Plumbing Contractors in Kern County: CSLB C-36 License Statistics
Kern County has 264 current C-36 plumbing contractor licenses, 1.4% of California's total and the 16th-largest county count in the state. 131 (49.6%) have a workers' compensation policy on file and 128 (48.5%) are exempt. 5 licenses (1.9%) are suspended. Bakersfield accounts for 187 licenses, the most of any city in the county.
How Kern County compares
- The share of licenses with a workers' comp policy on file is slightly above the state average: 49.6% here against 46.1% statewide (3.6 points higher).
- The suspension rate is slightly below the state average: 1.9% here against 4.1% statewide (2.2 points lower).
- The share of sole-owner licenses is well above the state average: 50.4% here against 45.8% statewide, a gap of 4.5 points.
- The share organized as LLCs is in line with the state average (4.9% here, 5.5% statewide).
- The share that also hold a B general building license is slightly above the state average: 26.9% here against 23.3% statewide (3.6 points higher).
- The share of licenses under three years old is slightly below the state average: 16.3% here against 18.1% statewide (1.9 points lower).
Workers' compensation coverage
| Coverage type | Kern County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy on file | 131 | 49.6% | 46.1% |
| Exempt (certifies no employees) | 128 | 48.5% | 51.2% |
| No current WC record | 2 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Leasing firm / temp agency | 3 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Self-insured | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Out-of-state coverage | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
128 licenses in Kern 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. 5 county licenses currently show a workers' comp suspension pending. Workers' comp for plumbing companies →
Suspensions
| Cause | Kern County | Share of suspended | California share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond lapsed (contractor's, LLC, qualifying individual, disciplinary) | 4 | 80.0% | 63.7% |
| Workers' compensation | 0 | 0.0% | 21.0% |
| Liability insurance (LLC) | 0 | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Other | 1 | 20.0% | 9.6% |
3 Kern 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 | Kern County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole owner | 133 | 50.4% | 45.8% |
| Corporation | 115 | 43.6% | 47.5% |
| Limited liability company | 13 | 4.9% | 5.5% |
| Partnership | 3 | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Joint venture or other | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
13 county licenses are LLCs, 13 of which have the $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond on file. 71 licenses (26.9%) also hold a B general building classification and 31 hold C-20 HVAC.
Licenses by city
| City | C-36 licenses | Share of county |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 187 | 70.8% |
| Tehachapi | 20 | 7.6% |
| Ridgecrest | 11 | 4.2% |
| Rosamond | 6 | 2.3% |
| Lebec | 5 | 1.9% |
| Frazier Park | 5 | 1.9% |
| Taft | 4 | 1.5% |
| California City | 4 | 1.5% |
New licenses and renewals
9 licenses were issued in the county in the last twelve months; 16.3% of all county licenses are under three years old. 138 licenses come up for renewal in the next twelve months, peaking in May 2027.
What this means if you hold a C-36 in Kern County
The same rules apply in every county, but the figures above show where Kern 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 Kern 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.