How to get a C-33 Painting and Decorating license in California
Who qualifies, what CSLB asks for, the two exams you sit, what it all costs and how many people pass the C-33 exam, in the order it happens.
What a C-33 license covers
A painting and decorating contractor prepares surfaces by scraping, sandblasting or other means and applies paints, papers, textures, fabrics, varnishes, shellacs, stains, fillers, waxes, adhesives and similar materials to the surfaces of structures for decorating, protecting, fireproofing and waterproofing.
Source: 16 CCR §832.33.
You apply for the classification your experience is in, and the C-33 exam is the trade exam for that classification. Already licensed in another classification? Adding C-33 takes only the C-33 exam, not Law and Business again.
Who qualifies
Every license has a qualifier: the person who directly supervises and controls the construction work done under it. That can be you, or someone else who meets the bar on your behalf. For C-33, the qualifier must:
- be at least 18 years old;
- have a valid Social Security number or an ITIN;
- have four years of at least journey-level experience in the last 10 years in painting and decorating work: as a journeyperson, foreperson, supervising employee or contractor.
You can shorten the four years, but not all of it. CSLB may credit a completed apprenticeship, technical training or accredited education toward part of the experience, with certificates and transcripts sent in with the application. Every qualifier must still show at least one year of practical journey-level experience. A randomly selected share of applications is checked, so line up the people who can certify your painting and decorating experience before you apply.
The two exams: Law and Business and C-33
A first license takes two computer-based exams at a PSI test center: Law and Business, the same for every classification, and the C-33 trade exam. Both are closed book, multiple choice with four options and one best answer, and each allows 3½ hours. CSLB does not publish how many questions either exam has.
CSLB’s study guide splits the C-33 exam into 4 sections:
| Section / What it covers | Share |
|---|---|
| Planning and Estimating Evaluating job sites; selecting tools, equipment and materials; selecting paint, stain and finish colors and products; reading blueprints and specifications; estimating job costs for materials, supplies, equipment and labor. | 28% |
| Substrate Repair and Surface Preparation Identifying problems; scraping, sanding and wallpaper removal; patching, caulking and repairing; masking and protecting job sites; removing paint and cleaning surfaces; applying primer. | 30% |
| Application of Paint, Wallcoverings, and Finishes Applying paint and wallcoverings to surfaces; applying waterproofing or sealant; staining, sealing and finishing wood surfaces; applying touch-ups and cleaning work areas. | 21% |
| Safety Tool and equipment safety; personnel and job site safety; environmental safety; handling hazardous materials; Cal/OSHA safety requirements. | 21% |
CSLB License Examination Study Guide, Painting and Decorating (C-33), form 13E-33 (03-2026). CSLB notes that the percentages are approximate.
Spanish: CSLB gives the C-33 exam in Spanish. Ask for it at application time by ticking the translator box in field 16; for an exam that exists in Spanish, CSLB then gives you the Spanish version rather than a translator. Taking the exams in Spanish.
How many pass the C-33 exam
CSLB reports every exam it gives. In 2022/23 46% of C-33 exams were passes (1,485 exams), against 57% for Law and Business. The counts include retakes: across all CSLB exams first attempts pass 71–76% of the time and retakes 37–40%, so the first attempt is the one to prepare for.
| Fiscal year | C-33 exams given | Passed | Law and Business passed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 1,455 | 36% | 52% |
| 2020/21 | 1,534 | 40% | 58% |
| 2021/22 | 2,668 | 35% | 54% |
| 2022/23 | 1,485 | 46% | 57% |
Source: CSLB 2023 Sunset Review Report, Table 8 (Examination Data), pp. 50-56. More in CSLB pass rates.
Step by step
- Check you qualify. Four years of journey-level painting and decorating experience in the last 10 years, age 18+, an SSN or ITIN.
- Apply with $450. Send CSLB’s application for the C-33 classification with the non-refundable $450 processing fee. Do not send the bond or the license fee yet. Field 16 is where you ask for a Spanish exam or a translator.
- Fingerprints. Once CSLB accepts the application, every person listed on it submits fingerprints through a Live Scan site for the DOJ and FBI background check.
- Asbestos open book exam. Every applicant completes CSLB’s open book exam on asbestos abatement standards before a license can be issued. It is on the CSLB website.
- Book and pass both exams. After the Notice to Schedule an Examination, book Law and Business and the C-33 exam with PSI, $51.43 per exam for every attempt. You have 18 months from the day CSLB accepts the application, and 21 days to wait after a fail.
- Bond and workers’ compensation. File a $25,000 contractor’s bond (you pay a premium to a surety, not $25,000). Workers’ compensation insurance is required as soon as you have employees.
- License fee. Pay the initial license fee: $200 for a sole owner, $350 for any other business. The license is issued when CSLB has everything.
What a C-33 license costs
The fees are the same for every classification. Here is what you pay to get from application to a C-33 license:
| Fee | Paid to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application processing fee (non-refundable) | CSLB | $450 |
| Exam fee, Law and Business + C-33, first attempt | PSI | $102.86 |
| Fingerprints: Department of Justice + FBI | Live Scan site | $32 + $17 |
| Live Scan rolling fee | Live Scan site | varies |
| Initial license fee, sole owner (other businesses $350) | CSLB | $200 |
| $25,000 bond premium | Surety company | varies |
| Fixed fees, sole owner | $801.86 + … |
So plan on $801.86 in fixed fees ($951.86 for a business that is not a sole owner), plus the rolling fee and the bond premium. Each retake is another $51.43. The full table, with renewals: what a contractor license costs.
Sources: CSLB fee list, PSI candidate bulletins 2026, CSLB bond requirements.
How to study for the C-33 exam
CSLB publishes a free study guide for every exam, with the outline above and the list of references the C-33 questions are written from. Get it from CSLB’s study guides page. The references it lists for C-33:
- Painter's Handbook, Mark David Gottsegen (Watson-Guptill)
- PCA Industry Standards (Painting Contractors Association)
- PCA Craftsman Manual and Textbook (Painting Contractors Association)
- Cal/OSHA General Industry, Construction and Electrical Safety Orders, 2025 (California Code of Regulations, Title 8)
- Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Our C-33 course has 1,045 practice questions across the 4 sections, in English and Spanish, each answer with a plain explanation and its source, plus full-length practice exams of about 115 questions against the 3½-hour clock (CSLB does not publish the exact number). Start with the free 25-question C-33 test: it scores you section by section. Or read 10 C-33 exam questions with answers first.
Common questions
How many years of experience do I need for a C-33 license?
Four years of at least journey-level experience in the last 10 years, in painting and decorating work, as a journeyperson, foreperson, supervising employee or contractor. Apprenticeship, technical training or accredited education can count for part of it, but at least one year must be practical journey-level work.
Do I need the Law and Business exam for C-33?
For a first license, yes: CSLB requires Law and Business from almost every applicant in addition to the C-33 exam. If you already hold a license and are adding C-33, you take only the C-33 exam.
Can I take the C-33 exam in Spanish?
Yes. C-33 is one of the CSLB exams offered in Spanish. Tick the translator box in field 16 of the application and CSLB gives you the Spanish version.
What is the pass rate of the C-33 exam?
In 2022/23, 46% of the 1,485 C-33 exams given were passes, retakes included (CSLB 2023 Sunset Review Report, Table 8 (Examination Data), pp. 50-56). Law and Business passed 57% the same year.
How much does a C-33 license cost?
$801.86 in fixed fees for a sole owner: the $450 application, $51.43 per exam at PSI for Law and Business and C-33, $32 + $17 for fingerprints and the $200 initial license fee. Add the Live Scan rolling fee and the premium on the $25,000 bond. A business that is not a sole owner pays $350 for the license instead of $200.
Do I need workers' compensation insurance for C-33?
Only if you have employees: California requires every employer to carry it, even with one employee. Without employees you file an exemption with CSLB.
Last reviewed 14 October 2026 against CSLB’s Get Licensed to Build, the C-33 study guide, its Examinations FAQ, its fee list and the 2023 Sunset Review Report. Requirements change; confirm at cslb.ca.gov before acting. This is study guidance, not legal advice, and we are not affiliated with CSLB or PSI.