Mastery
A public knowledge base designed to help aspiring tradespeople obtain and maintain mastery!
What is the 2025 Class B Study Guide?
- The California Business and Professions Code is written in dense legal language. We translate it into simple English.
- Commercial study guides cost $1,000+ but we believe that knowledge should be free, so you don't need to enroll in a program to use this guide b/c it's available to anyone, anywhere, anytime!
- Sources:
- Sections:
Section: Acronyms
What is CSLB?
- Contractors State Licensing Board
- The government agency responsible for regulating California’s construction industry
Does CSLB license people?
- No, only business entities
What are the contractor classifications?
- Class A
- General Engineering Contractors
- Requires specialized engineering
- Can build examples: freeways, skyscrapers, dams
- Class B
- General Building Contractors
- May accept jobs that require framing, carpentry or at least two other building trades
- B-2
- Residential Remodeling Classification
- May not:
- Make structural alterations to load bearing partitions and walls
- Install or extend electrical or plumbing systems
- Install or replace HVAC systems
- Class C
- Specialty Contractors
- Examples:
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Landscaping
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Solar
- Swimming Pools
What is ICC?
- The International Code Council
- Not an international organization
- A non-profit organization that creates and maintains the I-Codes
What are I-Codes?
- Construction model codes created by the ICC
What are model codes?
- A template (model) for a law
- Does not have the force of law on its own
- A jurisdiction must officially adopt and potentially amend a model code for it to become legally binding w/in its borders
- With the I-Codes (model codes) as a foundation, the BSC updates and adopts a new edition of Title 24 (state regulations) every three years through a process called the Triennial Code Adoption Cycle
What is the CBSC or BSC?
- The California Building Standards Commission
- With the I-Codes (model codes) as a foundation, the BSC updates and adopts a new edition of Title 24 (state regulations) every three years through a process called the Triennial Code Adoption Cycle
- After this formal process, the updated Title 24 becomes law across the entire state of California
- A California city cannot make the rules less strict than Title 24 but they can add their own stricter requirements
What is CCR?
- The California Code of Regulations
- The official compilation of all state agency regulations in California
- Organized into 28 Titles
What is a Title (CCR Perspective)?
- The broadest category of subject matter w/in the CCR
- Each Title covers a major area of regulation
- Examples:
- Title 5 = Education
- Title 24 = California Building Standards Code
What is Title 24?
- Title 24 of the CCR
- California Building Standards Code (the official name for Title 24)
- State regulation
- Legally binding
- Adopts the I-Codes as its foundation and then adds California specific amendments
What is the California Building Standards Code?
- The official name for Title 24 of the CCR
What is the IBC?
- The International Building Code
- One of the 15 model codes w/in the I-Codes
- Establishes minimum requirements to safeguard public health, safety and welfare in new and existing buildings and structures
- Primarily focus on structures not covered by the IRC (e.g., commercial buildings, apartments, dormitories)
What is the IRC?
- The International Residential Code
- One of the 15 model codes w/in the I-Codes
- Establishes minimum requirement for one and two family dwellings and townhouses (residential construction)
What is the CBC?
- The California Building Code
- Part 2 of Title 24
- Based on the IBC w/ California specific amendments
- California’s legally binding version of the IBC
What is the CRC?
- The California Residential Code
- Part 2.5 of Title 24
- Based on the IRC w/ California specific amendments
- California’s legally binding version of the IRC