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Fast Facts

Advertising Guidelines For Contractors

The methods to advertise a business can take many forms: newspapers

and radio, business cards, lettering on a vehicle, brochures, directories

like the yellow pages, a contract proposal, and any website or post that

solicits business on the Internet.

Put your license number on all advertisements

Licensed contractors must include their license number in all construction

contracts, subcontracts, and calls for bid, and all forms of advertising.

The civil penalty for not complying with this requirement is between $100

and $1,000 for a first offense.

Advertising and business vehicles

C-36 Plumbing, C-45 Sign, and C-57 Well Drilling contractors must

display their business name and address and license number on each

side of every commercially-registered vehicle in letters at least 1 ½

inches high.

All other contractors must display their business name and contractor

license number on each of their commercially-registered vehicles in a

clearly visible location in print type of at least 72-point font or letters at

least ¾ of an inch high and wide.

Asbestos removal contractors

In addition to meeting all other relevant advertising guidelines, ads

soliciting asbestos removal must include your contractor license number,

the name you are certified and registered under, and the California

Department of Industrial Relations Division of Health and Safety

(DOSH/Cal-OSHA) certification and registration numbers for anyone

doing asbestos work.

Advertise within your license classification

You cannot advertise for construction work outside of areas for which you

are licensed. For example, a C-29 Masonry contractor cannot advertise

for electrical work, unless he or she also holds a C-10 Electrical

contractor license. (Licensed “A” General Engineering and “B” General

Building contractors can advertise as general contractors.)

Don’t advertise about bonding

The law prevents you from noting in your advertising or any presentation

to the public that you are bonded. Such a statement could lead a

consumer to believe that bonding offers a higher level of protection than

might be the case.