Licensed Contractors and Design Professionals
Make sure to hire contractors and design professionals with the proper license from the State of California. Contractors will also need a Berkeley Business License.
Depending on your project, you may need to work with a contractor, engineer, and/or architect.
For most construction projects, you will work with a licensed contractor. For projects in Berkeley, you must work with a contractor licensed in California with a valid Berkeley Business License. The California Contractor’s State License Board has advice on hiring a contractor.
If your project involves disturbing lead-based paint, you will need to hire a lead-safe certified contractor. Your building is likely to have lead-based paint if it was built before 1978. The EPA has a database of lead-safe certified firms.
If your project is more than two stories and a basement in height, is of any type other than conventional wood-frame construction, or exceeds four dwelling units on a property, you will need a California-licensed architect or engineer.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has a directory of East Bay architects or of San Francisco architects. Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC) has a directory of local engineers. Consult the California Department of Consumer Affairs to verify that your firm has the appropriate license from the Architects Board or Professional Engineers Board.
