In a bid to protect property owners from inept or unscrupulous contractors, California's licensing laws are framed to make certain that contractors are appropriately licensed with California's Contractors State License Board. California Business and Professions Code §7031 offers a compelling motivation. The law proscribes a contractor from bringing a lawsuit for payment or other damages for services offered if the contractor is not suitably licensed, in spite of the merits of the contractor's contention.

The California Contractors License Board was founded in 1929 at the request of the building industry. At present the Board persists in ensuring the protection of consumers before and after they engage building contractors.

A fifteen-member board selects the CSLB’s executive officer, or Registrar, and gives necessary commands as part of the administrative policy for the 450 Board staff members who operate from their headquarters in Sacramento and also field offices all over the state.

The board comprises nine public members, five contractors, and one labor representative.

The CSLB monitors the activities of contractors in 42 license classifications. It also probes into complaints against contractors. With the assistance of SWIFT (Statewide Investigative Fraud Team), the Board works to eradicate unlicensed contractors engaged in California.

It makes available free publications related to employing the services of contractors, and the construction procedure. The Board also runs an informational web site and offers a toll-free computerized telephone reply system that gives the public relevant information on contractor licensing.

The Contractors State License Board safeguards the interests of consumers by keeping a close vigil on the construction industry through strategies that improve the health, protection and general well-being of the public in matters connecting to construction. The Contractors State License Board tries to ensure that construction is accomplished in a secure, efficient and skilled way. The main priorities of The Board are licensing contractors and implementing licensing laws, making certain that any person practicing or intending to practice construction be licensed, and implementing the laws, rules and principles governing construction contracting in a just and consistent manner.