Out-of-state applicants
Can you take the California contractor exam from another state?
Checked 19 October 2026 against PSI's candidate bulletins, CSLB's Examinations FAQ and form 13A-1, and CSLB's September 2026 Board packet · Written by the License Ladder team · Reviewed by AJ Sokol, Co-Founder
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Yes, for the Law and Business exam, which every qualifier must pass unless a waiver applies. PSI lists 22 test sites for it outside California, in 19 states (checked 19 October 2026). The General Building (B) and Electrical (C-10) trade exams are different: you take them in California or at PSI's center in Wilsonville, Oregon. Every CSLB exam is taken in person. There is no online option.
Where can you take the California Law and Business exam outside California?
At 22 PSI test sites in 19 states, plus PSI's 20 centers in California. The list below comes from PSI's Law and Business candidate bulletin (checked 19 October 2026). Of the five states that have license reciprocity with California, only North Carolina has one of these sites.
| State | PSI site (street-address city, if different) |
|---|---|
| Colorado | Centennial; Wheat Ridge |
| Connecticut | Milford; West Hartford |
| Georgia | Atlanta (Marietta) |
| Illinois | Chicago |
| Iowa | West Des Moines |
| Kansas | Olathe |
| Massachusetts | Springfield (West Springfield) |
| Michigan | Southfield, in the Detroit area |
| New Jersey | Cherry Hill (Marlton) |
| New Mexico | Albuquerque |
| New York | Bronx |
| North Carolina | Charlotte |
| Oklahoma | Tulsa |
| Oregon | Wilsonville |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia (Bala Cynwyd) |
| Tennessee | Nashville |
| Texas | Dallas (Richardson); Houston |
| Virginia | Richmond |
| Washington | Vancouver |
CSLB's own lists differ by one state. Its Examinations FAQ names 18 states and leaves out Washington. Its March 2026 handout, Preparing for the Exam, names the same 19 states as PSI's bulletin. A CSLB bulletin from August 2023 announced a Las Vegas, Nevada site, but none of the current lists includes Nevada.
Few candidates test this way. From August 2025 to July 2026, 255 CSLB exams were taken at PSI sites outside California and Oregon and 73 at Wilsonville, out of 60,100 in all.
To see the question format first, take the free Law and Business practice test; it runs in your web browser from any state.
Sources: PSI, Law and Business candidate bulletin; CSLB, Examinations FAQ; CSLB, Preparing for the Exam; CSLB industry bulletin, August 2023; CSLB, September 2026 Board meeting packet. Checked 19 October 2026.
Can you take a trade exam, like General Building (B), outside California?
Yes, but General Building (B) and Electrical (C-10) only at PSI's center in Wilsonville, Oregon: PSI's bulletins for both list no other site outside California. Some other trade exams can now be taken at the other out-of-state sites, but the sources list different ones. On 19 October 2026, PSI's bulletins listed 10 trade exams at all 22 out-of-state sites. CSLB's September 2026 Board packet named 8 offered nationwide as of May 1, 2026.
| Trade exam | PSI's bulletin lists outside California | On CSLB's list of 8 nationwide exams (May 1, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| B General Building | Wilsonville, Oregon only | No |
| B-2 Residential Remodeling | All 22 out-of-state sites | No |
| C-6 Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry | All 22 out-of-state sites | Yes |
| C-8 Concrete | All 22 out-of-state sites | No |
| C-9 Drywall | Wilsonville, Oregon only | Yes |
| C-10 Electrical | Wilsonville, Oregon only | No |
| C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering | All 22 out-of-state sites (its Spanish section lists Wilsonville only) | Yes |
| C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning | All 22 out-of-state sites | No |
| C-27 Landscaping | All 22 out-of-state sites | No |
| C-32 Parking and Highway Improvement | All 22 out-of-state sites | Yes |
| C-33 Painting and Decorating | All 22 out-of-state sites, English version only | Yes |
| C-35 Lathing and Plastering | Wilsonville, Oregon only | Yes |
| C-36 Plumbing | Wilsonville, Oregon only | No |
| C-39 Roofing | All 22 out-of-state sites, English version only | Yes |
| C-43 Sheet Metal | All 22 out-of-state sites | No |
| C-55 Water Conditioning | No site outside California (a 2022 file) | Yes |
| Most other trade exams | Wilsonville, Oregon only | No |
CSLB ties the change to replacing the paper booklets some trade exams use with digital images. Its September 2026 packet says 16 exams, General Building (B) among them, no longer needed physical booklets as of July 2026, and that eight of those were available at test centers nationwide. CSLB's Examinations FAQ still says all trade exams must be taken in California or Oregon.
CSLB's advice in its March 2026 handout: when you book with PSI, search for the test center closest to you and see whether your trade exam is offered there yet.
Sources: PSI candidate bulletins for each exam in the table (linked above); CSLB, September 2026 Board meeting packet; CSLB, Examinations FAQ; CSLB, Preparing for the Exam. Checked 19 October 2026.
How do you get fingerprinted for CSLB if you live in another state?
With paper fingerprint cards that CSLB mails you after it accepts your application, unless you come to California for Live Scan. A law enforcement agency anywhere in the United States must roll the prints, and you mail the cards back to CSLB with a $49 fee. CSLB says hard cards take three to six months or longer, and no license is issued until the results are in.
Hard cards, from anywhere in the U.S.
For out-of-state residents, CSLB generates and mails the cards on its own once your application is posted (accepted as complete). A law enforcement agency anywhere in the United States must roll your prints, and it may charge its own fee. Return the cards to CSLB with the $49 processing fee, which CSLB submits to the California Department of Justice and the FBI.
Live Scan, if you come to California
CSLB's application lets people outside California fingerprint by Live Scan in California instead, and CSLB says hard cards take substantially longer. You pay the Live Scan site the $49 plus its own rolling fee, then send CSLB the third copy of the form within 90 days of getting the packet, or the application may be voided.
No license until the results are back
Form 13A-1 says your license will not be issued until CSLB has fingerprint results from both the DOJ and the FBI, and that hard cards can significantly delay licensing. Prints rejected for image quality must be redone, and after a second rejection CSLB asks for a name check, which can be a lengthy process.
Fingerprinted for your home state? Do it again
Prints you gave an employer or another licensing agency do not carry over. CSLB's application says you must go through fingerprinting and the criminal history check again specifically for CSLB.
Sources: CSLB, Fingerprinting, Disclosure, and Background Review; CSLB, Step 6: Get Fingerprinted/Live Scan; CSLB, Application for Original Contractor License, form 13A-1 (rev. 01/2026). Checked 19 October 2026.
How do you book a California exam from another state?
The same way as in California. After CSLB accepts your application, it mails you a Notice to Schedule, and you book and pay PSI for each exam yourself, at any site that offers it. PSI's Law and Business bulletin lists one fee, $51.43 per exam registration, with no separate price for out-of-state sites.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When can you book? | Only after CSLB mails your Notice to Schedule. You cannot book before CSLB refers you for testing. |
| Where do you book? | Online at test-takers.psiexams.com/cacon, any time of day, or by phone at (877) 392-6422. |
| How do you pick a site? | Enter your ZIP code. PSI lists the test sites closest to you, then shows open dates for the site you choose. |
| What does it cost? | $51.43 for each exam registration, paid to PSI, for a first try or a retake. |
| Can you split the two exams? | Yes. Each exam is its own registration, on the same day or on different days. |
| How long do you have? | 18 months from the day CSLB accepts your application to pass the exams you need. |
| Pass one, fail the other? | The exam you passed stays good for five years. You retake only the one you failed. |
| Which ID works? | One of the IDs PSI accepts, such as a U.S. driver's license or state ID card from any state. |
| Is the Spanish version offered out of state? | CSLB has not confirmed it. In June 2026 CSLB said the nationwide release of its Spanish exams was still pending, but the bulletin PSI attaches to its Spanish Law and Business test lists the out-of-state sites. Check PSI's scheduler. |
Sources: CSLB, Examinations FAQ; PSI, Law and Business candidate bulletin; PSI, bulletin for the Spanish Law and Business test; CSLB, Step 5: My Original Exam Application was Accepted; CSLB, September 2026 Board meeting packet. Checked 19 October 2026.
What order should you do things in if you are moving to California?
Apply first, from where you live now. Start your fingerprints the day the cards arrive, because CSLB issues no license until the results are back. Take Law and Business at a nearby site if there is one. Check where PSI gives your trade exam: General Building (B) and Electrical (C-10) mean a trip to California or Wilsonville, Oregon. Finish licensing before you take any work in California.
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1
Check that you qualify
You need at least four years of journey-level or higher experience in your classification, earned within the last 10 years. Work as a licensed contractor in another state can count, and CSLB reviews whether out-of-state experience was gained lawfully there. More on what counts as journey-level experience.
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2
See if reciprocity applies
Licensed for the past five years, in good standing, in Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada or North Carolina, in a classification on that state's list? CSLB may waive your trade exam. From any state, a general builder licensed five years who passed the NASCLA Commercial General Builders exam can ask to skip the B trade exam, and the qualifier of an equivalent general building or residential remodeling license held five years can ask to skip the B-2 trade exam. Law and Business stays, unless you passed it in the last five years. See reciprocity, state by state.
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3
Apply to CSLB
File form 13A-1 with the $450 application fee and a Social Security number or ITIN. Since August 24, 2026, a sole owner can also apply online, with a 2.3% card fee. If you apply as a corporation or LLC, it must be registered and in good standing with the California Secretary of State.
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4
Start your fingerprints right away
The paper cards arrive after CSLB accepts your application. Have them rolled and mail them back with the $49 fee the same week: CSLB says they take three to six months or longer, and your license waits on the results. A trip to California for Live Scan is faster.
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5
Book Law and Business near you
When your Notice to Schedule arrives, book with PSI at one of the 22 out-of-state sites if one is close, or at a California center. The fee is $51.43 per exam. Study with License Ladder as directed until your readiness score turns green, then take the exam.
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6
Check where your trade exam is given
General Building (B) and Electrical (C-10) are given only in California and Wilsonville, Oregon. Pass the exams you need within 18 months of CSLB accepting your application. A passed exam stays good for five years.
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7
Finish licensing, then work
After you pass, CSLB mails a bond and fee letter listing what you still need, such as a $25,000 contractor bond, the initial license fee ($200 for a sole owner, $350 for other business types), the asbestos open-book exam, and proof of workers' comp or an exemption. Until your license is issued, you cannot contract for work in California.
Sources: CSLB, form 13A-1 (rev. 01/2026); CSLB, Fingerprinting FAQ; CSLB, Step 8: Issuing My License; CSLB, licenses from another state or country; CSLB, Reciprocity Requirements; CSLB industry bulletin, August 2026; 16 CCR 825 and B&P 7068(h), in CSLB’s 2026 Law Book. Checked 19 October 2026.
Can you use your contractor license from another state in California?
No, except under a federal law for service members and spouses who move to California on military orders. CSLB says you cannot use a license from another state or country to work in California, even as a subcontractor or for one or two projects. It can still help you qualify. Reciprocity with five states, and two routes open to any state (NASCLA for General Building, a waiver for B-2), can waive a trade exam. Experience as a licensed contractor in another state can count toward the four years.
Reciprocity covers five states
Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada and North Carolina. With an active license in good standing for the previous five years, in a classification on that state's list, CSLB may waive your trade exam. You still take Law and Business unless you passed it in the last five years. Full reciprocity guide.
The NASCLA route for General Building (B)
From any state: if you passed the NASCLA Commercial General Builders exam and held a general building license in good standing for the previous five years, you can ask CSLB to waive the B trade exam. CSLB's April 2025 bulletin says reciprocity applicants still take Law and Business.
The B-2 waiver, from any state
CSLB's application, form 13A-1 (rev. 01/2026), lets the qualifier of an equivalent general building or residential remodeling license in another state, in good standing for at least the previous five years, ask CSLB to waive the B-2 Residential Remodeling trade exam. That state's licensing agency verifies the license.
Experience from another state
CSLB's experience form counts work as an out-of-state licensed contractor, alongside journeyman, foreman and supervisor work. By law (B&P 7068(h)), CSLB reviews experience from other states to make sure it was gained lawfully there.
Military families
CSLB says the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act lets a service member or spouse with a license in good standing in another state practice the same trade in California after relocating on military orders. A spouse of an active-duty member stationed in California who holds a license in the same trade in another state can also get faster processing and have the application and initial license fees waived.
Sources: CSLB, If You Already Have a Contractors License From Another State or Country; CSLB, Reciprocity Requirements; CSLB industry bulletin, April 2025; CSLB, form 13A-1 (rev. 01/2026); CSLB, Military Application Assistance Programs. Checked 19 October 2026.
Questions people ask about taking the California exam from another state
Studying for Law and Business from another state?
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Where every fact on this page comes from
We fetched and read each source below on 19 October 2026. CSLB revises its pages and forms; if anything here differs from CSLB’s own wording when you read it, CSLB’s governs.
PSI candidate bulletins and scheduling: Law and Business · Law and Business, Spanish test (bulletin 11136) · General Building (B) · Electrical (C-10) · Residential Remodeling (B-2) · Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry (C-6) · Concrete (C-8) · Drywall (C-9) · Flooring and Floor Covering (C-15) · Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning (C-20) · Landscaping (C-27) · Parking and Highway Improvement (C-32) · Painting and Decorating (C-33) · Lathing and Plastering (C-35) · Plumbing (C-36) · Roofing (C-39) · Sheet Metal (C-43) · Water Conditioning (C-55) · PSI, CSLB exam scheduling
CSLB pages: Examinations Frequently Asked Questions · Fingerprinting, Disclosure, and Background Review · Step 5: My Original Exam Application was Accepted · Step 6: Get Fingerprinted/Live Scan · Step 8: Issuing My License · Workers' Compensation Requirements · If You Already Have a Contractors License From Another State or Country · General Information on Reciprocity · Reciprocity Requirements · Military Application Assistance Programs
CSLB forms, handouts and bulletins: Application for Original Contractor License, form 13A-1 (rev. 01/2026) · Preparing for the Exam, handout 13P-104 (March 2026) · Industry bulletin, August 2023: Law and Business in Spanish; Oregon and Nevada sites · Industry bulletin, April 2025: reciprocity through the NASCLA exam · Industry bulletin, August 2026: online sole owner application
CSLB Board packet and the law: Board Meeting Packet, September 2026 · 2026 California Contractors License Law & Reference Book (B&P 7068; 16 CCR 825)
Other California agency: Department of Consumer Affairs, Federal Professional License Portability and State Registration
Not found in any primary source on 19 October 2026: a date when CSLB’s Spanish exams will be offered outside California; an explicit statement from CSLB or PSI on whether the Spanish versions are offered outside California, Wilsonville included; and the bulletin for the C-22 Asbestos Abatement exam, because PSI’s C-22 page links the asbestos certification bulletin instead.
License Ladder is independent study material, not affiliated with or endorsed by CSLB or PSI.