California Construction Law

Each city page below covers the same four procedural questions: which superior court hears the case, which county recorder takes the lien recording under Civ. Code §8416, which CSLB office routes complaint intake (Norwalk for Imperial/LA/Orange/Riverside/San Bernardino/San Diego/Ventura; Sacramento for everywhere else), and which city department issues the underlying building permit.

Every guide and city page on Contractor Law cites these primary sources. Read the statute before relying on a deadline.

BPC §§7000–7999 — Contractors State License Law. Licensing, classifications, the home improvement contract rules (§7159), and disgorgement against unlicensed contractors (§7031).

Civil Code §§8000–8848 — Mechanic’s Liens, Stop Payment Notices & Payment Bonds. The full private-works payment-protection regime, including the 20-day preliminary notice (§8200), the 90-day lien deadline (§8412), and the foreclosure window (§8460).

Civil Code §§9000–9566 — Public Works Payment Bonds. The parallel public-works framework: stop payment notices under §9350 and payment bond claims under §9550.

Civil Code §895 et seq. — Right to Repair Act (SB 800). Pre-litigation defect notice (§910), the builder’s right to inspect and repair (§916), and the building standards (§896).

BPC §7108.5 — Prompt Payment. Down-stream prompt-payment obligations from contractors to subcontractors and the penalties for noncompliance.

Code of Civil Procedure §337.15 — Latent Defect Statute of Repose. The 10-year outer limit on latent construction defect claims.

Two recent statutes meaningfully reshape the California payment-protection landscape:

From Palo Alto, Bay Legal PC handles California construction disputes statewide. Share the basics and our team will follow up.