California Refrigeration License Requirements

Official classification: C-38 Refrigeration Contractor · Issued by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB).

🧊 RefrigerationCA ✔ Verified 2026-07-14

In California, refrigeration contractors must hold the C-38 Refrigeration Contractor, issued by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB), and a $25,000 surety bond is required. Full requirements — experience, exams, fees, insurance, renewal and reciprocity — are detailed below.

How to become a licensed refrigeration contractor in California

Follow these steps to earn your C-38 Refrigeration Contractor. Every figure is verified against the Contractors State License Board (CSLB); full detail for each step is further down the page.

Build the required experience. 4 years of journey-level refrigeration experience within the last 10 years. Up to 3 years may be credited for approved apprenticeship, technical training or education; at least 1 year must be practical experience.
Pass the Law & Business and C-38 Refrigeration Trade exams. Providers, passing scores and fees are in the Exams section below.
Secure your surety bond. California requires $25,000 contractor bond (since Jan 1, 2023). Additional $25,000 Bond of Qualifying Individual if qualified by an RME or by an RMO who owns less than 10% of the company.
Line up insurance. You'll need liability insurance (Not state-mandated, but commonly required by clients and general contractors), and workers' compensation coverage.
Clear the background check. Live Scan fingerprints; DOJ ($32) + FBI ($17) criminal background check. Convictions reviewed case-by-case for substantial relation to contractor duties.
Submit your application and fees. Apply through the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) — $450 (nonrefundable); $230 to add C-38 to an existing CSLB license application fee, plus a $200 (sole owner) / $350 (non-sole owner) license fee. Processing time: Variable; status checkable on the CSLB website.
Keep the license active. Renew every 2 years.

California refrigeration contractor license lookup

To confirm a refrigeration contractor is properly licensed in California — or to check the status of your own license — search the issuing agency's official license database. The record shows whether the license is active and in good standing.

Verify a license now: Search the official cslb.ca.gov database →

License types

C-38 Refrigeration Contractor — Statewide license to construct, fabricate, erect, install, maintain, service and repair refrigerators, refrigerated rooms and insulated refrigerated spaces, plus the temperature-control equipment for air, liquids and gases maintained below 50°F — including the related air-conditioning units, ducts, blowers, registers and thermostatic controls. Comfort heating and cooling above that line belongs to the C-20 HVAC classification.

Requirements at a glance

Experience required	4 years of journey-level refrigeration experience within the last 10 years. Up to 3 years may be credited for approved apprenticeship, technical training or education; at least 1 year must be practical experience.
Application fee	$450 (nonrefundable); $230 to add C-38 to an existing CSLB license
License fee	$200 (sole owner) / $350 (non-sole owner)
Renewal fee	$450 (sole owner) / $700 (non-sole owner)
Renewal period	Every 2 years
Continuing education	None required
Bond required	$25,000 contractor bond (since Jan 1, 2023). Additional $25,000 Bond of Qualifying Individual if qualified by an RME or by an RMO who owns less than 10% of the company.
Liability insurance	Not state-mandated, but commonly required by clients and general contractors
Property damage	—
Workers' comp	Required with employees. Unlike C-20 HVAC and C-39 roofing contractors, a C-38 contractor with no employees may still file a workers' comp exemption — C-38 is not on the no-exemption classification list of B&P Code §7125.
Background check	Live Scan fingerprints; DOJ ($32) + FBI ($17) criminal background check. Convictions reviewed case-by-case for substantial relation to contractor duties.
Credit requirement	None
Reciprocity	Nevada (C-21a Refrigeration — trade exam may be waived)
Processing time	Variable; status checkable on the CSLB website

Exams

Law & Business	Provider: PSI (for CSLB) · Passing: Not publicly disclosed by CSLB (candidates are notified at the test site) · Fee: Included in application
C-38 Refrigeration Trade	Provider: PSI (for CSLB) · Passing: Not publicly disclosed by CSLB (candidates are notified at the test site) · Fee: Included in application

Preparing for the Refrigeration exam? State-specific contractor exam-prep courses help you pass the first time. Start exam prep →

What's on the C-38 trade exam

CSLB publishes a free official C-38 study guide (edition 13E-38, March 2026) that breaks the trade exam into five weighted sections:

Refrigeration System Installation — 26%: job-site preparation, installing and starting up equipment, specialty systems.
Refrigeration System Repair — 22%: troubleshooting systems and electrical problems, making repairs.
Planning and Estimating — 18%: planning and estimating refrigeration projects.
Refrigeration System Maintenance — 18%: maintaining systems and documenting code compliance.
Safety — 16%: personnel and job-site safety.

The exam is closed-book and multiple-choice with four choices per question; a calculator is provided and there is no penalty for guessing. The study guide also names the reference books CSLB draws questions from — including Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Goodheart-Willcox), Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology (Cengage), Fundamentals of HVACR (Pearson), the California Mechanical Code and the Cal/OSHA safety orders — so studying those sources directly tends to track the real exam more closely than third-party prep material alone.

Already hold a C-20 HVAC license?

Many California HVAC contractors add the C-38 to an existing C-20 Warm-Air HVAC license: the C-20 covers comfort heating and cooling, while equipment that keeps air, liquids or gases below 50°F — walk-in coolers, refrigerated rooms, commercial refrigeration — requires the C-38.

Adding a classification to a current CSLB license costs $230, versus $450 for an original application.
The Law & Business exam is only required again if you have not passed it within the last five years; otherwise you sit only the C-38 trade exam.
You must still document 4 years of journey-level experience in refrigeration work specifically.
One difference from the C-20: a C-38 contractor with no employees may file a workers' compensation exemption, while C-20 (and C-39 roofing) licensees must carry coverage regardless of employee count.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a California refrigeration license cost?

Application: $450 (nonrefundable); $230 to add C-38 to an existing CSLB license. License: $200 (sole owner) / $350 (non-sole owner). Renewal: $450 (sole owner) / $700 (non-sole owner).

How do I look up a refrigeration license in California?

Search the official license database at cslb.ca.gov. The record shows whether the license is active and in good standing.

Do refrigerations in California need a surety bond?

$25,000 contractor bond (since Jan 1, 2023). Additional $25,000 Bond of Qualifying Individual if qualified by an RME or by an RMO who owns less than 10% of the company.

What experience is required for a California refrigeration license?

4 years of journey-level refrigeration experience within the last 10 years. Up to 3 years may be credited for approved apprenticeship, technical training or education; at least 1 year must be practical experience.

Is insurance required for refrigerations in California?

Liability: Not state-mandated, but commonly required by clients and general contractors Workers' compensation: Required with employees. Unlike C-20 HVAC and C-39 roofing contractors, a C-38 contractor with no employees may still file a workers' comp exemption — C-38 is not on the no-exemption classification list of B&P Code §7125.

How often must a California refrigeration license be renewed?

Every 2 years.

Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-07-14 — always confirm current requirements directly with the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) before applying. This is not legal advice.