Legal Question in Construction Law in California

Re: Difference between a handy man vis a contractor

The answer to your question will almost certainly be "yes, you must be licensed" even though I don't know what you expect to do as a handyman. The definition of work that requires a license is very, very broad. And don't get fooled by the $500 exemption. It isn't valid unless you disclose that you're not licensed and provide a written notice prescribed by Business & Professions Code section 7048(b).

Re: Difference between a handy man vis a contractor

What you call yourself may have some legal significance, but what you really DO (or hold yourself out to do) for clients is really what determines whether a contractor's license is needed. Calling a sheep a goat doesn't make it a goat. The Contractors' State License Board has a fairly good Web site that discusses who needs a license in terms you won't need a lawyer to interpret for you.

The technical definition of a contractor (and hence of who must be licensed) is set forth at Business and Professions Code section 7026.

B&P section 7048 provides an exemption from licensing for certain small projects where the total cost (labor AND materials) is under $500, and this is relied upon by many workers who call themselves 'handymen' but many of them either knowingly or inadvertently violate the law. There are also statutory exemption provisions for pure employees and owner-builders.

There are both civil and criminal penalties for doing contractor work without a license.