Workers' comp for California contractors and the 2028 deadline

B&P Code §7125 requires every CSLB licensee to keep one of two things on file with CSLB:

• a certificate of workers' compensation insurance, if you carry a policy, or
• an exemption, if you have no employees and your classification permits it.

It does not matter whether the licence belongs to a sole owner, a partnership, a corporation or an LLC. Everyone files one or the other.

Keep the two policies straight. Workers' comp protects your own workers when they are hurt on the job. General liability protects other people your work injures or whose property it damages.

Most solo licensees can file the no-employee exemption. These five classes cannot, and must carry workers' comp even when nobody else works for the business:

If any of these is on your licence, 2028 is not your date; a policy is needed today. Your licence page on the CSLB site lists every class you hold, and if even one of these five appears there, the requirement applies to you.

For the liability side of these trades, see roofing, concrete and HVAC.

SB 216 was written so that, starting January 1, 2026, every CSLB licensee would need workers' comp whether or not they had employees. SB 1455, passed in 2024, pushed that start to January 1, 2028.

• Until then: you file a certificate or an exemption, and the five classes above carry a policy.
• From January 1, 2028: under the law as written, all licensees carry workers' comp, and the no-employee exemption would no longer be available.

Lawmakers can change a date again before it arrives, so confirm the current rule with CSLB before each licence renewal. For a solo contractor on an exemption today, though, 2028 is the date to build your plan around.

Starting early pays off. A workers' comp quote is built on your payroll and the kind of work your people do, and the answers take some thought to get right. Quoting well ahead of the date lets you see your options without a deadline pressing on you.

Many contractors assume one policy handles every accident on the job. It does not. General liability generally covers bodily injury and property damage to other people from your work, including completed operations when the policy includes it. It does not cover:

• Injuries to your own employees (workers' comp)
• Your own tools and equipment
• Your vehicles (commercial auto)
• The cost to redo faulty work

A helper who falls from your scaffold is a workers' comp claim. A homeowner's guest who trips over your cords is a GL claim. Contractors with a crew generally need both, and GCs often want proof of each before you start. See certificates of insurance.

• Workers' comp, online. Start from your CSLB license number, confirm you are the owner and answer the payroll and crew questions.
• General liability, online. Same license number, about a minute of questions, and quotes from multiple A-rated programs side by side. Choose one, tap "Submit for approval," and a licensed agent takes it from there. Coverage begins only after you sign.

C-22 asbestos abatement is the exception: it is never quoted online and goes straight to an agent. Commercial auto, umbrella and CSLB bonds are also handled by phone.

Before you begin, have your estimated annual payroll, the number of people who work for you and your claims history close by. Your quote link is texted and emailed to you, so you can step away and finish later. Call or text (877) 940-4313 in English or Spanish.

1. Look up your licence on the CSLB site and see whether a comp certificate or an exemption is on file.
2. If your licence includes C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 or D-49, confirm a workers' comp policy is active now.
3. If you rely on an exemption, get a workers' comp quote well before January 1, 2028.
4. Keep general liability active. GCs expect it, and LLC licences are required to carry it; details are in the LLC insurance requirement.
5. Learn what moves your price: contractor GL cost and bond vs insurance.