What a handyman can legally do in California
The whole site is built around one rule: unlicensed pros can take jobs under $1,000 that need no permit. Here is what that means for your repair.
California's Contractors State License Law normally requires a license for any construction or repair work. Section 7048 of the Business and Professions Code carves out an exemption for minor work: jobs where labor and materials together are under $1,000, no building permit is required, the work is not part of a larger project, and the person doing it does not employ anyone else to help.
The limit was $500 for decades. Assembly Bill 2622 raised it to $1,000 starting January 1, 2025, which is roughly the point where a TV mount, a day of small fixes or a few fence boards fits comfortably and a new door or a water heater does not.
Section 7027.2 adds one more rule that matters to you: anyone advertising this kind of work without a license has to say so in the ad. That is why you see the disclosure in our footer, on every task page and under the quote form.
Is my job a handyman job?
Add up labor and materials
The $1,000 limit is the total for the whole job, not just the pro's time. A $300 faucet plus $200 of labor is a $500 job.
Ask whether a permit is needed
Like-for-like swaps, patches, hanging and assembly do not need permits in Orange County cities. New wiring, plumbing runs, structural changes, water heaters and fences over 6 feet usually do.
Check it is not a slice of a bigger project
If the task is part of a remodel or a larger scope, it cannot be carved out to stay under the limit, even if that one piece is small.
Pick the right kind of pro
Under the limit with no permit: an independent handyman. Anything else: a contractor licensed by the CSLB in the right class (B general, C-10 electrical, C-36 plumbing and so on).
Within the exemption
- TV mounting and in-wall cable concealment (no new outlet)
- Furniture assembly and anti-tip anchoring
- Drywall patches and texture matching
- Hanging pictures, mirrors, shelves, curtain rods and blinds
- Door adjustments, hinges, knobs, deadbolts and slider rollers
- Replacing a few fence boards or a post, rehanging a gate
- Toilet repairs, like-for-like faucet and toilet swaps, showerheads
- Like-for-like light fixture swaps on an existing box
- Smart thermostats, video doorbells, smart locks and Wi-Fi cameras
- Caulking, grout repair, baseboards and trim touch-ups
Needs a licensed contractor
- Any job where labor plus materials reaches $1,000 or more
- Anything that needs a building, electrical or plumbing permit
- New electrical circuits, outlets, panels, EV chargers, recessed lights in new spots
- Gas lines, water heaters, re-piping, moving plumbing
- Roofing, structural framing, room additions, load-bearing changes
- Full fence runs, retaining walls, fences over 6 feet
- Splitting one project into several small contracts to stay under the limit
- A handyman hiring helpers or employees to do the work
Two kinds of partners
Independent handymen with no employees take requests under $1,000 that need no permit. They tell you plainly whether they hold a license.
Licensed contractors (B general or the relevant C class) receive requests that are over the limit, need a permit or involve electrical, plumbing or gas beyond a like-for-like swap.
The budget question in our form, plus the tasks you choose, decides which group sees your request. See the partner criteria for what we ask of each.
Need something bigger?
These jobs need a permit, new wiring or plumbing, or usually cost over $1,000, so California requires a licensed contractor. You can still request them here: they go only to licensed partners.
- Garbage disposal with new wiringLike-for-like plug-in swaps are fine; hardwiring or a new circuit is not.
- Ceiling fan where no fan box existsSwap on an existing fan-rated box is fine; new box or wiring is licensed C-10 work.
- New door installationExterior and pre-hung doors are usually over $1,000 installed.
- Electrical beyond a like-for-like swapNew outlets, circuits, panels, EV chargers.
- Gas, water heaters, re-pipingLicensed C-36 plumber and permits.
- Roofing, structural, room additionsLicensed B or C-39 contractor and permits.
License disclosure. Pros on this site may not be licensed contractors under the California Contractors State License Law. Unlicensed pros are limited to jobs under $1,000 in total (labor and materials) that need no building permit. Jobs over that limit or needing a permit are passed only to licensed contractors. Read what a handyman can legally do in California and what we require from partners.
Licensing FAQ
Business and Professions Code section 7048 says the Contractors State License Law does not apply to work where the total cost of labor and materials is under $1,000, as long as the work does not need a building permit, is not part of a larger project and the person does not employ anyone else to do it. The limit was raised from $500 by AB 2622, effective January 1, 2025.
Yes, when they advertise. B&P Code 7027.2 requires anyone who advertises handyman-type work without a license to state in the ad that they are not a licensed contractor. That is why the disclosure appears on every page of this site and next to the quote form.
A like-for-like swap on existing wiring or plumbing, on a job under $1,000 with no permit, falls within the exemption. Adding wiring, a new box, a new circuit or new pipe does not, and those jobs need a licensed C-10 electrician or C-36 plumber.
Tell us in the budget step of the form or let the pro flag it. Handy OC passes those requests only to partners who hold a CSLB license. You can also check any contractor's license at cslb.ca.gov.
No. The law specifically excludes work that is part of a larger project, whether or not it is split into several contracts. If the project is a kitchen remodel, the faucet swap inside it is part of the remodel.
We require partners to carry general liability insurance and to confirm it before receiving requests. Ask the pro for proof before work begins; it is your right.
Sources: California Business and Professions Code sections 7048 and 7027.2; Assembly Bill 2622 (2024). This page is general information, not legal advice. Check any contractor's license at cslb.ca.gov.
Small jobs. Done right.
Task-based estimates up front, independent local pros, and the price confirmed before anyone picks up a drill.