How many solar contractors are licensed in California?

California has 1,261 contractors with a C46 (Solar) license from the Contractors State License Board. 1,211 (96%) hold active licenses. SiteVetter checks each against SAM.gov, OSHA, DOL, and EPA databases.

What does a C46 license cover in California?

A California C46 license covers solar contractors for photovoltaic and solar thermal systems. Any contractor performing solar work valued at $500 or more must hold this license. The CSLB issues and regulates all contractor licenses in the state.

What percentage of solar contractors have federal violations?

5.7% of California solar contractors (72 out of 1,261) have at least one record in federal databases. These include SAM.gov debarments, DOL wage violations, OSHA safety citations, and EPA environmental violations.

Verify Solar Contractors (C46) - Page 23 | CSLB + Federal Check

How to Verify a Solar Contractor (C46) in California

California requires all contractors performing solar work valued at $500+ to hold a valid CSLB C46 license. Of the 1,261 licensed solar contractors in the state, 96% currently hold active licenses and 5.7% 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 Solar 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 Solar Work

Under California's "Controlling Employer" doctrine, general contractors face liability for subcontractor safety violations. For solar work specifically, 5.7% 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.

Solar Contractor Verification - Page 23

About C46 License

Solar Contractors

How to Verify a Solar Contractor (C46) in California

Verification Checklist for Solar Contractors

Why Verification Matters for Solar Work