of coverage within 90 days of the hire. That isn’t a grace period, though: California requires workers’ comp even with one employee, so get the policy in place before their first day. If you’re on a ghost policy, it needs to be replaced with a standard policy that covers payroll.

9. What are the penalties for not having workers’ comp?

Under SB 291, filing a false exemption or employing workers without coverage carries a minimum civil penalty of $10,000 per violation for a sole owner and $20,000 for a partnership, corporation, LLC or tribal business, with additional penalties up to $30,000 per occurrence. CSLB also can’t renew or reinstate a disciplined license until a valid certificate is filed. And if your coverage lapses, your license is suspended, and work done while it’s suspended counts as unlicensed work.

10. How does my workers’ comp certificate get filed with CSLB?

Your insurance company or its authorized agent files the Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance, with CSLB listed as the certificate holder; contractors can’t use CSLB’s electronic filing themselves. If your license hasn’t been issued yet, the certificate can show your application fee number, so coverage can be lined up while your application is in review. If your policy starts more than 30 days out, CSLB holds the certificate until the effective date.

11. Does a ghost policy cover me, the owner?

No. Every ghost policy excludes the owner, with no exceptions. It exists to put a valid workers’ comp certificate on file with CSLB when you have no employees. If you want coverage for your own injuries, you need a standard workers’ comp policy that includes you, and then it’s no longer a ghost policy.

12. Can I cover myself as the owner on a workers’ comp policy?

Often, yes. On a standard (payroll) policy, owners, partners, LLC members or corporate officers can usually elect to be included, depending on the business structure and the carrier’s paperwork. Once you’re included, it’s not a ghost policy, and your included payroll counts toward the premium. We’ll walk through the options for your entity type.

13. How much does workers’ comp cost for a California contractor?

There’s no honest one-size number. Your premium depends on your class codes, payroll, experience mod, claims history, type of work and the carrier. Ghost policies are usually written at the carrier’s minimum premium for your classification. We don’t publish averages because they rarely match a real license. We quote yours.

14. What is Pay As You Go workers’ comp?

Pay As You Go is a billing method, not a different type of coverage. Instead of a large deposit based on estimated payroll, you pay premium each pay period based on the actual payroll you ran, usually reported through your payroll provider. It helps cash flow and seasonal businesses. It’s not available from every carrier for every class, and it generally doesn’t apply to ghost policies, which have no payroll.

15. Does Pay As You Go mean I won’t be audited?

No. Pay As You Go policies are still audited at the end of the policy term. Because premium was paid on real payroll all year, the audit is usually smaller and less surprising, but it still happens.

16. Why does a workers’ comp policy get audited?

The premium you pay at the start is based on an estimate. The audit compares that estimate with what actually happened. For a ghost policy, it confirms no payroll was paid. For a payroll policy, it trues up payroll by class code, which can mean additional premium or a return premium. Expect an audit on every policy, by mail, online, by phone or in person.

17. What happens if my ghost policy audit finds payroll?

You can be charged additional premium for that payroll, the carrier may cancel or non-renew the policy, and misrepresenting your workforce can create serious problems with CSLB and California’s penalty rules. If you’ve started paying anyone, call us before the audit so we can move you to the right policy.

18. Do I need a payroll provider for workers’ comp?

If you have employees, a real payroll provider is strongly recommended. It keeps payroll organized by workers’ comp class code, documents overtime separately, produces the reports auditors ask for, and is usually how Pay As You Go billing gets its data. We don’t recommend a specific company. Ask any provider whether it can report payroll by class code.

19. What is an IIPP, and do I need one as a contractor?

An IIPP (Injury and Illness Prevention Program) is a written workplace safety program. Cal-OSHA requires every California employer to have one, and construction employers have additional requirements such as a Code of Safe Practices and regular safety meetings. A real safety program also helps reduce claims, which can improve your experience mod and how carriers view your business. This is general information, not legal advice.

20. How fast can I get workers’ comp and a certificate of insurance?

Often quickly, once your information is complete. After you choose a policy and it’s bound, you get your certificate of insurance the same day the policy starts, and we file your Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance with CSLB electronically as your authorized agent. CSLB then updates your license record on its timeline.

21. Can I get workers’ comp before my contractor license is issued?

Yes. New applicants in classifications that require workers’ comp can line up coverage using their CSLB application fee number while the license application is in review. If the policy starts more than 30 days out, CSLB holds the certificate until the effective date.

22. Why use The Contractors Resource Center instead of another broker?

You work with our team of licensed construction insurance specialists, not a call center — a real person who knows your license and remembers your situation at renewal, with the agency owner a call away when you need him. We shop California carriers through our ContractorGHOST and ContractorCOMP programs, file your certificate with CSLB as your authorized agent, provide a same-day certificate of insurance once your policy starts, and help with audits and renewals. CRC is a CBIA and NARI member, attends CSLB Board Meetings, and is trusted by a 180K+ contractor community, with a Facebook group in every U.S. state. Insurance offered in California only.

The fine print

• Required now: C-39 Roofing (since 2013); C-8, C-20, C-22 and C-61/D-49 (since 2023, SB 216); any RME-qualified license; and anyone with employees.
• Everyone else: exemptions end January 1, 2028 (SB 1455). After that, every active license needs a workers’ comp certificate on file. CSLB must also start verifying exemptions by January 1, 2027.
• Penalties (SB 291): at least $10,000 per violation for a sole owner and $20,000 for an entity, and CSLB won’t renew a disciplined license until a certificate is filed.
• Lapses: coverage has to be continuous. A lapse suspends your license.
• Tree licenses: new tree applications are now issued as C-49. The rule names D-49, so if you hold a C-49, call me before you file anything.
• Pay As You Go and owner-inclusion options vary by carrier, classification and business structure. Every workers’ comp policy is subject to the carrier’s audit.

Official sources: CSLB, Workers’ Compensation Requirements · CSLB, online certificate submission · SB 216 (2022) · SB 1455 (2024) · SB 291 (2025) · CSLB SB 291 Report (March 2026) · CSLB C-49 Tree and Palm bulletin · Cal-OSHA Title 8 §3203: Injury and Illness Prevention Program · Cal-OSHA Title 8 §1509: Construction IIPP

This page is general information, not legal advice. Check your own record on CSLB’s license lookup, or call me and we’ll check it together.