C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering License: A Comprehensive Guide

We’re back again with another license guide! This time, we’re looking at the C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering License – an extremely lucrative license with the potential for big earnings if you can excel in this area.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at the C-15 license – who needs it, what construction jobs you can undertake with it, your daily tasks as a C-15 license holder, and some additional licenses you can take on that will give you a chance to take your earnings even further.

What is a C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering License?

The C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering License, often referred to as a flooring contractor’s license, is a license required by the state of California for contractors who wish to do any sort of flooring work in California.

This license – as regulated by the California Contractors State License Board – is essential for professionals in the state who want to legally install, repair, or maintain floor surfaces made from wood, carpet, vinyl, tile, and other materials.

Who Needs a C-15 License?

This license is a must-have for contractors who wish to specialize in flooring projects, including but not limited to the installation of new floors, renovation of existing floor surfaces, and maintenance of floor quality and safety standards.

You absolutely must have this license to do any sort of flooring-related work involving materials and labor worth more than $500, so, while technically you don’t always need a contractor’s license, in reality, you need a C-15 license if you want to be a flooring contractor.

Types of Construction Jobs with a C-15 License

Holders of the C-15 license can undertake a broad spectrum of flooring-related construction jobs, for both residential and commercial projects. Here are some examples of the common types of jobs you’ll take on as a flooring contractor:

  • Hardwood floor installation
  • Carpet installation
  • Vinyl and linoleum flooring installation
  • Tiling, mosaic and stone flooring installation
  • Repair and maintenance of existing flooring
  • Removal of old or unwanted flooring
  • Sheet vinyl installation in healthcare or educational facilities
  • Rubber flooring installation for gyms and recreational areas
  • Installing anti-static flooring in electronic manufacturing spaces
  • Custom floor design and installation
  • Eco-friendly and sustainable flooring installation (bamboo, cork)
  • Waterproof flooring installation for basements and other moisture-prone areas
  • Historical restoration of flooring in heritage buildings
  • Soundproof flooring installation for apartments and commercial buildings
  • Athletic and sports flooring installation
  • Sanding, polishing, and refinishing of hardwood and parquet floors
  • Carpet cleaning and repair services
  • Moisture mitigation and underlayment solutions
  • Repair and replacement of damaged sections of flooring
  • Grout repair and replacement for tile floors
  • Subfloor installation and repair
  • Leveling and smoothing of subfloors before new flooring installation
  • Moisture testing and remediation
  • Flooring consultation services for renovation projects
  • Custom inlays and patterns for hardwood and tile floors
  • Color matching and staining for hardwood floor refinishing
  • Installation of non-slip flooring surfaces
  • Adding tactile warning surfaces for the visually impaired

Daily Tasks of a C-15 License Holder

What’s it like being a C-15 license holder? What does the day-to-day work schedule look like?

As always with construction, what your daily tasks are as a flooring contractor can vary wildly. For example, the work you do every day as a commercial contractor building giant office buildings is going to be radically different from a local carpet installer.

That said, here are some of the general tasks you can expect as a C-15 license holder:

  • Evaluating and preparing floors and subfloors for construction
  • Prepping, measuring, and cutting flooring materials
  • Installing various types of flooring such as carpets, hardwood, and marble flooring
  • Conducting moisture tests and inspecting flooring for other issues
  • Ensuring the quality and compliance of the installed flooring
  • Communicating with general contractors, homeowners, and potential customers
  • Removing, transporting, and responsibly disposing of flooring and other materials

Additional Licenses Beneficial Alongside a C-15 License

Expanding your qualifications with additional licenses can open up further opportunities in the construction industry. Consider acquiring licenses in:

  • C-33 Painting and Decorating License: Since many flooring jobs also require painting, trim work, and other decorative jobs to the surrounding walls and floors, the C-33 license is a great one to have so you can offer more comprehensive renovation services.
  • C-36 Plumbing License: Especially useful for contractors involved in bathroom and kitchen remodels, where flooring work often coincides with plumbing upgrades or installations. With a C-36 license, you can do the floors and the plumbing simultaneously.
  • C-10 Electrical License: For projects that include heated floors or need electrical work in conjunction with flooring, holding a C-10 license allows you to expand into that work as well, allowing you to take on large-scale revivals.

These additional qualifications enable contractors to manage more aspects of a renovation project, making them a one-stop solution for their clients, which can significantly enhance their business opportunities.

How to Get A C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering Contractor’s License

Step 1: Acquire The Necessary Experience

C-15 license applicants must have at least four years of relevant experience working specifically on elevators within the last ten years. Proof of experience can be documented through tax returns, check stubs, contracts, timesheets, and material order invoices or receipts.

If you don’t have four years of experience, you must obtain the necessary experience by working under a licensed C-15 contractor and gaining hands-on experience. You may also qualify via the education exemption by doing three years of accredited education, in addition to one year of hands-on experience as a journeyman under a C-15 license holder.

Step 2: Submit Your Application

Submit an application on the CSLB website with accurate business information, business entity selection, qualifying individual identification, and work experience certification.

Make sure you double- and triple-check your work before you submit your application, as even the smallest mistakes can add time to you getting your license as you’ll have to re-submit your application – a process that can take several weeks.

Step 3: Pass the CSLB Exams

The state exam is a rigorous assessment designed to verify a candidate’s expertise in flooring and floor covering. It consists of two main components:

  • Contractor Business and Law Examination: This section tests knowledge on business and legal aspects relevant to the construction industry in California.
  • Flooring Trade Examination: This section is all about flooring, with questions about specific skills and knowledge required for flooring projects, including planning, estimation, subfloor evaluation, carpet installation, and safety protocols.

Both parts of the exam are conducted in a multiple-choice format, requiring thorough preparation and understanding of the trade and law​

Step 4: Background Check, Fees and Bonds and Insurance

After you pass the test, you have to pay all your fees, pass a background check, and post any of the bonds required by the CSLB.

  • Bonds and Insurance: Every contractor must demonstrate proof of a Contractor’s Bond worth $25,000. In addition, some contractors may need to have Workers’ Compensation insurance. By 2025, all contractors must have Workers’ Comp insurance, regardless of whether they have employees or not!
  • Fees: You must pay all fees associated with your license. See our guide here.
  • Background Check: You must undergo a background check, including fingerprinting and a check for any previous criminal convictions.

There is plenty of work for C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering License holders in California. Flooring and floor-related renovations are a constant need, with frequent residential remodeling projects and brand-new commercial builds popping up around the state year-round.

By picking up a C-15 license for yourself, you can take advantage of the high-income flooring projects that exist all over California. Time to get started!

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About CSLS

Contractors State License Service (CSLS) is the largest school in California devoted to the Construction professional. For over 23 years, CSLS has helped its students pass the exam to become licensed contractors in the State of California, licensing more students than any other school. From our main offices in Southern California, CSLS operates over 25 locations with full-service support and classrooms. We have grown to this extent by providing quality, professional services. In comparison, this provides 7 times the number of convenient locations than the second largest contractor school. Contractors State License Services is one of the only contractor schools in the state that is run by educators, not lawyers or people mostly interested in the bonding and insurance business. Contractors State License Services formerly operated under the oversight of the State of California's Bureau for Private Post Secondary and Vocational Education. As of January 1 2010, the new Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) came into existence replacing the BPPVE. CSLS now operates under the provisions of the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 (CPPEA), Article 4 Section 94874(f). Our Mission is simple; We can help you pass your California Contractors License Exam. Celebrating our 25th year, CSLS has helped over 120,000 students pass the California contractor licensing exam to become licensed contractors in the State of California. Additionally, we offer complete home study and online contractor’s license programs to help you pass your California contractors license exam. CSLS offers licensing classes for all types of contractor licenses, including General Engineering Contractor, General Building Contractor, Specialty Contractor, Insulation and Acoustical Contractor, Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor, Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry Contractor, Concrete Contractor, Drywall Contractor, Electrical Contractor, Elevator Contractor, Landscaping Contractor, Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor, and many others. For a complete list of contractor licenses, visit www.MakeMeAContractor.com and tuned for more informative posts.