Plumbing Contractors in San Diego County: CSLB C-36 License Statistics
San Diego County has 1,733 current C-36 plumbing contractor licenses, 9.4% of California's total and the 2nd-largest county count in the state. 766 (44.2%) have a workers' compensation policy on file and 915 (52.8%) are exempt. 73 licenses (4.2%) are suspended. San Diego accounts for 512 licenses, the most of any city in the county.
How San Diego County compares
- The share of licenses with a workers' comp policy on file is slightly below the state average: 44.2% here against 46.1% statewide (1.9 points lower).
- The suspension rate is in line with the state average (4.2% here, 4.1% statewide).
- The share of sole-owner licenses is well below the state average: 41.6% here against 45.8% statewide, a gap of 4.2 points.
- The share organized as LLCs is in line with the state average (5.7% here, 5.5% statewide).
- The share that also hold a B general building license is well below the state average: 19.2% here against 23.3% statewide, a gap of 4.1 points.
- The share of licenses under three years old is slightly above the state average: 21.4% here against 18.1% statewide (3.3 points higher).
Workers' compensation coverage
| Coverage type | San Diego County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy on file | 766 | 44.2% | 46.1% |
| Exempt (certifies no employees) | 915 | 52.8% | 51.2% |
| No current WC record | 23 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Leasing firm / temp agency | 28 | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Self-insured | 1 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Out-of-state coverage | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
915 licenses in San Diego 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. 34 county licenses currently show a workers' comp suspension pending. Workers' comp for plumbing companies →
Suspensions
| Cause | San Diego County | Share of suspended | California share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond lapsed (contractor's, LLC, qualifying individual, disciplinary) | 50 | 68.5% | 63.7% |
| Workers' compensation | 14 | 19.2% | 21.0% |
| Liability insurance (LLC) | 5 | 6.8% | 5.7% |
| Other | 4 | 5.5% | 9.6% |
17 San Diego 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 | San Diego County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole owner | 721 | 41.6% | 45.8% |
| Corporation | 905 | 52.2% | 47.5% |
| Limited liability company | 98 | 5.7% | 5.5% |
| Partnership | 9 | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| Joint venture or other | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
98 county licenses are LLCs, 98 of which have the $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond on file. 333 licenses (19.2%) also hold a B general building classification and 196 hold C-20 HVAC.
Licenses by city
| City | C-36 licenses | Share of county |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego | 512 | 29.5% |
| El Cajon | 136 | 7.8% |
| Chula Vista | 135 | 7.8% |
| Escondido | 133 | 7.7% |
| Oceanside | 99 | 5.7% |
| Vista | 87 | 5.0% |
| Carlsbad | 57 | 3.3% |
| Santee | 55 | 3.2% |
New licenses and renewals
143 licenses were issued in the county in the last twelve months; 21.4% of all county licenses are under three years old. 875 licenses come up for renewal in the next twelve months, peaking in Jun 2027.
What this means if you hold a C-36 in San Diego County
The same rules apply in every county, but the figures above show where San Diego 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 San Diego 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.