California Refrigeration License Requirements

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

🧊 RefrigerationCA ✔ Verified 2026-09-30

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.
Check the insurance rules. 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.
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. Renewal: 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	Arizona (L-49 Commercial, Industrial Refrigeration; trade exam may be waived); Nevada (C-21a Refrigeration; trade exam may be waived) · compare all states
Processing time	Variable; status checkable on the CSLB website

What a California refrigeration license costs

Application fee	$450 (nonrefundable); $230 to add C-38 to an existing CSLB license.
License fee	$200 (sole owner) / $350 (non-sole owner).
Law & Business	Included in application.
C-38 Refrigeration Trade	Included in application.
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. A bond's premium is a percentage of the bond amount, set by the surety.
Renewal fee	$450 (sole owner) / $700 (non-sole owner).
Renewal period	Every 2 years.

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

Renewing a California refrigeration contractor license

The C-38 Refrigeration Contractor renews on a fixed cycle set by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Late and lapsed renewals are handled differently by every board, so check the renewal page linked below before the deadline passes.

Renewal period	Every 2 years
Renewal fee	$450 (sole owner) / $700 (non-sole owner)
Continuing education	None required
Where to renew	Contractors State License Board (CSLB)

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.
CSLB's add-a-classification rules say each qualifier must have passed the Law & Business exam and the C-38 trade exam; its exam waivers are tied to having qualified for, or passed both exams in, the same classification within the past five years. Ask CSLB whether an earlier Law & Business pass carries over before you schedule.
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 long does it take to get a California refrigeration license?

Processing time: Variable; status checkable on the CSLB website.

Is a background check required for refrigerations in California?

Background check: Live Scan fingerprints; DOJ ($32) + FBI ($17) criminal background check. Convictions reviewed case-by-case for substantial relation to contractor duties.

How often must a California refrigeration license be renewed?

Every 2 years. Continuing education: None required.

Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-09-30 — always confirm current requirements directly with the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) before applying. This is not legal advice.