How many refrigeration contractors are licensed in California?

California has 1,734 contractors with a C38 (Refrigeration) license from the Contractors State License Board. 1,653 (95%) hold active licenses. SiteVetter checks each against SAM.gov, OSHA, DOL, and EPA databases.

What does a C38 license cover in California?

A California C38 license covers refrigeration contractors for commercial cooling systems. Any contractor performing refrigeration work valued at $500 or more must hold this license. The CSLB issues and regulates all contractor licenses in the state.

What percentage of refrigeration contractors have federal violations?

4.8% of California refrigeration contractors (84 out of 1,734) have at least one record in federal databases. These include SAM.gov debarments, DOL wage violations, OSHA safety citations, and EPA environmental violations.

Verify Refrigeration Contractors (C38) - Page 29 | CSLB + Federal Check

How to Verify a Refrigeration Contractor (C38) in California

California requires all contractors performing refrigeration work valued at $500+ to hold a valid CSLB C38 license. Of the 1,734 licensed refrigeration contractors in the state, 95% currently hold active licenses and 4.8% have at least one federal compliance record.

Manual vetting takes 45+ minutes per contractor and routinely misses violations in databases most people don't know to check. SiteVetter runs CSLB status, SAM.gov debarment, DOL wage violations, OSHA safety citations, and EPA environmental records in seconds—creating a timestamped compliance artifact.

Verification Checklist for Refrigeration Contractors

Verify the contractor license is active and in good standing
Request proof of insurance and bonding
Get at least 3 written quotes before selecting a contractor
Check federal databases: SAM.gov, OSHA, DOL, and EPA records
Confirm bond: California requires $25,000+ contractor bond (SB 607)

Why Verification Matters for Refrigeration Work

Under California's "Controlling Employer" doctrine, general contractors face liability for subcontractor safety violations. For refrigeration work specifically, 4.8% of licensed contractors have federal records that a standard CSLB license check wouldn't reveal. SiteVetter's 5-database check catches what a single-source verification misses.

Refrigeration Contractor Verification - Page 29

About C38 License

Refrigeration Contractors

How to Verify a Refrigeration Contractor (C38) in California

Verification Checklist for Refrigeration Contractors

Why Verification Matters for Refrigeration Work