Plumbing Contractors in Alameda County: CSLB C-36 License Statistics
Alameda County has 539 current C-36 plumbing contractor licenses, 2.9% of California's total and the 8th-largest county count in the state. 251 (46.6%) have a workers' compensation policy on file and 268 (49.7%) are exempt. 17 licenses (3.2%) are suspended. Oakland accounts for 129 licenses, the most of any city in the county.
How Alameda County compares
- The share of licenses with a workers' comp policy on file is in line with the state average (46.6% here, 46.1% statewide).
- The suspension rate is in line with the state average (3.2% here, 4.1% statewide).
- The share of sole-owner licenses is slightly above the state average: 48.1% here against 45.8% statewide (2.2 points higher).
- The share organized as LLCs is in line with the state average (5.8% here, 5.5% statewide).
- The share that also hold a B general building license is well above the state average: 28.8% here against 23.3% statewide, a gap of 5.5 points.
- The share of licenses under three years old is in line with the state average (17.4% here, 18.1% statewide).
Workers' compensation coverage
| Coverage type | Alameda County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy on file | 251 | 46.6% | 46.1% |
| Exempt (certifies no employees) | 268 | 49.7% | 51.2% |
| No current WC record | 5 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Leasing firm / temp agency | 15 | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Self-insured | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Out-of-state coverage | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
268 licenses in Alameda County certify having no employees. SB 1455 moved the date on which every licensed contractor must carry workers' comp, employees or not, to January 1, 2028; until then the exemption stands, but it becomes invalid on the first hire and CSLB must receive proof of coverage within 90 days. 8 county licenses currently show a workers' comp suspension pending. Workers' comp for plumbing companies →
Suspensions
| Cause | Alameda County | Share of suspended | California share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond lapsed (contractor's, LLC, qualifying individual, disciplinary) | 12 | 70.6% | 63.7% |
| Workers' compensation | 4 | 23.5% | 21.0% |
| Liability insurance (LLC) | 0 | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Other | 1 | 5.9% | 9.6% |
3 Alameda County licenses have a bond cancellation already dated on file; unless a replacement bond reaches CSLB before the cancellation takes effect, each becomes a suspension. Contractor bonds → · Check a license →
Business structure
| Entity type | Alameda County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole owner | 259 | 48.1% | 45.8% |
| Corporation | 240 | 44.5% | 47.5% |
| Limited liability company | 31 | 5.8% | 5.5% |
| Partnership | 5 | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Joint venture or other | 4 | 0.7% | 0.1% |
31 county licenses are LLCs, 31 of which have the $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond on file. 155 licenses (28.8%) also hold a B general building classification and 55 hold C-20 HVAC.
Licenses by city
| City | C-36 licenses | Share of county |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 129 | 23.9% |
| Hayward | 85 | 15.8% |
| Livermore | 62 | 11.5% |
| San Leandro | 60 | 11.1% |
| Fremont | 35 | 6.5% |
| Berkeley | 29 | 5.4% |
| Alameda | 26 | 4.8% |
| Castro Valley | 23 | 4.3% |
New licenses and renewals
35 licenses were issued in the county in the last twelve months; 17.4% of all county licenses are under three years old. 257 licenses come up for renewal in the next twelve months, peaking in Dec 2026.
What this means if you hold a C-36 in Alameda County
The same rules apply in every county, but the figures above show where Alameda County contractors most often run into them: bond lapses are the leading cause of suspension here, as they are statewide, and a lower-than-average share of exempt licenses means most local plumbing companies already carry workers' comp. Coverage pages: workers' compensation, general liability, commercial auto, contractor bonds.
Quote your Alameda County plumbing business
One application for workers' comp, general liability, commercial auto and bonds, reviewed by a licensed producer.
Statistics are computed from public CSLB records (see the methodology) and are general information, not advice about any licensee or policy. Insurance is offered through Pembroke Insurance Solutions, a licensed insurance agency.