California Contractor Insurance

C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor License: What It Covers and the Insurance It Needs

Asena Capital Insurance Services — California-licensed insurance brokerage serving contractors statewide. Phone: (858) 925-9555. Email: info@asenainsurance.com.

What a C-5 license allows

CSLB defines the C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor classification as follows: “A framing and rough carpentry contractor performs any form work, framing or rough carpentry necessary to construct framed structures; installs or repairs individual components of framing systems and performs any rough carpentry or associated work, including but not limited to the construction or installation of: sub-flooring, siding, exterior staircases and railings, overhead doors, roof decking, truss members, and sheathing. The amendments made to this section in 2002 shall become operative January 1, 2003, or as soon thereafter as administratively feasible, whereupon any licensee who has passed the C-5 Carpentry, Cabinet and Millwork trade examination on or after January 10, 2000, up to the effective date of this section, shall have the C-6 Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry classification added to the applicable license.” Source: cslb.ca.gov licensing classifications.

C-5 licenses in California by the numbers

As of September 2026, CSLB lists 1,012 current licenses that include C-5. 49% have workers' comp on file, 47% are filed exempt, and 72 were issued in the last 12 months.

Ownership: 50% sole owners, 45% corporations, 4% LLCs. Suspensions today: 13 for workers' comp, 48 for bonds.

California cities with the most active C-5 licenses — CSLB public license file, September 2026.
LicensesWith WC policyExemptNew (12 mo)
San Jose2839%57%3
Bakersfield2843%46%1
Los Angeles2548%48%1
Sacramento2450%50%3
Riverside1958%42%1
Escondido1872%22%2
San Diego1547%53%2
Concord1250%50%0
Anaheim1258%33%0
Santa Maria1136%64%1

Insurance and bonds a C-5 contractor needs

  • $25,000 contractor license bond — required for every active license.
  • Workers' comp — A license with employees must carry workers' comp. With no employees you can currently file an exemption; from January 1, 2028 (SB 1455), CSLB will require workers' comp for all active licenses except joint ventures.
  • LLC licenses — liability insurance of at least $1 million (up to $5 million by member count) plus a $100,000 employee/worker bond.
  • General liability and commercial auto — not required by CSLB for most licenses, but required by nearly every GC, owner and public agency contract.

Carriers ask about residential vs. commercial, number of stories, tract vs. custom work, and whether you do any structural steel or engineered systems.

Get a quote

Asena Capital Insurance Services compares multiple markets for framing and rough carpentry contractors and requests additional insured endorsements for you when a contract calls for them. Call (858) 925-9555 or request a quote — only your name, phone and email are required. CA License #6008596.

Frequently asked questions

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