Garage door rules & licensing in California

Contractors State License Board (CSLB) — official site

A CSLB contractor licence is required to contract for garage door installation or repair. Business and Professions Code section 7048 exempts a project only if the aggregate contract price for labor, materials and all other items is less than $1,000 AND the work does not require a building permit AND the unlicensed person employs no one to help. Because most garage door replacements are permitted work, the exemption rarely applies.

$1,000. AB 2622 (Carrillo, Chapter 240, Statutes of 2024) raised the minor-work licence exemption from $500 to $1,000 effective January 1, 2025. CSLB warns there is a catch: if the work requires a permit of any kind, or the unlicensed person employs any workers, a licence is required even if the job is under $1,000.

$25,000 contractor licence bond. The bond must be in place before CSLB can issue an active licence, reactivate an inactive licence, or renew an active licence. The amount increased to $25,000 on January 1, 2023 under Senate Bill 607.

Building permits are issued by the local city or county building department under the California Building Standards Code, California Code of Regulations Title 24. The 2025 Triennial Edition was published July 1, 2025 with an effective date of January 1, 2026. CSLB's Building Official Information Guide requires a permit applicant to produce a signed statement that they are licensed, with the licence number, or a written signed statement giving the basis for a claimed exemption.