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California bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California SB 342

Contractors: unlicensed work.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (1)

Summary

Official abstract published by the California legislature· summary

Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, establishes the Contractors State License Board in the Department of Consumer Affairs to license and regulate contractors. Existing law prohibits a person engaging in the business or acting in the capacity of a contractor from recovering compensation for work performed that requires a contractor's license unless the person was a duly licensed contractor at all times during the performance of the act or contract, except as specified. This bill would further exempt from that prohibition an action for compensation arising from a contract for specified projects, including for a public work of improvement or a commercial or institutional construction project, and would, instead, authorize a person to maintain an action for compensation under one of those contracts if the person was a duly licensed contractor at the time the contract was executed and during the portion of the performance of the contract for which compensation is sought. Existing law authorizes a person who uses the services of an unlicensed contractor to bring an action to recover all compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for performance of any act or contract, except as provided. This bill would additionally exempt from that authorization an action for compensation arising from a contract for specified projects, including for a public work of improvement or a commercial or institutional construction project, and would, instead, authorize a person to bring an action under one of those contracts to recover the portion of compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for work performed during the time in which the contractor was unlicensed.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 8:13 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Aug 30, 2026
House		SB 342 Umberg Senate Third Reading By WickspassSet your home in California to see
Aug 30, 2026
Senate		Unfinished Business SB342 Umberg et al. ConcurrencepassSet your home in California to see
Aug 25, 2026
House		Do pass as amended.passSet your home in California to see
Aug 13, 2026
House		Do pass as amended.passSet your home in California to see
Jun 30, 2026
House		Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Jan 26, 2026
Senate		3rd ReadingpassSet your home in California to see
Jan 22, 2026
Senate		Do passpassSet your home in California to see
Jan 20, 2026
Senate		Placed on suspense filepassSet your home in California to see
Jan 13, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]passSet your home in California to see
Jan 12, 2026
Senate		Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]passSet your home in California to see

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