As a result of California Senate Bill (SB) 854, all contractors have been required since April 1, 2015, to register with the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) to be awarded a public works contract, even if the project did not go out to bid. A mandatory renewal deadline is approaching for licensees who work on public works projects. Contractors whose registration with the DIR expired June 30, 2015, and have ongoing public works projects or plan to bid on new ones, must pay a$300 renewal fee before October 1, 2015, or face an additional $2,000 late penalty after that date. If you are not sure whether your public works registration with DIR is still active, you can check the active contractor registration search tool to locate and confirm your registration. And, the CSLB noted that if you were registered last year and have neither bid on nor worked on any public works projects on or after July 1, 2015, you can renew for this fiscal year without incurring a penalty.
Additional Source: DIR, Public Works Contractor (PWC) Registration; CSLB Urges Public Works Contractors to Renew Dept. of Industrial Relations Registration before October 1 or Pay Hefty; DIR Frequently Asked Questions