How Do I Get Licensed?

Learn how to obtain your California contractors license.

State Requirements

Find out the qualifications to become a licensed contractor in the state of California.

Home Study Courses

Get the vital information you need to pass the state exam the first time.

At Your Own Pace

Study fast or slow.  Learn at your own pace, relaxing at home or in your favorite place.

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Pass Guaranteed

You’ll be 100% prepared to pass your exam or your money back!

Free E-Book

Get your free e-book with all the details on getting your California contractors license.

Course Prices

Law and Trade DVD Course

New contractor package

Law And Trade Courses

As Low As $289

Order Here

Additional trade package

Trade Course

As Low As $179

Order Here

We Offer:

• Best Course Prices 

• Pass Guarantee

For information on how to get your contractor license please see our California contractor information page.    Getting your contractor license doesn’t need to be stressful.  We offer a pass guarantee on each of these courses, so put your mind at ease.  Take the first step towards success and join us today!  You’ll be glad you did!

Please note the prices shown do not include applicable taxes or shipping fees.

  • Revised Law & Business Manual
  • Your choice of over 45 trade specialties
  • Health & Safety (on applicable courses)
  • Math Review (on applicable courses)
  • Online and Written Practice Exams
  • Application Processing Service Discount

California Contractor Courses

Law & Trade Course
As Low As $289
Law & Business AND Trade Combo Course
Updated Law & Business Manual
Choice Of Trade Manual
Online Streaming and/or DVD Video Instruction
Online Practice Exams (6 Months of Access)
Latest Updates
Student Support: M-F 9AM-5PM Pacific
State Application
Discount on Application Processing
Order Here
Trade Only Course
As Low As $179
Trade Only Course
Choice Of: Law & Business Manual OR Trade Manual
Online Streaming and/or DVD Video Instruction
Online Practice Exams (6 Months of Access)
Latest Updates
Student Support: M-F 9AM-5PM Pacific
State Application
Discount on Application Processing
Order Here

Latest Information & Best Course Prices!
Pass Guaranteed or Your Money Back!  

When your job and license depends on having the latest information, it pays to choose a school and exam prep course with a great reputation, a high success rate, at a price you can afford.  You have it all with Academy License Center!  It’s the fast, easy, and professional way to obtain your California Contractor License.  We provide the highest quality license exam prep courses with the most up to date information available in the industry!  Each course is designed for the convenience of independent home study use, giving you the vital information necessary to PASS the state exam the first time!  Study privately in the comfort of your own home or any place you choose, and learn at your own pace.  It’s a fast, convenient and easy way to learn!  We also offer an excellent application processing service to ensure the fastest test date possible with the state.

Our application processing service is available to help ensure your state exam application is accepted.

For qualifications and requirements visit our contractor information page.

Getting your contractor license doesn’t need to be stressful. All of our courses are pass guaranteed or your money back.

Take the first step towards success and join us today!  You’ll be glad you did!

Please note the prices shown do not include applicable taxes or shipping fees. 

Law & Business Courses Include:

LAW AND BUSINESS COURSE – Our Law and Business Review Course covers Contractors License Law, Mechanics’ Lien Law, and Labor Law explained in easy to understand terms.  Additionally the Business Management chapter includes a sample balance sheet and income statement with explanations of accounting terms. This course comes with 7 sections:

  • Chapter 1: License Law
  • Chapter 2: Mechanics’ Lien Law
  • Chapter 3: Labor Law
  • Chapter 4: Business Management
  • Chapter 5: Public & Private Works
  • Chapter 6: Operations Management
  • Recently Updated Review Questions

Trade Courses Include:

Your choice of over 45 trade specialties

Each trade course includes a unique Trade Manual that reviews Estimating Formulas, Cal/OSHA Regulations, and Trade Topics that are covered on the State exam.  Also incuded are Trade Practice Tests, along with the latest Update Test Questions.

General Knowledge – Each trade has a General Knowledge section that covers key topics specific to the trade that students need to know to pass the state exam.

Review Questions – This section of the manual includes the “most difficult” questions with explanations.

Health & Safety* – The Health and Safety covers the Health and Safety Orders at the end of the trade manual.

Math Review* – The Math Review explains the math formulas at the first part of the trade manual.

*  Some trades do not require and contain the Heath & Safety Review or Math Review.

More Course Information:

For Contractor Trades: (A) General Engineering, (C-12) Earthwork & Paving, (C-34) Pipeline, and (C-42) Sanitation Systems, the Excavation and Grading Handbook (E&G Handbook) is included as it is part of the course material.  We include it at our wholesale cost added to the base cost of the course which is not shown in the table above (because it is applicable to only the trades just mentioned).  The handbook is automatically added to your course if you choose one of these four trades: A, C-12, C-34, and C-42.  The handbook can be purchased separately as well.

ONLINE PRACTICE EXAMINATIONS – You will be tested throughout your Contractor course with the same information you will be asked on the California state exam.  Our online exams are really awesome!  They work on PCs, Macs, Linux, tablets, and most mobile phones.  Offering more options than ever to challenge your test taking skills.  You can easily choose the exam you want to study.  The “Flash Card” mode allows you to view the questions easily, track your exam progress, and you even have the option to review only the questions that have been answered incorrectly.  In the “Exam Simulation” mode you’re taking a timed test that simulates to the actual state exam.  In this mode you are not able to view the answer or explanation.  When you complete your exam you will receive your test score and a detailed list of questions answered incorrectly and also those that are correct.

Updated Exams have the newest questions available for the law or trade course.  These questions are somewhat raw, as they have not been cross referenced or reformatted.  In most cases they are newly released by the state, and considered vital to successfully pass the state exam.  Please note that we do not recommend solely studying these update questions alone to pass the exam- all questions in the course should be understood to successfully pass the state exam.

Time to Complete Course will vary with each person.  On average most students will spend approximately 20-25 hours in study and review time depending on their individual needs.  We recommend that you score in the 90% range on your practice tests to ensure passing the state exam.  Once you complete the course you will be ready to pass the state exam.  The State can take 8-10 weeks from the time they receive your application to the time they schedule your test date.  We recommend that you continue to study your course materials until you take the state exam.

Application Processing Service: We can help you avoid making mistakes on your application that can delay getting a test date.  Benefit from our experience in providing the CSLB with appropriate responses to application questions.  (See our Application Processing Service for more details)

Application Preparation Service

Academy License Center (ALC) has an excellent application processing service.  We can assist you in filling out all the necessary state forms, and get your application approved without delays!  Our knowledgeable and experienced Course Directors guide and counsel individuals, joint ventures (partnerships) and corporations to achieve their licensing goals, enabling them to start or expand successful contractor businesses!

How Our Application Processing Service Works

ALC will help prepare all forms and paperwork necessary for your Contractor State Application, which includes your work history, certificates of support, etc. Over the last 35 years we have assisted thousands of contractors in getting their California State applications approved without delays.

After you have requested this service, we will send you all necessary forms with instructions.  We ask that you return your “Certification of Work Experience” and “Application Information” forms for our review within 3 weeks from the time you receive them, so that we may process your application as quickly as possible.  Once we have received these forms we will review your work history and complete your application.  We laser print your completed application and will return it and your paperwork to you for your final review and signature.  You must include the current State Application Fee with the application when mailing it to the CSLB.  Make your check or money order payable to: Registrar of Contractors.

Notice to Appear for Examination

Once the CSLB has approved your completed application, you will be sent a “Notice to Appear for Examination” in the mail, which will include your scheduled exam date and time. It generally takes 6-10 weeks to process your application and schedule your exam date from the time the CSLB receives your application in the mail. You should receive your exam notice approximately 2-3 weeks prior to the exam date.

The “Application Processing Service” expires 12 months from the date purchased. If the service is not utilized within 12 months, the applicant may reorder the service for $50. Please contact one of our course directors for more details. Please note “Application Processing” is a service and not eligible for refunds once processing has occurred.

Application Processing Services We Offer

•  Application for Original Contractor License

•  Additional License Classifications

•  Partnership & Corporate Licensing

•  Waiver Requests

Application Processing Service Fees & Discounts

Application Processing Fee:

$75 with purchase of one of our courses & $100 without course purchase.

Corporate license application processing is an additional $25.

It’s now taking approximately 2-3 months to get a test date with the state from the time the CSLB receives your application. 

We can help you avoid common mistakes in your application that can delay getting a test date.