Home>Levelset Community>Legal Help>Does a kitchen - bathroom or other home interior designer in California need contractor license? Where does the law say this?

Does a kitchen - bathroom or other home interior designer in California need contractor license? Where does the law say this?

CaliforniaLicenses

My wife wants to be in a business of advising clients on kitchen and bathroom and other California residence renovations in terms of design and then furnishings to order and manufacturers or craftspeople to prepare the custom made furnishings and appliances (counter tops, stoves, toilets, baths, etc. My wife will not be doing any of the physical work of creating the custom furnishings or appliances, but will order these with her recommended specifications. Does she need a license from the California State Contractors License Board? In the "C" class I can't see any listing of her type of work as needing a license. Please let me have your contact info so I can follow up if I remain confused. I am a lawyer and so want to become familiar with Zlien services for contractors. Thanks. Steve Gainer

1 reply

Jan 28, 2019

That's a good question. First, it's worth noting that interior design services fall a little outside of the typical purview of the Construction Legal Center (and zlien as a whole). While interior design isn't exactly our thing - it appears that Chapter 3.9 of the California Business and Professions Code houses the requirements for becoming a certified interior designer in CA. Organizations like the California Council for Interior Design Certification provide helpful information and services for prospective interior designers in the state. Of course, where someone is providing designs and plans then coordinating the work of other trades, that work could seemingly creep into the territory of a home improvement contractor.

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