By the State Contractors Licensing Board

The Contractors State License Board (CSLB), in partnership with the California Department of Insurance and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, conducted an undercover operation in Fillmore targeting unlicensed contractors.

The two-day operation on October 23-24 resulted in 12 people being issued notices to appear in the criminal court for allegedly contracting without a licence. Individuals submitted bids ranging from $800 for flooring work to $10,300 for a painting, all without a valid contractor’s license. California law requires any contractor who advertises or contracts for work worth $500 or more (including labor and materials) to be licensed. These individuals advertised their services without disclosing their unlicensed status.

Consequences for contracting without a license in California are severe, with penalties of up to $15,000 in administrative fines, misdemeanor charges, potential jail time of up to six months, and criminal fines of up to $5,000. Repeat offenders face major penalties, including a mandatory 90-day jail sentence and a $5,000 fine or 20 percent of the contract value – whichever is greater.