Painting and Decorating (C-33) · Trade license

How do you get a C-33 painting contractor license in California?

Checked 20 October 2026 against CSLB's C-33 study guide 13E-33 (03-2026), 16 CCR 832.33, CSLB's 2023 Sunset Review Report and September 2026 Board packet, PSI's C-33 bulletin and the Business and Professions Code · Written by the License Ladder team · Reviewed by AJ Sokol, Co-Founder

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To get a C-33 painting contractor license, you need four years of journey-level painting experience from the last 10 years. You apply to CSLB ($450), pass the C-33 trade exam and Law and Business (both offered in Spanish), file a $25,000 bond and pay the license fee (October 2026). A painting job of $1,000 or more needs the license. So does a smaller one that needs a permit or hired help.

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4 yrsJourney-level painting experience, within the last 10 years
30%Substrate Repair and Surface Preparation, the largest C-33 exam section
1,485C-33 exam candidates in FY 2022/23, second only to C-10 among specialty exams
55%Of active C-33 licenses with a policy or exemption on file, the share with a workers' comp exemption (July 31, 2026)

Jump to

Steps What it covers The C-33 exam Spanish Bond & insurance Costs Questions Sources
Step by step

What are the steps to a C-33 license?

To get a C-33 license, you qualify on experience, apply to CSLB, pass the C-33 and Law and Business exams at PSI, then file a bond and pay the license fee. Once CSLB accepts your application, you have 18 months to pass both exams.

  1. 1

    Check that you qualify

    You must be 18 or older and have a Social Security number or an ITIN. The qualifier needs at least four years of journey-level or higher experience in the C-33 classification within the last 10 years. School, training or a completed apprenticeship can count for up to three of the four years. What counts.

  2. 2

    Apply to CSLB

    File CSLB's Application for Original Contractor License (form 13A-1) for the C-33 classification, with the $450 fee. CSLB keeps the fee whether or not it approves the application. Someone who saw your work firsthand certifies your experience.

  3. 3

    Wait for your Notice to Schedule

    When CSLB accepts your application, it mails you a Notice to Schedule. You then book and pay for each exam yourself with PSI, CSLB's testing vendor. CSLB also sends your fingerprinting instructions.

  4. 4

    Pass two exams

    C-33 applicants take the C-33 trade exam and Law and Business, 3½ hours each, at $51.43 per exam to PSI (October 2026). Both have a Spanish version. You can take them on the same day or on different days. What is on the C-33 exam.

  5. 5

    Get fingerprinted

    The applicant and each officer, partner, owner, member, manager and responsible managing employee are fingerprinted for a DOJ and FBI background check. Processing fees are $49 ($32 DOJ plus $17 FBI), plus the Live Scan site's own fee.

  6. 6

    Complete the asbestos open-book exam

    Every new applicant must complete CSLB's Asbestos Open Book Examination before the license is issued. It does not certify you to do asbestos work.

  7. 7

    File your bond and workers' comp

    File a $25,000 contractor bond, or a $25,000 cashier's check instead. File proof of workers' comp if you have employees, or an exemption if you have none. From January 1, 2028, every active license except a joint venture with no employees needs coverage. Details below.

  8. 8

    Pay the license fee

    Pay the initial license fee: $200 for a sole owner or $350 for any other business type. CSLB then issues the license for two years.

Sources: CSLB form 13A-1 (rev. 01/2026), CSLB Examinations FAQ, PSI's C-33 bulletin, CSLB, Get Fingerprinted, CSLB, Issuing My License. The full path for any classification: how to get a California contractor license. Checked 20 October 2026.

The license

What work does a C-33 license cover?

A C-33 license covers painting and decorating. CSLB's rule says a C-33 contractor “prepares by scraping, sandblasting or other means” and then applies paint, wallpaper, stains, varnish and other coatings to structures, including for fireproofing and waterproofing (16 CCR 832.33). B and B-2 contractors can paint as part of bigger jobs, but a painting-only contract takes a C-33 or, for a B, a licensed subcontractor.

Which CSLB licenses cover painting work, from CSLB's regulation, the statute and CSLB's classification guide (checked 20 October 2026)
LicensePainting work it coversWhat to know
C-33 Painting and DecoratingSurface prep by scraping, sandblasting or other means, then paints, papers, textures, stains, varnishes and other coatings on structuresWaterproofing is in the C-33 text. CSLB moved the old D-51 waterproofing specialty into C-39, C-33, C-29 or C-54
B General BuildingPainting on a prime contract that requires at least two unrelated trades besides framing or carpentryNo painting-only prime contract unless it holds a C-33 or subcontracts to a licensed contractor
B-2 Residential RemodelingPainting on a contract to improve an existing wood frame homeOnly when the contract includes three or more unrelated trades
No license (artist)A mural: a unique work of fine art protected by copyright or similar rights, painted by hand directly onto a building, under an agreement with someone who can authorize itSince January 1, 2026. Painted wall signs do not count, and repairing the wall or putting up scaffolding fixed to the building still needs a license

When you don't need a C-33

  • Small jobs: under $1,000 in labor and materials, with no building permit, no hired help and no advertising as a contractor. Splitting a job to stay under $1,000 is not allowed. The old $500 limit ended on January 1, 2025.
  • Ads: an unlicensed painter may advertise only jobs under $1,000, and only if the ad says they are not licensed (B&P 7027.2).
  • Employees: painting for wages as someone's employee, when wages are your only pay, you run no business of your own and you don't control how the work is done (B&P 7053).
  • Murals: an artist painting a mural under an agreement with someone who can authorize it (B&P 7050, since January 1, 2026). The mural must be a unique work of fine art, protected by copyright, trademark, label or patent and painted by hand directly onto the walls, ceilings or fixtures of a building. Painted wall signs are not murals, and CSLB says patching or repairing the wall and putting up scaffolding fixed to the building still need a license.

More on the small-job rule.

Painting is one of California's biggest license classes: CSLB counted 18,014 C-33 licenses in December 2025, the fifth most of any classification. Every classification, one line each.

Sources: CSLB's C-33 classification (16 CCR 832.33); CSLB, Description of Classifications; CSLB's 2026 Law Book (B&P 7027.2, 7048, 7050, 7053, 7057 and 7057.5); CSLB, muralist exemption bulletin (December 17, 2025); CSLB, minor work bulletin (December 31, 2024); CSLB, 2025 Accomplishments and Activities Report. Checked 20 October 2026.

The trade exam

What is on the C-33 exam?

The C-33 trade exam has four sections in CSLB's study guide 13E-33 (03-2026), for exams scheduled on or after April 27, 2022. Substrate Repair and Surface Preparation (30%) and Planning and Estimating (28%) make up more than half. The exam is closed book, multiple choice and 3½ hours long; CSLB publishes no question count and no passing score.

CSLB's C-33 exam outline, 13E-33 (03-2026). CSLB notes the percentages are approximate.
SectionWeightWhat CSLB lists under it
Planning and Estimating28%Evaluating job sites; selecting tools, equipment and materials; selecting paint, stain and finish colors and products; reading blueprints and specifications; estimating job costs for materials, supplies, equipment and labor
Substrate Repair and Surface Preparation30%Identifying problems; scraping, sanding and wallpaper removal; patching, caulking and repairing; masking and protecting job sites; removing paint and cleaning surfaces; applying primer
Application of Paint, Wallcoverings, and Finishes21%Applying paint and wallcoverings; applying waterproofing or sealant; staining, sealing and finishing wood surfaces; touch-ups and cleaning work areas
Safety21%Tool and equipment safety; personnel and job site safety; environmental safety; handling hazardous materials; Cal/OSHA safety requirements

How the exam runs

The C-33 exam is closed book: no reference materials may be used. Every question has four choices and one best answer. Some questions need math, and a calculator is provided. There is no penalty for guessing. You get 3½ hours, plus PSI's tutorial of up to 15 minutes, which does not count.

A new outline is in the works

CSLB reviews each exam every five to seven years with an occupational analysis. Its 2023 Sunset Review Report dated the last C-33 analysis March 2021 and set 2026 as the target for the next. As of July 31, 2026, CSLB listed the C-33 in occupational analysis, the step that produces a new exam outline. CSLB has not given a release date.

How many pass

In fiscal year 2022/23, 46% of the 1,485 candidates on the C-33 exam passed, per Table 8 of CSLB's 2023 Sunset Review Report, the most recent overall pass rates by exam that CSLB has published. The three years before were 36%, 40% and 35%. CSLB calls these overall pass rates. How the other exams compare.

Where you take it and what it costs

Book each exam with PSI for $51.43 (October 2026). PSI's C-33 bulletin (July 15, 2026) lists 20 California centers, plus 22 sites in 19 other states that give the C-33 in English only. If you fail, you can retake it after 21 days, inside your 18-month window. How retakes work.

Law and Business: prepare with License Ladder

Every C-33 applicant also takes CSLB's Law and Business exam, which has seven sections, from business organization and licensing to safety. Use License Ladder as directed:

  • Study the printed cards and the digital study guides.
  • Work the app's practice questions and timed mock exams.
  • Book the exam when your readiness score turns green.

License Ladder for Law & Business is $99. All seven sections and their weights.

Sources: CSLB, Painting and Decorating (C-33) study guide 13E-33 (03-2026); PSI, C-33 candidate bulletin; CSLB, 2023 Sunset Review Report (Table 8, report page 53); CSLB, September 2026 Board packet (Testing Program Update); CSLB, Examinations FAQ; CSLB, Get Licensed to Build. Checked 20 October 2026.

Language

Can you take the C-33 exam in Spanish?

Yes. The C-33 Painting and Decorating exam is one of the 10 CSLB exams with a Spanish version, and Law and Business is another, so a C-33 applicant can take both exams in Spanish. CSLB's Spanish C-33 guide lists the same four sections and weights. If you ask for a translator, CSLB requires you to take the Spanish version instead (checked October 2026).

The English button

Since November 1, 2024, CSLB's Spanish exams have had a toggle that shows each question's original English version; all ten had it by March 1, 2025. CSLB reports that the Spanish C-33 pass rate went from 32% before the toggle to 61% after.

How many test in Spanish

CSLB counted 556 candidates on the Spanish C-33 exam in 2025. It translated the C-33 in 2023 because the C-33 was among the ten exams with the most requests for Spanish translators.

Law and Business in Spanish, with License Ladder

At License Ladder, the site and the app run in Spanish, the cards are printed in Spanish, and the Exam Coach in the online system answers in Spanish. License Ladder for Law & Business is $99.

One limit: PSI's C-33 bulletin (July 15, 2026) says its 22 sites outside California give the C-33 in English only, and CSLB's June 5, 2026 Board minutes say the nationwide release of its Spanish exams is still pending. How to take any CSLB exam in Spanish.

Sources: CSLB, Examinations FAQ (Spanish exams and translators); CSLB, Spanish C-33 study guide 13E-33 (03-2026); CSLB, 2025 Accomplishments and Activities Report; CSLB, 2023 Sunset Review Report (report page 101); CSLB, September 2026 Board packet (June 5, 2026 minutes); PSI, C-33 candidate bulletin. Checked 20 October 2026.

Before the license issues

Do C-33 painting contractors need workers' comp and a bond?

Every active C-33 license needs a $25,000 contractor bond on file with CSLB. For now, workers' comp is required only if you have employees or an RME qualifies the license: the C-33 is not one of the classes that must carry it either way. That changes on January 1, 2028, when SB 1455 requires coverage for every active license except a joint venture with no employees.

What 2028 means for painters

On July 31, 2026, CSLB's September 2026 Board packet counted 8,794 workers' comp exemptions and 7,052 policies on active C-33 licenses: 55% of those 15,846 licenses had an exemption instead of a policy. Across all active licenses, 50% had an exemption on file. Under SB 1455, the no-employee exemption ends on January 1, 2028: from then on, every active license needs a policy or a certificate of self-insurance, except a joint venture with no employees.

Bonds and insurance for an active C-33 license (checked 20 October 2026). RME means responsible managing employee.
RequirementWho needs itAmount
Contractor bondEvery active license (a cashier's check can replace it)$25,000
Bond of qualifying individualWhen the qualifier is not the owner, a general partner or a joint licensee, such as an RME; not needed for a corporation's responsible managing officer who owns at least 10% of the voting stock, or an LLC qualifier with at least a 10% membership interest$25,000
Workers' compNow: anyone with employees, and any license qualified by an RME. From January 1, 2028: every active license except a joint venture with no employeesA policy, or a certificate of self-insurance
LLC worker bondLLC licenses$100,000
LLC liability insuranceLLC licenses$1 million aggregate for five or fewer people listed, plus $100,000 for each additional person, up to $5 million

The C-33 is not one of the classifications that must carry workers' comp even with no employees. Those are C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 and C-61/D-49 (CSLB, Workers' Compensation Requirements). A license qualified by a responsible managing employee (RME) cannot use the exemption either. More on the exemption.

Sources: CSLB, Issuing My License; CSLB, Workers' Compensation Requirements; CSLB, September 2026 Board packet (Licensing Program Update); CSLB's 2026 Law Book (B&P 7071.6, 7071.6.5, 7071.9, 7071.19 and 7125). Checked 20 October 2026.

Fees

How much does a C-33 license cost in CSLB, PSI and fingerprint fees?

A C-33 sole owner who passes both exams on the first try pays $801.86 in CSLB, PSI and fingerprint fees (October 2026). Any other business type pays $951.86 with one person fingerprinted. Each extra officer, partner or member adds $49. These totals leave out the Live Scan site's fee, the bond premium and insurance.

C-33 CSLB, PSI and fingerprint fees as of 20 October 2026: first try on both exams, one person fingerprinted
FeeSole ownerOther business typesPaid to
Application (form 13A-1)$450$450CSLB
Two exams, $51.43 each$102.86$102.86PSI
Fingerprint processing (DOJ $32, FBI $17)$49$49Live Scan operator, plus the site's own fee
Initial license fee, good for two years$200$350CSLB
Total to get licensed$801.86$951.86CSLB, PSI and DOJ/FBI
Active renewal, every two years$450$700CSLB

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserve, who were not dishonorably discharged pay half the initial license fee: the law cuts it by 50% (B&P 7137). For every fee in every classification, see what a California contractor license costs.

Sources: CSLB, List of All CSLB Fees; PSI, C-33 candidate bulletin; CSLB, Get Fingerprinted; B&P 7137. Totals are our addition. Checked 20 October 2026.

FAQ

Questions people ask about the C-33 license

A C-33 license covers painting and decorating work on buildings and other structures. CSLB says a C-33 contractor “prepares by scraping, sandblasting or other means” and then applies paint, wallpaper, stains, varnish and other coatings. The work can be for looks or for protection, including fireproofing and waterproofing (CSLB's Description of Classifications, 16 CCR 832.33, checked October 2026). Any painting job of $1,000 or more needs a license.

Yes. CSLB's C-33 text lists waterproofing as one purpose of the paints, stains, varnishes and other materials a C-33 contractor applies (16 CCR 832.33). CSLB no longer issues the old C-61/D-51 Waterproofing and Weatherproofing specialty. Its Description of Classifications says that work now falls under C-39 Roofing, C-33 Painting and Decorating, C-29 Masonry or C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (checked October 2026).

Three kinds. A painting job under $1,000 in labor and materials needs no license if it needs no building permit, you hire no help and you don't advertise as a contractor (B&P 7048). Painting for wages as someone's employee needs no license of your own (B&P 7053). Since January 1, 2026, an artist painting a qualifying mural under an agreement with someone who can authorize it needs none either (B&P 7050). Splitting a bigger job to stay under $1,000 is not allowed (checked October 2026).

Not since January 1, 2026. B&P 7050 (SB 456) exempts from licensing an artist who paints, restores or conserves a mural under an agreement with someone who can legally authorize the work (CSLB's 2026 Law Book). The mural must be a unique work of fine art protected by copyright, trademark, label or patent, painted by hand directly on a wall, ceiling or fixture. Painted wall signs do not count, and CSLB says wall repair and affixed scaffolding still need a license (checked October 2026).

A B contractor can, but only by subcontracting the painting to a licensed contractor; a B-2 contractor cannot. Under B&P 7057(b), a General Building (B) contractor may take a prime contract for painting alone only if it holds a C-33 or subcontracts the work to an appropriately licensed contractor. A B-2 Residential Remodeling contractor may not take any contract with fewer than three unrelated trades, though painting can be one of them (B&P 7057.5, checked October 2026). B vs B-2.

Four. CSLB requires at least four years of journey-level or higher experience in the C-33 classification within the last 10 years, as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor (CSLB, checked October 2026). School, technical training or a completed apprenticeship can count for up to three years, but at least one year must be hands-on work. A person who saw your painting work firsthand certifies it. What counts.

The C-33 exam has four sections, per CSLB's study guide 13E-33 (03-2026), for exams scheduled on or after April 27, 2022. Substrate Repair and Surface Preparation is 30%. Planning and Estimating is 28%. Application of Paint, Wallcoverings, and Finishes is 21%. Safety is 21%, including hazardous materials and Cal/OSHA requirements. CSLB says the percentages are approximate (checked October 2026).

CSLB has started the review that produces one. Its September 2026 Board packet lists the C-33 in occupational analysis as of July 31, 2026, the step that ends in a new exam outline. The last C-33 analysis was in March 2021, per CSLB's 2023 Sunset Review Report. CSLB has not given a date, so the 13E-33 outline for exams on or after April 27, 2022 still applies (checked October 2026).

No. The C-33 exam is closed book: CSLB's C-33 study guide says no reference materials may be used (checked October 2026). It is multiple choice, with four choices per question and one best answer. Some questions require math, and a calculator is provided. There is no penalty for guessing. Licensed contractors who actively work in the painting trade write and review the questions.

In fiscal year 2022/23, 46% of the 1,485 candidates who took the C-33 Painting and Decorating exam passed. That is from Table 8 of CSLB's 2023 Sunset Review Report, the most recent overall pass rates by exam that CSLB has published (checked October 2026). The three years before were 36%, 40% and 35%. CSLB calls these overall pass rates. It does not say whether they count first attempts only.

Yes. CSLB's Spanish C-33 study guide, 13E-33 (03-2026), has the same four sections and the same weights. They are Planificación y estimación (28%), Reparación de sustratos y preparación de superficies (30%), Aplicación de pintura, revestimientos de paredes y acabados (21%) and Seguridad (21%). CSLB says its Spanish and English exams share the same content and plan. The Spanish exams can also show each question in English (checked October 2026).

A lot, by CSLB's count. CSLB's 2025 Accomplishments and Activities Report says the pass rate on the Spanish C-33 exam went from 32% to 61% after it added a toggle that shows each question's original English version. CSLB created the toggle on November 1, 2024, and all ten Spanish exams had it by March 1, 2025. CSLB does not give the date ranges behind the two rates (checked October 2026).

Yes, in English. PSI's C-33 bulletin (file dated July 15, 2026) lists 22 test sites in 19 states outside California, including Wilsonville, Oregon. It says those sites give the English exam only. CSLB's September 2026 Board packet also lists the C-33 among eight trade exams offered nationwide as of May 1, 2026. CSLB's Examinations FAQ still says trade exams are given only in California or Oregon (checked October 2026). Testing from out of state.

Possibly. On CSLB's Reciprocal Classifications List, Nevada's C-4 Painting & Decorating license matches California's C-33, and no other reciprocal state's class does (checked October 2026). The Nevada license must have been active and in good standing for the previous five years. CSLB can still require the trade exam, and you still take Law and Business unless you passed it in the last five years. How reciprocity works.

Only with employees or an RME-qualified license, until 2028. The C-33 is not one of the classes that must carry workers' comp with no employees (C-8, C-20, C-22, C-39 and C-61/D-49), per CSLB. On July 31, 2026, 55% of active C-33 licenses with a policy or exemption on file had the exemption. From January 1, 2028, SB 1455 requires coverage for every active license except a joint venture with no employees (checked October 2026).

A C-33 sole owner who passes both exams on the first try pays $801.86 in CSLB, PSI and fingerprint fees as of October 2026: the $450 application, two exams at $51.43, $49 in fingerprint fees and a $200 license fee. Other business types pay $951.86. That leaves out the Live Scan site's fee, the bond premium and insurance, per CSLB's fee list. Active renewal is $450 every two years for a sole owner.

License Ladder for Law & Business, $99. Every C-33 applicant takes CSLB's Law and Business exam (CSLB), and this option has the printed 142-card deck, digital study guides and one year of the app. The cards come printed in Spanish too. For $50 more ($149 total) you can add General Building (B), an exam C-33 applicants do not take. Use License Ladder as directed until your readiness score turns green. Try a free Law and Business test.

Start with the exam every C-33 applicant takes

Every C-33 applicant also passes CSLB's Law and Business exam. License Ladder for Law & Business is ready now: the printed 142-card deck, digital study guides and one year of the app, for $99. The site and app run in Spanish, and the cards come printed in Spanish. Use it as directed until your readiness score turns green.

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Sources

Where every fact on this page comes from

We fetched and read each source below on 20 October 2026. CSLB revises its pages and forms; if anything here differs from CSLB’s own wording when you read it, CSLB’s governs.

CSLB pages: Examinations FAQ · C-33 Painting and Decorating classification · Qualifying Experience for the Examination · Get Fingerprinted · Issuing My License · Workers' Compensation Requirements · List of All CSLB Fees · General Reciprocity Information · Reciprocal Classifications List

CSLB study guides, forms and publications: Painting and Decorating (C-33) study guide 13E-33 (03-2026) · Spanish C-33 study guide, Pintura y Decoración 13E-33 (03-2026) · Description of Classifications · Application for Original Contractor License, 13A-1 (rev. 01/2026) · Get Licensed to Build (2025 edition) · California Contractors License Law and Reference Book (2026) · Industry bulletin: minor work limit rises to $1,000 (December 31, 2024) · Industry bulletin: license exemption for muralists (December 17, 2025)

CSLB reports and Board packets: 2023 Sunset Review Report · 2025 Accomplishments and Activities Report · Board meeting packet, September 2026

PSI: Painting and Decorating (C-33) candidate bulletin

Statutes: B&P 7048 · B&P 7125 · B&P 7137

License Ladder is independent study material, not affiliated with or endorsed by CSLB or PSI.

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