With increasing demand for contractors in California, becoming a contractor in California has become a popular and profitable career option. However, you must obtain a contractor license to become a California contractor. You must have at least 4 years of on-the-job experience and expertise. You must pass two state exams, a code and law exam and another to test your knowledge on the type of work specific to your licensing category as determined by the CSLB. Though attending a contractor school is not required to obtain a California contractor license, it is highly recommended due to the intricate nature of the business and its direct impact on clients.
Depending on the school, you can apply for additional certifications and take courses to educate yourself and other employees of the company on new or old skills that need to be refreshed to maintain quality work and legal compliance. To help you on your contracting journey, we’ve compiled a list of California’s top contractor schools rated by their cost, location, course options, and additional resources provided.
Every Contractor’s License Program provides a unique course that ensures the success of any contracting exam in any state and is streamlined for the modern-day experience. With online and at-home learning, you can complete this class at your own pace but will not fall behind as they provide a paired app to hold you accountable. This school has everything a contractor needs and then some. They also offer a membership option for you to keep your progress and stay connected with the Every Contractor’s License Program community. This program is great for you if you believe you would benefit from a full, comprehensive online course that covers various topics and plan on building a successful career in contracting.
The Contractor Training Center in California is a branch off of the national California Contractor Training Center. Because of this, they offer contractor licensing preparation to take the national exam. They also do not have a physical location in California but have self-study programs with online access and live-streamed workshops. In addition to the courses, they offer consulting services to find the right program for you and application review and processing services. This program is good for you if you want a very general online course for a low price.
The Building License Training Institute is a contracting educational program based out of Michigan that provides online construction courses to a handful of states in the U.S. (California being one). They work with local state entities to ensure that their courses closely follow the requirements and information necessary for the state exam, and their tracks are also approved for credit under an array of regulatory and licensing entities. They provide two separate course options to aid with the state exam that can be combined - a General Building course and a Law and Business Management course - for a relatively low cost. Additional courses also include health and safety instruction for beginning workers and professional development options for specialization. This program is good for you if you want a lower-cost online course and additional resources to kickstart your contracting business.
Contractor School Online is a national company that provides over 600 online practice tests, resources, manuals, and study guides for a number of contracting licenses and certifications within each state of the U.S, including California. Also, if there is a subject not listed in their course offerings, they will try to find one and direct you to it. Historically, they have helped individuals and companies in almost every state and the District of Columbia gain licensure and certifications. This course is good for you if you know exactly what you need to study or what you don’t, and are okay with the materials being fully online.
Contractors State License Preparation is a relatively new trade school established recently in 2013. They have 9 physical locations in California and offer 3 main courses to help you get your contractor’s license.
The shortest course takes 6 weeks, while the longest takes 6 months. Currently, they do not have any additional classes to aid in additional certifications or skill-building, but they help with the business registration process. This program is great for you if you are looking for a general course to help you pass the state exam and do not mind paying a little extra money.
The Associated General Contractors of California is directly regulated by the Associated General Contractors of America, with the goal to offer “advocacy, education, career development, and networking opportunities” to experienced and novice contractors and construction professionals. ACG is more than just a contracting school, as they offer memberships to provide an extensive array of resources and information beyond contracting and construction education. Their memberships give exclusive discounts to educational courses, access to specialized news within the industry, and a network of new and experienced peers to aid them on their journey, whether you are running a small business or are the CEO of a larger contracting company. Their courses contain various study guides, materials, practice tests, and additional guidance. They offer pre-recorded and live workshops, as well as in-person training, and also provide the option to request a tailored course. This program is great if you are comfortable spending more money to receive personalized recommendations, business development opportunities, and a rich network of successful contractors.
The Golden State Contractors School is located in San Diego and offers personalized courses and materials in order to help future contractors pass the exam. Their variety of course delivery methods and focus options are exceptional, and they also offer resources for current contractors to refresh their memories on certain topics. GSCS also provides resources beyond test preparation - like providing referrals to other professionals in the industry - and wants to be there along your business journey. This program is good for people who want a mix of online and in-person classes with additional career resources for a relatively low cost.
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California Contractors License Instruction Schools is a branch off of the national License Instruction Schools, which is one of the largest contractors license schools in America. They only offer one-course option per type of contractor license, including in-person and online instruction with 6 different physical locations in California. They offer 44 courses relating to all types of contracting licenses. Once you get licensed, they also have their bonding department you can go through to receive the required contractor’s bond. This program is good for you if you want a relatively low-cost course that offers both online and in-person components or want to add certifications on top of your licensure.
Contractors State Licencing Schools has mentored and trained contractors for over 35 years. They have more than 25 locations and offer licensing courses and additional certification and skill-building courses. Interestingly, the founder and CEO of CSLS is David Mizener, the inventor of a seminar concept called the Mizener Method. One of his goals for the organization is to offer programs, services, and courses to educate and professionalize the underserved construction community, so they offer various training for all types of contracting licenses, certifications, and professional scenarios. This school also recognizes that you may have difficulty learning some subjects, so they offer additional supplements to help you in your problem areas. This program is good for you if you want a guarantee to pass the exam and seek scholarships to help pay for your education.
Contractors Intelligence School offers 5 main courses to help pass the Law & Management exam as well as the General Contracting exam. You can choose between a fully online course, an online course with livestream options, a traditional home study option (comes with DVDs and manual booklets), live in-person classes, or a comprehensive combination of all. They also offer additional resources to help get other certifications and brush up on important topics relevant to the industry. They also have a mobile app to train on the go that connects with your online account. After completion of a course, they claim to help with licensure applications and the submittal process, and may even help put money toward the required contracting bond. This program is excellent for you if you want to customize your learning experience and don’t want to spend all your savings.
As you can see, there is quite a variety of contractor schools out there in California. All courses listed here are excellent options and will help you pass the CSLB state licensing exam. Remember, this is only the first step to becoming a contractor. The best contractors are always looking to learn and improve. We wish you the best of luck!
