How to Check a Solar Contractor's License — and Their Permits — Before You Sign
Every California contractor must print its license number on contracts, bids and advertising, so the check starts with the paper in your hand. Look the number up with the Contractors State License Board — or in the free license check of Cali-Graf, the directory built by Cali Energy, a Los Angeles solar and roofing contractor, which also shows the permits — and confirm four things: the license is active, it's the right class for solar (C-46, C-10 or B), the bond is in force, and workers' comp is insured or the company has declared no employees. Then check the person: anyone who sells home improvement for a contractor needs a Home Improvement Salesperson registration, which CSLB's lookup also shows. Finally, look at what the license has actually built: a solar company with no solar permits, or none in years, is a question worth asking before you sign.
Step 1 — Find the license number
It should be on the quote, the contract and the company's ads — California requires it. Two things to compare while you have it:
- The name. The business name on the quote should match the name on the license record (or a registered "doing business as" name on it).
- One number per company. A quote with no license number, or a number that belongs to a different company, is the first red flag.
Step 2 — Look it up
On cslb.ca.gov, Check a License covers every California contractor license and every Home Improvement Salesperson registration, with complaint disclosures. Cali-Graf's license check covers about 20,000 solar, roofing and electrical contractors in Southern California, as of October 2026: type the number (the first few digits are enough) or words from the business name, and open the profile. A profile's address also works with the license number alone — it always leads to the current profile.
Step 3 — Read the license
| Check | What you want to see | If not |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | A suspended license can't legally take new work |
| Class | Solar: C-46, C-10 or B | A company without one of these shouldn't be installing solar |
| Bond | A contractor bond in force | Bond suspensions are the most common reason licenses are suspended |
| Workers' comp | Insured, or exempt — no employees declared | An "exempt" company that sends a crew is a question to ask |
| Licensed since | Years in business | — |
On a Cali-Graf profile these sit on the first screen and in the License, bond & insurance card, with the date the record was last checked against CSLB. What a bond covers and what "exempt" means for you as a homeowner are explained in contractor bonds and workers' comp exemptions.
Step 4 — Check the salesperson
The person at your kitchen table doesn't need a contractor license, but if they sell for a contractor, they need a Home Improvement Salesperson (HIS) registration with CSLB. Ask for their name as registered and look it up on the same CSLB page.
Step 5 — Look at the permits
A license says a company may install solar; permits show that it does. A Cali-Graf profile shows:
- Solar systems and battery installs in the permits under the license, and how many in the last three years;
- Work history — permits by year and the most recent ones, with dates and ZIP codes;
- Where they work — the cities and ZIP codes where permits were issued, which can differ from the office address;
- Equipment they install — the panels, inverters and batteries named in their permits.
A long, recent record of solar permits near you is reassuring. No solar permits at all, or none in years, is worth a direct question — the company may work through another license, or in cities whose permit portals aren't loaded yet. More in what a contractor's permit history tells you.
Red flags, in one list
- No license number on the quote, or a number registered to another company.
- A suspended license, or a class that doesn't cover solar.
- A salesperson who isn't registered.
- "Exempt" from workers' comp, with a crew planned for your roof.
- No permitted solar work under the license.
- A quote that still subtracts the 30% federal tax credit — see does your solar quote still subtract the 30% tax credit?.
Hiring a roofer or an electrician as well? The same checks, trade by trade, are in how to check a roofer's license and hiring an electrician for a panel upgrade or EV charger.
Got a quote in hand? Look up the license number on it now — it takes one search.
Frequently asked
How do I check a solar contractor's license in California?
What license does a solar installer need in California?
Does a solar salesperson need a license?
Where can I see a contractor's past solar jobs?
Is Cali-Graf's license check official?
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Product facts on this page come from Cali-Graf's own help center and the pages linked below; figures in examples come from the stated inputs. Features, limits and supported utilities change; each was verified October 16, 2026.
- Contractors State License Board — Check a contractor license or HIS registration
- California Business & Professions Code §7030.5 — license number on contracts, bids and advertising
- Contractors State License Board — C-46 Solar Contractor
- Contractors State License Board — Solar Smart
- Cali-Graf — Check a contractor license
- Cali-Graf — How rankings work
Check the license on your quote now
Type the number into Cali-Graf's license check for status, classes, bond, workers' comp and permits on one page, then confirm on cslb.ca.gov before signing. Want a second quote to compare? Cali Energy (CSLB #1032379), which develops Cali-Graf, designs on your own roof and models your LADWP or SCE bill. General information, not legal advice.
Prepared by Cali Energy, October 16, 2026. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, engineering, or utility advice. Rates, incentives, codes, permit requirements, equipment specifications, prices, and program terms may change; figures and timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm current requirements with the applicable utility, AHJ, program administrator, manufacturer, or a licensed professional. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St, Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)