How to apply for an Exam Waiver?

Get a better understanding of how to apply for a contractor examination waiver in California

As listed on the CSLB’s website:
Are there any circumstances under which a waiver of the examination may be requested?

Yes, at the Registrar’s discretion, if the qualifying individual meets the following criteria:

  • The qualifying individual is a member of the immediate family of a licensee whose individual license was active and in good standing for five of the seven years immediately preceding the application.
  • The qualifying individual must have been actively engaged in the licensee’s business for five of the previous seven years and must be applying in the same classifications(s).
  • The license must be required in order to continue the operations of an existing family business in the event of the absence or death of the licensee.
Am I required to take the examination?
  • If you do not currently or have not previously served as a qualifying individual for the same classification being applied for, or within the past five years have not passed the law and/or trade examinations, you will be required to take and pass the Examination for licensure.
  • If you currently serve, or within the past five years have served, as a qualifying individual for the same classification being applied for on a license in good standing, or within the past five years have passed the law and trade examinations for licensure, as outlined in Business and Professions Code section 7065, No Examination will be required.
  • Waiver provisions for the examination are outlined in Business and Professions (B&P) Code section 7065.1 and 7065.2. You must meet all of the conditions of the appropriate section for the Waiver Provision to apply. In some cases, only the trade exam may be waived.
    Currently, waiver provisions defined in B&P Code section 7065.1 may be granted under subsections 7065.1(b) and 7065.1(c). While 7065.1(a) also provides for waiver of the exam, the Registrar exercised his authority to suspend waivers under this section.

(See directly on the Board’s website: Applying for a waiver of the examination, Am I required to take the examination?)