Licensing and business registration
The CSLB handles all California contractor licensing — new applications, renewals, and verifying another contractor's active license status.
New business entities also register with the California Secretary of State, and most employers register with the Employment Development Department (EDD) for state payroll tax and unemployment insurance purposes.
Utility locating before excavation
California requires a utility locate request before any excavation, regardless of project size — DigAlert covers Southern California, USA North 811 covers Northern and Central California.
Requesting a locate is free and required by law; skipping it risks utility strikes, project delays, and liability exposure that a locate would have prevented.
Sources for this section
- DigAlert — Southern California Utility LocateVerified 2026-08-23
- USA North 811 — Northern/Central California Utility LocateVerified 2026-08-23
Electric and gas utilities by metro area
California's electric and gas utilities are regional, not statewide — PG&E serves most of Northern and Central California, Southern California Edison (SCE) serves most of the Southern California interior, SoCalGas handles gas across most of Southern California, and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is a combined gas-and-electric utility for San Diego County. A handful of cities run their own municipal utility instead — Los Angeles (LADWP) and Sacramento (SMUD) are the two largest examples.
The correct utility for each of our 13 CA metro areas is listed directly on that metro's own page under Official Resources, verified individually rather than assumed from a single statewide list. As a general reference: PG&E covers San Jose/South Bay, San Francisco/East Bay, Solano/Vacaville, Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton/San Joaquin and Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay for both gas and electric. SCE (electric) plus SoCalGas (gas) covers Orange County, the Inland Empire and Santa Barbara/Central Coast. Los Angeles runs on LADWP (electric) plus SoCalGas (gas). Sacramento runs on SMUD (electric) plus PG&E (gas). San Diego runs on the combined SDG&E utility.
Sources for this section
- PG&E — Pacific Gas and ElectricVerified 2026-08-23
- Southern California Edison (SCE)Verified 2026-08-23
- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)Verified 2026-08-23
- Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power (LADWP)Verified 2026-08-23
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)Verified 2026-08-23
- US Army Corps of Engineers — Los Angeles DistrictVerified 2026-08-23
Workplace safety and labor compliance
Cal/OSHA, part of the Department of Industrial Relations, sets and enforces workplace safety standards specific to California, which are often stricter than federal OSHA minimums.
DIR also administers prevailing wage and public works contractor registration — required before bidding most public projects in California.
Sources for this section
- California Dept. of Industrial Relations (DIR)Verified 2026-08-23
Insurance and tax agencies
The California Department of Insurance (DOI) regulates insurance carriers and licenses brokers and agents operating in the state.
The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) handles state business income tax, separate from the EDD's payroll tax role.
Using this directory alongside your coverage review
This directory is a starting point for verifying current requirements directly with each agency — regulations and requirements change, so always confirm with the source before relying on a summary.
Gleason Insurance Brokers helps California contractors understand how these agencies' requirements intersect with their insurance program — call 844-978-7283 or request a quote to get started.
State and regional regulatory agencies
Beyond CSLB and DIR, several state and federal agencies show up regularly on California construction and public works projects, depending on the type of work. The Division of the State Architect (DSA) reviews and inspects K-12 and community college construction; the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) does the same for hospital and healthcare facility construction. Caltrans oversees state highway and transportation infrastructure work, and its own contractor and encroachment permit requirements apply on top of standard licensing.
Water-related work involves its own regulators. The State Water Resources Control Board sets statewide water quality policy, while nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards handle permitting and enforcement for their specific region — stormwater discharge permits (NPDES/SWPPP) for construction sites usually run through the regional board covering the project's location. Federal projects involving navigable waters or wetlands may also involve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has separate district offices covering Southern and Northern/Central California.
Sources for this section
- Division of the State Architect (DSA)Verified 2026-08-23
- Dept. of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI)Verified 2026-08-23
Water districts and sewer agencies
Unlike electric and gas service, water and sewer service in California is almost entirely local — run by hundreds of individual city water departments, county water districts, and special sanitation districts rather than a handful of statewide utilities. There isn't a single correct answer for "who's the water agency" the way there often is for electric service; it depends on the specific city, and sometimes on the specific parcel within that city. The right agency for a given project is the one listed on that project's building permit or in the local jurisdiction's utility records, not assumed from a regional pattern.
For a contractor or developer working across multiple California jurisdictions, the practical approach is to confirm the water and sewer agency for each specific project location directly with that city or county's public works or planning department at the start of the job, rather than relying on a general statewide list. Each of our California metro area pages lists the verified planning department for that area as a starting point for exactly this kind of local lookup.
Frequently asked questions
7 questions — start typing to filter
Which utility locate service covers my area of California?
DigAlert covers Southern California; USA North 811 covers Northern and Central California. A locate request is required before any excavation and is free.
What's the difference between CSLB and DIR?
CSLB handles contractor licensing specifically; DIR oversees broader labor compliance including prevailing wage, public works registration and Cal/OSHA workplace safety.
Do I need to register with DIR to bid public works projects?
Generally yes — contractors must be DIR-registered to bid or work on most California public works projects subject to prevailing wage law.
What does the EDD handle versus the Franchise Tax Board?
EDD handles state payroll tax and unemployment insurance registration; the FTB handles state business income tax — two separate agencies with separate filings.
Can Gleason Insurance Brokers help me understand how these agencies affect my insurance program?
Yes — we routinely help California contractors connect their regulatory compliance status to their actual insurance program and contract requirements.
Do I need to contact more than one utility locate service for a single California job site?
Possibly — DigAlert covers Southern California and USA North 811 covers Northern/Central California, and a project near the regional boundary may need to confirm coverage with both rather than assuming one service handles the entire state.
Which agency handles workplace safety complaints versus wage/hour disputes?
Cal/OSHA (part of DIR) handles workplace safety; the DIR's Labor Commissioner's Office handles wage and hour disputes. Both sit under the California Department of Industrial Relations but are separate divisions with separate complaint processes.