Plumbing Contractors in San Mateo County: CSLB C-36 License Statistics
San Mateo County has 457 current C-36 plumbing contractor licenses, 2.5% of California's total and the 12th-largest county count in the state. 241 (52.7%) have a workers' compensation policy on file and 206 (45.1%) are exempt. 12 licenses (2.6%) are suspended. Daly City accounts for 57 licenses, the most of any city in the county.
How San Mateo County compares
- The share of licenses with a workers' comp policy on file is well above the state average: 52.7% here against 46.1% statewide, a gap of 6.7 points.
- The suspension rate is slightly below the state average: 2.6% here against 4.1% statewide (1.5 points lower).
- The share of sole-owner licenses is slightly below the state average: 44.4% here against 45.8% statewide (1.4 points lower).
- The share organized as LLCs is slightly above the state average: 6.6% here against 5.5% statewide (1.1 points higher).
- The share that also hold a B general building license is well above the state average: 30.9% here against 23.3% statewide, a gap of 7.6 points.
- The share of licenses under three years old is slightly below the state average: 15.5% here against 18.1% statewide (2.6 points lower).
Workers' compensation coverage
| Coverage type | San Mateo County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Policy on file | 241 | 52.7% | 46.1% |
| Exempt (certifies no employees) | 206 | 45.1% | 51.2% |
| No current WC record | 7 | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Leasing firm / temp agency | 3 | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Self-insured | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Out-of-state coverage | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
206 licenses in San Mateo 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. 10 county licenses currently show a workers' comp suspension pending. Workers' comp for plumbing companies →
Suspensions
| Cause | San Mateo County | Share of suspended | California share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond lapsed (contractor's, LLC, qualifying individual, disciplinary) | 5 | 41.7% | 63.7% |
| Workers' compensation | 3 | 25.0% | 21.0% |
| Liability insurance (LLC) | 0 | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Other | 4 | 33.3% | 9.6% |
6 San Mateo 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 Mateo County | Share | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole owner | 203 | 44.4% | 45.8% |
| Corporation | 219 | 47.9% | 47.5% |
| Limited liability company | 30 | 6.6% | 5.5% |
| Partnership | 5 | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Joint venture or other | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
30 county licenses are LLCs, 30 of which have the $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond on file. 141 licenses (30.9%) also hold a B general building classification and 45 hold C-20 HVAC.
Licenses by city
| City | C-36 licenses | Share of county |
|---|---|---|
| Daly City | 57 | 12.5% |
| San Mateo | 54 | 11.8% |
| South San Francisco | 53 | 11.6% |
| Redwood City | 53 | 11.6% |
| San Bruno | 42 | 9.2% |
| Burlingame | 30 | 6.6% |
| Pacifica | 28 | 6.1% |
| Millbrae | 27 | 5.9% |
New licenses and renewals
35 licenses were issued in the county in the last twelve months; 15.5% of all county licenses are under three years old. 220 licenses come up for renewal in the next twelve months, peaking in Apr 2027.
What this means if you hold a C-36 in San Mateo County
The same rules apply in every county, but the figures above show where San Mateo 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 San Mateo 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.