Plumbing Contractors in San Francisco County: CSLB C-36 License Statistics
San Francisco County has 460 current C-36 plumbing contractor licenses, 2.5% of California's total and the 11th-largest county count in the state. 214 (46.5%) have a workers' compensation policy on file and 236 (51.3%) are exempt. 17 licenses (3.7%) are suspended. San Francisco accounts for 460 licenses, the most of any city in the county.
How San Francisco County compares
- The share of licenses with a workers' comp policy on file is in line with the state average (46.5% here, 46.1% statewide).
- The suspension rate is in line with the state average (3.7% here, 4.1% statewide).
- The share of sole-owner licenses is slightly below the state average: 43.9% here against 45.8% statewide (1.9 points lower).
- The share organized as LLCs is slightly below the state average: 3.5% here against 5.5% statewide (2.0 points lower).
- The share that also hold a B general building license is well above the state average: 45.9% here against 23.3% statewide, a gap of 22.6 points.
- The share of licenses under three years old is slightly below the state average: 14.8% here against 18.1% statewide (3.4 points lower).
Workers' compensation coverage
| Coverage type | San Francisco County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy on file | 214 | 46.5% | 46.1% |
| Exempt (certifies no employees) | 236 | 51.3% | 51.2% |
| No current WC record | 6 | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Leasing firm / temp agency | 4 | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Self-insured | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Out-of-state coverage | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
236 licenses in San Francisco 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. 6 county licenses currently show a workers' comp suspension pending. Workers' comp for plumbing companies →
Suspensions
| Cause | San Francisco County | Share of suspended | California share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond lapsed (contractor's, LLC, qualifying individual, disciplinary) | 12 | 70.6% | 63.7% |
| Workers' compensation | 3 | 17.6% | 21.0% |
| Liability insurance (LLC) | 1 | 5.9% | 5.7% |
| Other | 1 | 5.9% | 9.6% |
5 San Francisco 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 Francisco County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole owner | 202 | 43.9% | 45.8% |
| Corporation | 228 | 49.6% | 47.5% |
| Limited liability company | 16 | 3.5% | 5.5% |
| Partnership | 13 | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| Joint venture or other | 1 | 0.2% | 0.1% |
16 county licenses are LLCs, 16 of which have the $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond on file. 211 licenses (45.9%) also hold a B general building classification and 42 hold C-20 HVAC.
Licenses by city
| City | C-36 licenses | Share of county |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | 460 | 100.0% |
New licenses and renewals
22 licenses were issued in the county in the last twelve months; 14.8% of all county licenses are under three years old. 213 licenses come up for renewal in the next twelve months, peaking in Aug 2027.
What this means if you hold a C-36 in San Francisco County
The same rules apply in every county, but the figures above show where San Francisco County contractors most often run into them: bond lapses are the leading cause of suspension here, as they are statewide. Coverage pages: workers' compensation, general liability, commercial auto, contractor bonds.
Quote your San Francisco 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.