C-45 Sign Contractor license in California

Updated November 1, 2026 · Official name from CSLB's classification list

• 887licenses hold C-45
• 96.3%Clear (CA addresses)
• 42.1%workers' comp exempt (all: 49.6%)
• 100%contractor's bond on file
• 15.8 yrsmedian time licensed
• 62.3%businesses, not sole owners

A C-45 contractor fabricates, installs and erects signs. That includes electrical signs and the wiring inside them, plus non-electrical signs: pole-mounted signs, signs attached to buildings, painted wall signs and changes to existing signs.

Businesses hire sign contractors far more often than homeowners do. If you only need a non-electric sign hung, a C-61 with the D-42 subcategory can also do it.

Typical work under C-45

• Lighted channel-letter signs
• Monument and pole signs
• Building-mounted signs
• Painted wall signs
• Retrofitting signs to LED
• Wiring inside an electrical sign

Work that needs a different license

• A new electrical circuit to the sign location: C-10 Electrical
• Parking-lot directional signs on the pavement: C-32 Parking and Highway Improvement
• Structural changes to the wall the sign mounts on: B General Building

Tips before hiring

• Ask who handles the sign permit and any landlord approval.
• For a lighted sign, ask whether a power source already exists at the mounting spot.
• Get the sign's materials, size and lighting type in the contract.
• Ask what warranty covers the lighting, and how long LED modules are expected to last.
• For a pole or monument sign, ask about the footing and whether wind loads were considered.

Where C-45 contractors are

The cities with the most C-45 license holders in CSLB's current file:

1. Sign Contractors in Los Angeles: 36
2. Sign Contractors in San Diego: 29
3. Sign Contractors in Bakersfield: 22
4. Sign Contractors in Sacramento: 22
5. Anaheim: 18
6. Corona: 12
7. Santa Ana: 11
8. Van Nuys: 11
9. South el Monte: 10
10. Burbank: 9

All sign contractors lists

Cities with at least 20 C-45 license holders, largest first:

• Los Angeles (36)
• San Diego (29)
• Bakersfield (22)
• Sacramento (22)

How to verify a C-45 license

1. Search the business or license number here and confirm C-45 is listed on the profile.
2. Check the same number on CSLB's Instant License Check.
3. Read our full guide to checking a contractor license.

Related license types

• C-10 Electrical Contractor
• C-61 Limited Specialty
• C-32 Parking and Highway Improvement Contractor

Source: CSLB public data · Updated November 1, 2026 Status can change at any time. Verify on CSLB's Instant License Check.

More license types: ← C-43 Sheet Metal Contractor · C-46 Solar Contractor →