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California Business and Professions Code Section 7031

Legal Research Home > California Laws > Business and Professions Code > California Business and Professions Code Section 7031

7031.  (a) Except as provided in subdivision (e), no person engaged
in the business or acting in the capacity of a contractor, may bring
or maintain any action, or recover in law or equity in any action, in
any court of this state for the collection of compensation for the
performance of any act or contract where a license is required by
this chapter without alleging that he or she was a duly licensed
contractor at all times during the performance of that act or
contract, regardless of the merits of the cause of action brought by
the person, except that this prohibition shall not apply to
contractors who are each individually licensed under this chapter but
who fail to comply with Section 7029.
   (b) Except as provided in subdivision (e), a person who utilizes
the services of an unlicensed contractor may bring an action in any
court of competent jurisdiction in this state to recover all
compensation paid to the unlicensed contractor for performance of any
act or contract.
   (c) A security interest taken to secure any payment for the
performance of any act or contract for which a license is required by
this chapter is unenforceable if the person performing the act or
contract was not a duly licensed contractor at all times during the
performance of the act or contract.
   (d) If licensure or proper licensure is controverted, then proof
of licensure pursuant to this section shall be made by production of
a verified certificate of licensure from the Contractors' State
License Board which establishes that the individual or entity
bringing the action was duly licensed in the proper classification of
contractors at all times during the performance of any act or
contract covered by the action. Nothing in this subdivision shall
require any person or entity controverting licensure or proper
licensure to produce a verified certificate. When licensure or proper
licensure is controverted, the burden of proof to establish
licensure or proper licensure shall be on the licensee.
   (e) The judicial doctrine of substantial compliance shall not
apply under this section where the person who engaged in the business
or acted in the capacity of a contractor has never been a duly
licensed contractor in this state. However, notwithstanding
subdivision (b) of Section 143, the court may determine that there
has been substantial compliance with licensure requirements under
this section if it is shown at an evidentiary hearing that the person
who engaged in the business or acted in the capacity of a contractor
(1) had been duly licensed as a contractor in this state prior to
the performance of the act or contract, (2) acted reasonably and in
good faith to maintain proper licensure, (3) did not know or
reasonably should not have known that he or she was not duly licensed
when performance of the act or contract commenced, and (4) acted
promptly and in good faith to reinstate his or her license upon
learning it was invalid.
   (f) The exceptions to the prohibition against the application of
the judicial doctrine of substantial compliance found in subdivision
(e) shall apply to all contracts entered into on or after January 1,
1992, and to all actions or arbitrations arising therefrom, except
that the amendments to subdivisions (e) and (f) enacted during the
1994 portion of the 1993-94 Regular Session of the Legislature shall
not apply to either of the following:
   (1) Any legal action or arbitration commenced prior to January 1,
1995, regardless of the date on which the parties entered into the
contract.
   (2) Any legal action or arbitration commenced on or after January
1, 1995, if the legal action or arbitration was commenced prior to
January 1, 1995, and was subsequently dismissed.

Last modified: February 22, 2013