Contractor’s License at Risk from Previous DUI?

The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) believes in the importance of rehabilitation. There is a seven year rule for felony convictions and a three year rule for misdemeanor convictions. If you have been convicted, after seven or three years of no further additional criminal activity you are considered rehabilitated and can regain your license.

However, a new or undisclosed DUI conviction can put your license at risk. Depending on the severity of the conviction and if this is your only DUI or not, you could be facing informal or formal discipline.

 
Pursuant to Sections 7069 and 7069.1 of the Business and Professions Code, if the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) becomes aware of a previous DUI arrest, you will receive a notification letter. The CSLB has a responsibility to thoroughly review this matter. The information provided by the Department of Justice / Federal Bureau of Investigation is as follows:

1. If there is no final disposition and this matter is still pending, you are required to provide the Board with a status update. Include charging documents pertaining to this arrest and any upcoming court date documents you have received. You are also required to complete and submit the enclosed Disclosure Statement Regarding Criminal Plea/Conviction. The disclosure form must provide a detailed description of all matters surrounding the arrest, including a complete and detailed explanation of the acts or circumstances which resulted in the arrest.
2. If the matter is dismissed, you must provide the court’s decision dismissing the complaint to CSLB. We will not be notified of the disposition of this complaint by the Department of Justice. To ensure the continued processing of your application, the court’s decision to dismiss must be submitted by the applicant to CSLB’s Criminal Background Unit directly.
3. If the matter is settled, you must submit:

•  A completed Disclosure Statement Regarding Criminal Plea/Conviction/Acquittal that provides a complete and detailed description that resulted in a plea or conviction 
• The sentence imposed
• Jail or prison terms served 
• Terms and conditions of parole or probation
• Parole or probation completion dates 
• Parole agent/probation officers names and phone numbers. 

Certified court documents including the charging documents, the court decision(s) and any sentencing order of the court, if applicable, is required. You may also wish to submit evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation which you would like CSLB to consider.

 
Please review these three options carefully. You must contact the Criminal Background Unit within 90 days of the date listed on this letter and, dependent on the subsequent arrest status, provide the documentation outlined in this notification.

1. No disposition: status regarding any upcoming court dates and a completed Disclosure Statement Regarding Criminal Plea/Conviction.
2. Matter is dismissed: the court’s decision dismissing the complaint.
3. Matter is adjudicated: a completed Disclosure Statement Regarding Criminal Plea/Conviction, certified court documents including the charging documents, court’s decision(s) and sentencing documents, and any evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation.

The CSLB Criminal Background Unit cannot continue processing your application if the documents requested in this letter of notification are not submitted for review. Failure to provide the documentation within the 90-day time period allowed by law will void your application and you will have to reapply. Please note that the application fee is non-refundable. (BPC 7074¹, 7138²)