Updated October 2026
What makes one paving bid different from another, the California licensing rules worth knowing, and how to check any contractor's license in two minutes.
In California, paving, grading, sealing, and striping work of $1,000 or more requires a contractor's license. When comparing bids, confirm the contractor carries an active license, a $25,000 bond, liability insurance, and workers' compensation. Those protect you, the property owner, if a worker is injured or the job isn't finished right. Most other price differences come from the parts you can't see after the job: base preparation, compaction, and asphalt thickness. You can check any license free at cslb.ca.gov before you sign.
Two bids for the same lot can be far apart, and the difference is usually in what's included. Here's what to confirm in any bid you're considering.
| What to Confirm | Why It Matters to You |
|---|---|
| Active license & $25,000 bond | You have the state license board and the bond to turn to if the work isn't completed properly |
| Workers' compensation | Covers a worker injured on your property, so that responsibility doesn't fall on you as the owner |
| Liability insurance | Covers accidental damage to your building, vehicles, or a neighbor's property |
| Base preparation & compaction | The ground under the asphalt decides whether pavement lasts a few years or 20–30 |
| Asphalt thickness | The section has to match your traffic, or it ruts and breaks up under trucks |
| Code & ADA layout | A layout that passes inspection the first time only gets paid for once |
Yes, for any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Since January 1, 2025, work under $1,000 can be done without a license only if it needs no permit and the person works alone, with no helpers. That rules out most paving, grading, sealing, and striping jobs.
Confirm the contractor carries workers' compensation before work starts. Under California Labor Code section 2750.5, if the contractor isn't licensed, a worker doing licensed work can be presumed to be the property owner's employee, which can make the owner responsible for medical costs and lost wages.
With a licensed contractor, you can file a complaint with the Contractors State License Board and make a claim against the contractor's $25,000 license bond. California law also gives property owners additional protections when work that requires a license is done without one (Business and Professions Code section 7031).
Use the free License Check on the Contractors State License Board website at cslb.ca.gov. Enter the license number or business name and confirm the license is active, the classification matches the work (C-12 for paving and earthwork, A for general engineering), the $25,000 contractor's bond is current, and workers' compensation insurance is on file.
This page is general information about California contractor rules, not legal advice. For a specific situation, talk to an attorney or the Contractors State License Board.
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