[Zeke]

The California State Contractors License Board (CSLB) issues licenses and renewals for several types of licenses. This includes licenses for home improvement salespersons and other specific licenses but the main business is governing the construction business through licensing and policing same. A contractors license is good for 2 year and goes up in price regularly now at $100 per year. Along with a license a contractor must possess a performance bond of which the minimum amount is $15,000. This cost is variable but the average is around $85/year.

My license was due to be renewed by June 30, 2018. I started receiving solicitation letters from the bond company about 3 months ago and was aware that my date was coming up. I never received a renewal form from the state and I waited until June 29th to do something about this. First, I got onto the CSLB website looking for a renewal form. There isn’t one. I went ahead and renewed my bond online so that info would be included in my file.

I then wrote out a check for $400 and sent it in to the CSLB with complete information about who I was and what my address and phone number is. I sent that on June 29th, a Friday and it was postmarked that day. It was received and stamped as such on July 2nd, the first business day since the expiration date.

I got back online over the weekend to navigate the website and found a menu that sent me to a recording that said if I didn’t receive a renewal application that I must leave my information for a ‘duplicate’ to be mailed. It also said that this takes 3 to 5 weeks to be sent. Consider this: the CSLB states that they mail a one-time notice and application 60 days prior to the expiration date and if the licensee does not receive the notice they must ask for a ‘duplicate” (not available online) way in advance and still get this in by the expiration date.

Surmising: worst case is that if a licensee notices the lack of a renewal application after 3 weeks into the 60 day period, they must apply for a ‘duplicate’ and hope it arrives in time to get it sent back before the expiration date. (Note: walk-ins to one of 2 offices in the state are extremely limited and no CC’s accepted.)

Obviously, I did not get this duplicate until day before yesterday. So I called (again) and got through this time after waiting forever and asked that my $400 be accepted for my renewal now that I have the form that can only be obtained by writing and asking for it (or leaving all the info on a recorder — I did both). Spoke with two people and the 2nd said she would run this by “Marilyn” but she never heard of anyone getting a reprieve of the 50 % penalty.

I asked if I could have that decision in writing. I’m thinking of sending my now $600 dollars in and once in good standing, making a demand for the return of my penalty to be followed by a suit in SCC.

Review:
Sent bond in on time, license fee sent in on time sans the exact form. Both received and noted.
Application for ‘duplicate’ renewal is unavailable other than being sent by snail and is needed to be requested FIVE weeks before expiration date.