California’s Contractors State License Board (CSLB) has taken 73 enforcement actions against suspected unlicensed and noncompliant contractors after a series of 39 undercover stings and job-site sweeps across the state. The operations were part of a 15-state crackdown coordinated by the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies (NASCLA), and the board announced the results on November 2, 2026, according to a republication of the release by the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association. The CSLB’s home page also lists the announcement.

In the sting operations, which CSLB ran with local law enforcement in three counties it did not name, investigators answered advertisements placed by suspected unlicensed operators and arranged for them to come to designated locations to bid on projects. Those jobs ranged in value from $1,100 to $35,000. The stings produced 25 misdemeanor Notices to Appear for unlicensed contracting and illegal advertising, 10 administrative citations, and six referrals to district attorneys for possible prosecution.

The sweeps covered 18 counties, where CSLB investigators made 182 visits to active job sites. Those checks led to 11 cases referred to local district attorneys, 13 citations against licensed contractors, six citations against unlicensed individuals, and two Letters of Admonishment. Investigators also issued 11 stop work orders and 20 advisory notices, which the board reported separately from the 73-action total. The release did not break down how the 39 operations were divided between stings and sweeps, and it did not say how many of the violations involved missing workers’ compensation coverage.

CSLB Registrar David Fogt said in the release that unlicensed activity “often crosses state lines,” and he credited the multistate effort with sending a unified message. The board said individuals who were cited also received information to encourage them to become licensed and comply with the law.

The board reminded the public that California law bars unlicensed contractors from bidding on or contracting for any project that requires a building permit, uses employee labor, or is valued at $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials. Unlicensed contracting is a misdemeanor under Business and Professions Code § 7028. The $1,000 “minor work” threshold appears in Business and Professions Code § 7048.

CSLB warned that unlicensed operators often carry neither a license nor the required workers’ compensation insurance, which can leave homeowners on the hook for accidents or damage. Every California employer must secure workers’ compensation coverage under Labor Code § 3700, and licensed contractors must keep a current certificate of coverage, or a valid exemption, on file with CSLB under Business and Professions Code § 7125.

Unlicensed operators fall outside that system entirely. When one of their workers is hurt, the cost often shifts elsewhere. Under Labor Code § 2750.5, a person performing work that requires a contractor’s license is presumed to be an employee unless he or she holds that license. That presumption can expose a hiring property owner or general contractor to claims, and their own insurers with them. Unlicensed operators also compete for work without paying premiums, undercutting legitimate contractors who bear the cost of coverage.

This year’s total is lower than the board’s results from earlier NASCLA campaigns. CSLB reported 119 legal actions from its 2025 operations and 229 in 2024, though the scope and number of operations vary from year to year, so the totals are not directly comparable. CSLB licenses about 285,000 contractors in 45 classifications. Consumers can verify a license or report suspected unlicensed activity at cslb.ca.gov or by calling 1-800-321-CSLB (2752).