California Electrical Licensing Law

California Code · 16 sections

The following is the full text of California’s electrical licensing law statutes as published in the California Code. For the official version, see the California Legislature.

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6704

(a) In order to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare, no person shall practice civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering unless appropriately licensed or specifically exempted from licensure under this chapter, and only persons licensed under this chapter shall be entitled to take and use the titles “consulting engineer,” “professional engineer,” or “registered engineer,” or any combination of those titles or abbreviations thereof, and according to licensure with the board the engineering branch titles specified in Section 6732, or the authority titles specified in Sections 6736 and 6736.1, or the title “engineer-in-training.” (b) The provisions of this section shall not prevent the use of the title “consulting engineer” by a person who has qualified for and maintained exemption for using that title under the provisions of Section 6732.1, or by a person licensed as a photogrammetric surveyor. (Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 658, Sec. 89. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6706.3

Any reference in any law or regulation to a registered engineer, or to a registered civil, electrical, or mechanical engineer, is deemed to refer to a licensed engineer, or to a licensed civil, electrical, or mechanical engineer, as the case may be. (Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 59, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 1999.) BPC Business and Professions Code - BPC 1.

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6712

(a) All appointments to the board shall be for a term of four years. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term. Each appointment thereafter shall be for a four-year term expiring on June 30 of the fourth year following the year in which the previous term expired. (b) Each member shall hold office until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor or until one year shall have elapsed since the expiration of the term for which he or she was appointed, whichever first occurs. No person shall serve as a member of the board for more than two consecutive terms. (c) The Governor shall appoint professional members so that one is licensed to practice engineering as a civil engineer, one as an electrical engineer, one as a mechanical engineer, another is authorized to use the title of structural engineer, and one is a member of one of the remaining branches of engineering. One of the professional members licensed under this chapter, under Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section 7800), or under Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 8700) shall be from a local public agency, and one shall be from a state agency. (d) The Governor shall appoint six of the public members and the professional members qualified as provided in Section

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6730

In order to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare, any person, either in a public or private capacity, except as in this chapter specifically excepted, who practices, or offers to practice, civil engineering, electrical engineering or mechanical engineering, in any of its branches in this state, including any person employed by the State of California, or any city, county, or city and county, who practices engineering, shall submit evidence that he or she is qualified to practice, and shall be licensed accordingly as a civil engineer, electrical engineer or mechanical engineer by the board. (Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 658, Sec. 95. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6731.5

(a) Electrical engineering is that branch of professional engineering described in Section 6734.1 that embraces studies or activities relating to the generation, transmission, and utilization of electrical energy, including the design of electrical, electronic, and magnetic circuits, and the technical control of their operation and of the design of electrical gear. It is concerned with the research, organizational, and economic aspects of the above. (b) The design of electronic and magnetic circuits is not exclusive to the practice of electrical engineering, as defined in subdivision (a). (Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1006, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 2001.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6732

It is unlawful for anyone other than a professional engineer licensed under this chapter to stamp or seal any plans, specifications, plats, reports, or other documents with the seal or stamp of a professional engineer, or in any manner, use the title “professional engineer,” “licensed engineer,” “registered engineer,” or “consulting engineer,” or any of the following branch titles: “agricultural engineer,” “chemical engineer,” “civil engineer,” “control system engineer,” “electrical engineer,” “fire protection engineer,” “industrial engineer,” “mechanical engineer,” “metallurgical engineer,” “nuclear engineer,” “petroleum engineer,” or “traffic engineer,” or any combination of these words and phrases or abbreviations thereof unless licensed under this chapter. (Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 789, Sec. 15. Effective January 1, 2004.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6735.3

(a) All electrical engineering plans, specifications, calculations, and reports (hereinafter referred to as “documents”) prepared by, or under the responsible charge of, a licensed electrical engineer shall include his or her name and license number. Interim documents shall include a notation as to the intended purpose of the document, such as “preliminary,” “not for construction,” “for plan check only,” or “for review only.” All electrical engineering plans and specifications that are permitted or that are to be released for construction shall bear the signature and seal or stamp of the licensee and the date of signing and sealing or stamping. All final electrical engineering calculations and reports shall bear the signature and seal or stamp of the licensee and the date of signing and sealing or stamping. If electrical engineering plans are required to be signed and sealed and have multiple sheets, the signature, seal or stamp, and date of signing and sealing or stamping shall appear on each sheet of the plans. If electrical engineering specifications, calculations, and reports are required to be signed and sealed or stamped and have multiple pages, the signature, seal or stamp, and date of signing and sealing or stamping shall appear at a minimum on the title sheet, cover sheet, or signature sheet. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a licensed electrical engineer who signs electrical engineering documents shall not be responsible for damage caused by subsequent changes to or uses of those documents, if the subsequent changes or uses, including changes or uses made by state or local governmental agencies, are not authorized or approved by the licensed electrical engineer who originally signed the documents, provided that the engineering service rendered by the electrical engineer who signed the documents was not also a proximate cause of the damage. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 368, Sec. 2. (AB 645) Effective January 1, 2010.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6737.3

A contractor licensed under Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 is exempt from the provisions of this chapter relating to the practice of electrical or mechanical engineering so long as the services he or she holds himself or herself out as able to perform or does perform, which services are subject to the provisions of this chapter, are performed by, or under the responsible charge of a registered electrical or mechanical engineer insofar as the electrical or mechanical engineer practices the branch of engineering for which he or she is registered. This section shall not prohibit a licensed contractor, while engaged in the business of contracting for the installation of electrical or mechanical systems or facilities, from designing those systems or facilities in accordance with applicable construction codes and standards for work to be performed and supervised by that contractor within the classification for which his or her license is issued, or from preparing electrical or mechanical shop or field drawings for work which he or she has contracted to perform. Nothing in this section is intended to imply that a licensed contractor may design work which is to be installed by another person. (Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 607, Sec. 28. Effective January 1, 2004.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6738

(a) This chapter does not prohibit one or more civil, electrical, or mechanical engineers from practicing or offering to practice, within the scope of their license, civil (including geotechnical and structural), electrical, or mechanical engineering as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, firm, or corporation (hereinafter called business), if all of the following requirements are met: (1) A civil, electrical, or mechanical engineer currently licensed in this state is an owner, partner, or officer in charge of the engineering practice of the business. (2) All civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering services are performed by, or under the responsible charge of, a professional engineer licensed in the appropriate branch of professional engineering. (3) If the business name of a California engineering business contains the name of any person, then that person shall be licensed as a professional engineer, a licensed land surveyor, a licensed architect, or a geologist registered under the Geologist and Geophysicist Act (Chapter 12.5 (commencing with Section 7800)). Any offer, promotion, or advertisement by the business that contains the name of any individual in the business, other than by use of the name of an individual in the business name, shall clearly and specifically designate the license or registration discipline of each individual named. (b) An out-of-state business with a branch office in this state shall meet the requirements of subdivisions (a) and (h) and shall have an owner, partner, or officer who is in charge of the engineering work in the branch in this state, who is licensed in this state, and who is physically present at the branch office in this state on a regular basis. However, the name of the business may contain the name of any person not licensed in this state if that person is appropriately registered or licensed in another state. Any offer, promotion, or advertisement that contains the name of any individual in the business, other than by use of the names of the individuals in the business name, shall clearly and specifically designate the license or registration discipline of each individual named. (c) The business name of a California engineering business may be a fictitious name. However, if the fictitious name includes the name of any person, the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall be met. (d) A person not licensed under this chapter may also be a partner or an officer of a civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering business if the requirements of subdivision (a) are met. This section does not permit a person who is not licensed under this chapter to be the sole owner of a civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering business, unless otherwise exempt under this chapter. (e) This section shall not prevent the use of the name of any business engaged in rendering civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering services, including the use by any lawful successor or surviv

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6740

A subordinate to a civil, electrical or mechanical engineer licensed under this chapter, or a subordinate to a civil, electrical or mechanical engineer exempted from licensure under this chapter, insofar as he or she acts solely in that capacity, is exempt from licensure under the provisions of this chapter. This exemption, however, does not permit any such subordinate to practice civil, electrical or mechanical engineering in his or her own right or to use the titles listed in Sections 6732, 6736, and

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6741

Any person, firm, partnership, or corporation is exempt from registration under the provisions of this chapter who meets all the following: (a) Is a nonresident of the State of California. (b) Is legally qualified in another state to practice as a civil, electrical, or mechanical engineer. (c) Does not maintain a regular place of business in this state. (d) Offers to but does not practice civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering in this state. (Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1006, Sec. 15. Effective January 1, 2001.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7026.12

Except as provided in Section 7026.13, the installation of a fire protection system, excluding an electrical alarm system, shall be performed only by either of the following: (a) A contractor holding a fire protection contractor classification, as defined in the regulations of the board. (b) An owner-builder of an owner-occupied, single-family dwelling, if not more than two single-family dwellings on the same parcel are constructed within one year, plans are submitted to, and approved by, the city, county, or city and county authority, and the city, county, or city and county authority inspects and approves the installation. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 377, Sec. 1. (AB 433) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7042.1

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, gas, heat, or electrical corporations and their subsidiaries that are regulated as public utilities by the Public Utilities Commission shall not conduct work for which a contractor’s license is required, except under any one or more of the following conditions: (1) The work is performed upon the gas, heat, or electrical corporation’s properties. (2) The work is performed through a contract with a contractor or contractors licensed pursuant to this chapter or the work is performed for low-income citizens pursuant to a program authorized by order of the Public Utilities Commission. (3) The work is undertaken by the gas, heat, or electrical corporation in furtherance of the generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity, gas, or steam, whether within or without the service area of the corporation, if any work performed within a structure and beyond a customer’s utility meter is necessary to protect the public safety or to avoid interruption of service. (4) The work is otherwise exempt from the provisions of this chapter. (5) The work is performed to comply with programs or procedures ordered or authorized by the Public Utilities Commission not inconsistent with the objectives expressed in Chapter 984 of the Statutes of 1983. (b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Gas, heat, or electrical corporation properties” means properties which a gas, heat, or electrical corporation owns or leases, or over which it has been granted an easement for utility purposes, or facilities which a gas, heat, or electrical corporation owns or operates for utility purposes. (2) “Subsidiaries” means subsidiaries of a gas, heat, or electrical corporation regulated as public utilities by the Public Utilities Commission which carry out activities solely for utility purposes. (c) It is the intention of the Legislature in enacting this section that public utility regulations be clearly based on the principle that the energy conservation industry should be allowed to develop in a competitive manner, as declared in Chapter 984 of the Statutes of 1983. (Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 29, Sec. 1.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7056

A general engineering contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with fixed works requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill, including the following divisions or subjects: irrigation, drainage, water power, water supply, flood control, inland waterways, harbors, docks and wharves, shipyards and ports, dams and hydroelectric projects, levees, river control and reclamation works, railroads, highways, streets and roads, tunnels, airports and airways, sewers and sewage disposal plants and systems, waste reduction plants, bridges, overpasses, underpasses and other similar works, pipelines and other systems for the transmission of petroleum and other liquid or gaseous substances, parks, playgrounds and other recreational works, refineries, chemical plants and similar industrial plants requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill, powerhouses, powerplants and other utility plants and installations, mines and metallurgical plants, land leveling and earthmoving projects, excavating, grading, trenching, paving and surfacing work and cement and concrete works in connection with the above-mentioned fixed works. (Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 296, Sec. 12. (AB 1023) Effective January 1, 2012.)

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7057.5

(a) A residential remodeling contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with any project to make improvements to, on, or in an existing residential wood frame structure, and the project requires the use of at least three unrelated building trades or crafts for a single contract. (b) (1) A residential remodeling contractor may take a prime contract for trades or crafts which may include, but is not limited to, the following: (A) Drywall. (B) Finish carpentry. (C) Flooring. (D) Insulation. (E) Painting. (F) Plastering. (G) Roof repair. (H) Siding. (I) Tiling. (J) Installing, repairing, or replacing electrical fixtures, such as dimmers, fans, lights, outlets, and switches. (K) Installing, repairing, or replacing plumbing fixtures, such as faucets, sinks, toilets, and tubs. (L) Installing, repairing, or replacing mechanical fixtures, such as air filters, air delivery and return grills, and preassembled exhaust fans. (2) A residential remodeling contractor shall not take a contract unless the contract includes three or more unrelated trades or crafts. (3) Subject to the limit described in paragraph (2), a residential remodeling contractor may self-perform its contract or may subcontract any of the trades or crafts to appropriately licensed subcontractor or subcontractors. (c) A residential remodeling contractor shall conduct its contracting activity in accordance with the following restrictions: (1) A residential remodeling contractor shall not contract for a project that includes the following trades or crafts unless the contractor holds the appropriate license classification or subcontracts with an appropriately licensed contractor: (A) C-16 Fire Protection. (B) C-22 Asbestos Abatement. (C) C-57 Well Drilling. (2) A residential remodeling contractor shall not contract to make structural changes to load bearing portions of an existing structure, including, but not limited to, footings, foundations, load bearing walls, partitions, and roof structures. (3) (A) The residential remodeling contractor shall not contract to install, replace, substantially alter, or extend electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems or their component parts, or the mechanisms or devices that are part of those systems, unless the residential remodeling contractor holds the appropriate license classification or subcontracts with an appropriately licensed contractor. (B) The residential remodeling contractor may contract to make minor alterations to existing electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems to effectuate the purpose of installing, repairing, or replacing electrical, mechanical and plumbing fixtures, provided that the contract requires the use of at least three unrelated building trades or crafts. (C) The board may adopt regulations to further define what activity constitutes the minor alterations described in subparagraph (B), and to further define the electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems, or their component parts, or the

Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7169

(a) The board, in collaboration with the Public Utilities Commission, shall develop and make available a “solar energy system disclosure document” or documents that provide a consumer, at a minimum, accurate, clear, and concise information regarding the installation of a solar energy system, total costs of installation, anticipated savings, the assumptions and inputs used to estimate the savings, and the implications of various financing options. (b) On or before July 1, 2018, the board, in collaboration with the Public Utilities Commission, shall develop, and make available on its internet website the disclosure document described in subdivision (a) that a solar energy system company shall provide to a consumer prior to completion of a sale, financing, or lease of a solar energy system. The “solar energy system disclosure document” shall be printed on the front page or cover page of every solar energy contract. The “solar energy system disclosure document” shall be printed in boldface 16-point type and include the following types of primary information: (1) The total cost and payments for the system, including financing costs. (2) Information on how and to whom customers may provide complaints. (3) The consumer’s right to the applicable cancellation period pursuant to Section 7159 of the Business and Professions Code. (c) At the board’s discretion, other types of supporting information the board and the commission deem appropriate or useful in furthering the directive described in subdivision (a) may be included in the solar energy disclosure document following the front page or cover page, including, but not limited to: (1) The amounts and sources of financing obtained. (2) The calculations used by the home improvement salesperson to determine how many panels the homeowner needs to install. (3) The calculations used by the home improvement salesperson to determine how much energy the panels will generate. (4) Any additional monthly fees the homeowner’s electric company may bill, any turn-on charges, and any fees added for the use of an internet monitoring system of the panels or inverters. (5) The terms and conditions of any guaranteed rebate. (6) The final contract price, without the inclusion of possible rebates. (7) The solar energy system company’s contractor’s license number. (8) The impacts of solar energy system installations not performed to code. (9) Types of solar energy system malfunctions. (10) Information about the difference between a solar energy system lease and a solar energy system purchase. (11) The impacts that the financing options, lease agreement terms, or contract terms will have on the sale of the consumer’s home, including any balloon payments or solar energy system relocation that may be required if the contract is not assigned to the new owner of the home. (12) A calculator that calculates performance of solar projects to provide solar customers the solar power system’s projected output, which may include an expected

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