The C-32 License for Parking and Highway Improvement Contractors is a specialized classification that services:
- Commercial Property Owners
- Small Businesses
- Government agencies, Cities, Counties, etc.
- Parking Facilities
- Airports, Roads, and Airstrips
Owners and Operators of Commercial Real Estate and public property must remain in state compliance with their signage and parking lot striping.
There is a huge opportunity and steady revenue for contractors that can serve this highly specialized area.
In this article, you learn everything you need to know about C-32 license requirements and how to become a Parking and Highway Improvement Contractor.
What is a Parking and Highway Improvement Contractor?
The C-32 License is the classification is a requirement in the state of California for all persons looking to offer road marking services or bid on Highway Improvement projects where the cost of labor and materials exceeds $500.
Duties of the C-32 License
Parking and Highway improvement contractors engage in a wide variety of services that typically include:
- Soil Grouting, Weather and Project Site Evaluation
- Project Coordination, Estimation of time, labor and materials
- Surface Preparation
- Removing obsolete markings
- Application of lines and markers including Driveway Sealer, Asphalt Sealer, and Line Striping
- Evaluation of Pavement Failure
- Bidding and Accounting
- Applying for Permits
- Construction of state-compliant roads
- Maintaining Job Site Safety
- Often highway improvement companies perform road marking services and engage in traffic control during the completion of projects.
- To get the C-32 license, you will be tested on all aspects of construction parking and highway improvement so it will be essential to your success to become familiar with all the areas of expertise that fall under the trade.
Jobs You Can Do With the C-32 License!
Parking and Highway Improvement Subcontractor
Parking and Highway Improvement contractors typically work directly with government agencies or commercial real estate owners.
However, they may also function as subcontractors to a General B or General A contractor.
A General Contractor may seek a company that holds the C-32 License to adhere to state requirements.
A General would oversee the job site and ensure that the parking and highway improvement subcontractor has executed their job in compliance with state regulations.
Learn more about the General Engineering Contractor License.
The CSLB
The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) is the governing body for all contractors in the state of California.
Their responsibility is to protect the consumer public and ensure that anyone charging over $500 for construction services is qualified and registered with the state of California.
The C-32 license is issued to contractors by the CSLB.
The CSLB administers applications and exams. They also maintain a database of all active and inactive contractor license numbers which are public domain.
How to get your C-32 License
To get a C-32 license in California, you must meet the following basic requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have a valid Driver’s License or USA Issued Identification
- Have a Social Security or ITIN #
- Not Currently on probation or parole
You must also have:
- 4 Years Journey Level Experience
- A Certifier to sign off on your experience
- A way to prove your experience if the state asks for documentation
What is Journey Level Experience?
Journeyman-level experience means that you have worked unsupervised full-time for a parking and highway improvement contractor that holds the C-32 license.
- A journeyman can perform all of the duties associated with his or her trade.
The CSLB will want to see four full-time years over the last ten years. The years do not need to be consecutive, but they do need to be four years in total.
Signature of a Certifier
The following people may be used as a certifier to sign off on your experience when applying for the C-32 license:
- Licensed General Contractor
- C-32 License Holder
- Fellow Employee (within the last 10 years)
- Former Supervisor (within the last 10 years)
- Business Associate
- Fellow Journeyman
- Union Representative
Filling out the C-32 License Application
Your Qualifying Individual will also need to provide a brief but detailed description of your glazing knowledge and skillset.
The way this description is written will be critical to whether or not your application is accepted.
For example:
“Steve has done parking lot striping” will not be enough for the CSLB
The CSLB will want to see something more descriptive like:
“Ed has prepared areas for seal coating, applied coal tar base seals, installed raised pavement markers, and installed game courts”.
- The description written by your qualifying individual will need to include the core skills required of someone looking to get the C-32 license.
Proving your work experience
You must be prepared to submit documentation supporting the experience you claim to have. The Contractors State License Board gives you a few ways that you can prove your experience.
- Tax Returns
- Check Stubs
- Contracts
- Material Order Invoices or Receipts
The CSLB receives thousands of applications per month so there is a good chance they won’t document your experience but if you are one of the applicants that get reviewed you will need to be ready to submit something.
The CSLB does not accept pictures of projects.
Application Processing, Fees, and Criminal History
The time it takes to get your application processed and assigned a test date fluctuates throughout the year.
Typically you can expect:
- 6-8 Week Application Processing Time
- 3-4 Week wait for an Exam date
I have seen some situations where applicants got their test date sooner and somewhere they got their test date much later.
The most common reasons your application would get held up are:
- Time of year (processing time slows down during the holidays)
- Criminal History
- Proving Experience
- Mistakes on your application
Application Costs for the C-32 License
The Current CSLB fees are:
- State Application Fee
- License Activation Fee (after you pass the exam)
- Fingerprinting
- Bond Fee (What is a Construction Bond?)
Can you get a Contractors License with a Felony in California?
Having a criminal record in no way stops you from getting a C-32 License. I have personally helped guys with all types of criminal records obtain multiple licenses.
The key is, to be honest on the application, even if the felony or misdemeanor happened years ago and even if it was expunged.
See the CSLB’s verbiage below:
Just because you have been convicted of a crime does not automatically mean
your application will be denied. CSLB’s Criminal Background Unit (CBU) reviews
all criminal convictions to determine if the crime is substantially related to
the duties, qualifications, and/or functions of a contractor. Since no two
conviction records are the same, they are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The
criteria used by CSLB include whether the crime shows the present or potential
unfitness of an applicant or licensee to perform the functions authorized by
the license in a manner consistent with the public health, safety, or welfare.
In addition, CSLB reviews and considers any evidence of rehabilitation
submitted by the applicant or licensee. Please see the above link to the
California Code of Regulations sections 868 and 869 for more specific
information on the criteria for determining substantial relationship and
rehabilitation.
Learn more about the Background Check Process here:
BE 100% HONEST ON THE APPLICATION, because they will see everything anyway when you do fingerprinting. The CSLB handles criminal records on a case-by-case basis.
Remember, their responsibility is to protect the public. In my experience, they are primarily concerned with criminal charges associated with:
- Fraud
- Embezzlement
- Forgery
In the state of California, you are required to divulge any criminal charges when applying for any state license even if they have been expunged.
You will need to be prepared to submit anything the CSLB asks for regarding your criminal history.
Contractors License Exam
The C-32 license exam will be:
- 115 Questions of Contractor LAW
- 115 Questions on parking and highway improvement
- 3 hours to complete each portion
- Multiple choice exam
- Done on a computer
- Closed Book
The Parking and Highway Improvement (C-32 license) Examination is divided into five key sections:
1. Planning and Estimation (29%)
- Evaluating project sites
- Reading plans and specifications
- Estimating materials and equipment
- Estimating time and labor
- Project coordination
- Weather Evaluation
2. Surface Coatings (13%)
- Mix design
- Surface Preparation
- Surface coating application
3. Striping and Pavement Markers (18%)
- Layout
- Removal of obsolete markings
- Pavement and marker application
- Speed Bumps, Wheel Stops, Signage, and Accessories
4. Special Applications (5%)
- Game courts
- Airports and heliports
- Warehouses and Factories
5. Incidental Pavement Repair (6%)
- Pavement failure evaluation
- Pavement removal and replacement
6. Safety (29%)
- Traffic control
- Personnel and job site safety
- Cal/OSHA safety requirements
Recommended Resources
- C-32 Online Practice Exams and Study Guides
- OSHA Safety Certification Bundle
- Introduction to Blueprint Reading
CSLB Test Locations
The CSLB has exam centers all over the state of California. Once your
application is approved you will be given a list of locations you can go and
take the exam based on your zip code.
These are proctored facilities with cubicles where you take the exam on a
computer. The computer will have a calculator for your use. You will not be
able to bring in a phone, notes, or personal calculator to the exam center.
Learn more about Contractor License LAW!
- The Contractors State License Board will assign you a testing center based on your location
- The state exam is not available online
- You are allowed to bring a pre-approved translator with you
- The CSLB will grant you 18 months after your application is accepted to pass both examinations
- You must wait three weeks before retaking the state exam ($60 per retake)
- A 70% score will be required to pass
C-32 License Study Guides and Practice Tests
Some things to remember:
- The questions you will see on the exam may use outdated terms
- Processes may be completely different from how things are done on the job site
- You will see questions about things you may have never done before
- Questions will be presented to you as if you are running a large-scale construction business with several employees and jobs happening all at once.
- Know all aspects of your trade
Getting a parking and highway improvement contractor license can be a smooth process, but many are startled by how strict the laws are in California.
Be as prepared as you possibly can. Studying just 10 minutes a day consistently can dramatically increase your chances of passing the test on your first try.
Focus on and study ONLY the information that you need to pass the C-32 parking and highway improvement license test.
Construction Apprenticeships
If you don’t have the 4 years required journeyman-level experience to get a C-32 license, your journey begins here.
Highway improvement is a multi-billion dollar industry. Generally, someone looking to get into this trade would find a union or apprenticeship program.
For a detailed explanation of this process, check out my article: Apprentice vs Journeyman.
Blueprint Reading Course
Highway improvement contractors should be able to read construction blueprints or at least be able to recognize lines and symbols.
Construction blueprints communicate important information about how the surroundings of a structure and indicate information needed for cost calculations.
Being comfortable with construction blueprints is an invaluable skill for all tradesmen but can also be very important for those looking to get the C-32 license. See our Free Blueprint Reading Course!
EPA Certification
Understanding how to safely contain lead-based paint when altering signage built before 1978 is required by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The most successful contractors are the ones that position themselves as experts and are helpful to their clients.
Becoming EPA Certified can help you expand your business and can be completed in a one-day 8-hour course.
Staying EPA compliant is not only important to the survival of your business but also to the safety of your customers. For a complete guide on how to get EPA Certification, check out this article.
OSHA Certification
Occupational Safety Hazard Association
Statistically, 21% of all work-related fatalities are in construction.
That equals about 1 and 5 worker deaths on average. In the construction industry, the leading cause of worker deaths is reported as falls, struck by an object, electrocution, and caught-in/between.
Highway Improvement can be dangerous, especially if your workers are not properly trained.
For employment with a C-32 Licensed contractor, it is typically required that you have completed some level of OSHA training. Learn more about OSHA Training!
Conclusion
Getting the C-32 License can be a huge step up in your career if you are looking to start your own company or become an RMO for an existing firm!
The key is to take action and follow these steps from beginning to end.
If you have found this article helpful feel free to drop a comment below and be sure to check back for updates!