Plumbing Contractors in Los Angeles County: CSLB C-36 License Statistics
Los Angeles County has 4,867 current C-36 plumbing contractor licenses, 26.5% of California's total and the largest county count in the state. 2,169 (44.6%) have a workers' compensation policy on file and 2,567 (52.7%) are exempt. 220 licenses (4.5%) are suspended. Los Angeles accounts for 691 licenses, the most of any city in the county.
How Los Angeles County compares
- The share of licenses with a workers' comp policy on file is slightly below the state average: 44.6% here against 46.1% statewide (1.5 points lower).
- The suspension rate is in line with the state average (4.5% here, 4.1% statewide).
- The share of sole-owner licenses is slightly below the state average: 43.8% here against 45.8% statewide (2.1 points lower).
- The share organized as LLCs is slightly below the state average: 3.5% here against 5.5% statewide (1.9 points lower).
- The share that also hold a B general building license is slightly above the state average: 24.6% here against 23.3% statewide (1.3 points higher).
- The share of licenses under three years old is in line with the state average (18.1% here, 18.1% statewide).
Workers' compensation coverage
| Coverage type | Los Angeles County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy on file | 2,169 | 44.6% | 46.1% |
| Exempt (certifies no employees) | 2,567 | 52.7% | 51.2% |
| No current WC record | 78 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Leasing firm / temp agency | 47 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Self-insured | 6 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Out-of-state coverage | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
2,567 licenses in Los Angeles 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. 75 county licenses currently show a workers' comp suspension pending. Workers' comp for plumbing companies →
Suspensions
| Cause | Los Angeles County | Share of suspended | California share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond lapsed (contractor's, LLC, qualifying individual, disciplinary) | 139 | 63.2% | 63.7% |
| Workers' compensation | 48 | 21.8% | 21.0% |
| Liability insurance (LLC) | 5 | 2.3% | 5.7% |
| Other | 28 | 12.7% | 9.6% |
66 Los Angeles 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 | Los Angeles County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole owner | 2,130 | 43.8% | 45.8% |
| Corporation | 2,525 | 51.9% | 47.5% |
| Limited liability company | 171 | 3.5% | 5.5% |
| Partnership | 39 | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Joint venture or other | 2 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
171 county licenses are LLCs, 171 of which have the $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond on file. 1,199 licenses (24.6%) also hold a B general building classification and 464 hold C-20 HVAC.
Licenses by city
| City | C-36 licenses | Share of county |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 691 | 14.2% |
| Glendale | 166 | 3.4% |
| Long Beach | 157 | 3.2% |
| Van Nuys | 140 | 2.9% |
| Burbank | 133 | 2.7% |
| Torrance | 119 | 2.4% |
| Whittier | 102 | 2.1% |
| Sylmar | 100 | 2.1% |
New licenses and renewals
335 licenses were issued in the county in the last twelve months; 18.1% of all county licenses are under three years old. 2,434 licenses come up for renewal in the next twelve months, peaking in Aug 2027.
What this means if you hold a C-36 in Los Angeles County
The same rules apply in every county, but the figures above show where Los Angeles County contractors most often run into them: bond lapses are the leading cause of suspension here, as they are statewide, and a higher-than-average share of exempt licenses means the 2028 workers' comp mandate will reach a larger part of the local trade. Coverage pages: workers' compensation, general liability, commercial auto, contractor bonds.
Quote your Los Angeles 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.