Subcontractor onboarding checklist for California GCs: the compliance packet
Short answer
- Before day one, collect: a signed subcontract, a W-9, the sub's CSLB license checked for the right classification, a certificate of insurance naming you, the additional insured endorsement if required, and workers' comp proof or CSLB's exemption on file.
- During the job: lien waivers with each payment, renewed certificates before policies end, and a fresh CSLB check before each payment.
- Keep every paper dated. The packet is what your auditor, owner or lender asks for.
This guide is for general contractors. It's a plain-language summary as of November 6, 2026, not legal advice. Your own contract forms and your insurer's requirements come first.
Before the sub starts
- Signed subcontract. Scope, price, schedule, payment terms, retention and insurance requirements in writing.
- W-9. For your 1099 reporting.
- CSLB license, right classification. Look it up on CSLB's license lookup and match the classification to the work. See license classifications and scope.
- Certificate of insurance naming you. General liability (and auto, if they drive on site), with you as certificate holder. See the certificate checklist.
- Additional insured endorsement, if your contract requires it. See additional insured endorsements.
- Workers' comp. A certificate, or CSLB's record showing an exemption because the sub has no employees (CSLB form 13L-50). See exemptions.
While the job runs
- Lien waivers with each payment. Conditional when you pay, unconditional once the payment clears. See preliminary notices and lien waivers.
- Prompt payment. Generally within 7 days of receiving each progress payment (B&P §7108.5). See prompt payment and retention.
- Renewed certificates before policies end, and a CSLB check before each payment. See tracking sub insurance and licenses.
Keep it in one place
HatBench My Subs keeps a dated paperwork checklist for each sub (W-9, subcontract, certificate, endorsement, workers' comp), tracks the CSLB record and general liability dates, groups subs by project, and prints the whole packet status on one compliance report. Free during the private beta.
Checklist
- Signed subcontractScope, price, schedule, pay terms, insurance.
- W-9Before the first payment.
- CSLB license checkedActive, right classification, dated.
- Certificate naming youGeneral liability dates noted.
- Endorsement copyIf additional insured is required.
- Workers' comp or exemptionCertificate, or CSLB's record.
- Lien waivers each paymentConditional, then unconditional.
Common questions
What should a GC collect from a sub before work starts?
A signed subcontract, a W-9, a CSLB license check for the right classification, a certificate of insurance naming you, the additional insured endorsement if your contract requires it, and workers' comp proof or CSLB's exemption on file.
Do I need a sub's workers' comp if they have no employees?
A sub with no employees can file an exemption with CSLB, which shows on their license record. Check it, keep a dated copy, and check again before each payment: if they hire, they need coverage.
How long should I keep the packet?
Keep it at least through your workers' comp audit for that policy year and as long as your contract, your insurer or your lender requires. Ask your own advisor for a firm number.
General information for California contractors, current as of November 6, 2026. It isn't legal advice; rules change, so check the official source linked above.
More guides
- How to check a California contractor license (CSLB): a GC's checklist
- Workers' comp and subcontractors in California: what GCs should check
- Certificate of insurance checklist for California general contractors
- Additional insured and waiver of subrogation for subcontractors: a California GC's guide
- Risks of hiring an unlicensed subcontractor in California (for GCs)
- Workers' comp premium audits and subcontractors in California: how to prepare
- California contractor's license bond ($25,000): what it covers for a GC
- Matching a sub's California license classification to the work
- Is a sub's certificate of insurance real and current? How California GCs can check
- A sub's CSLB license was suspended or expired mid-job: what California GCs should do
- Paying subs in California: the 7-day prompt payment rule and retention release
- A sub's CSLB record warns of a future suspension or class removal: what California GCs should do
- Preliminary notices and lien waivers from the GC's side in California
- Hiring subs on California home improvement jobs: what changes for the GC
- A sub's CSLB record says "exempt" from workers' comp: what California GCs should check
- How to check a California sub's CSLB complaint and disciplinary history
- Is your sub an independent contractor? California's construction subcontractor test (Labor Code §2781)
- How to bid a job you found on a building permit (California subs)
- How to track subcontractor insurance and license expirations (California GCs)