Business and Professions Code section 7036
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Attorney General may bring a civil action to impose discipline upon, to deny an application for, or to deny continued maintenance of, a contractor’s license. The civil action shall be brought on the grounds that a person has failed to pay its workers the full amount of wages that the workers are entitled to under state law, has not fulfilled a wage judgment, or is in violation of an injunction or court order regarding the payment of wages to its workers.(b)
The Attorney General shall notify the registrar at least 30 days prior to filing a civil complaint pursuant to subdivision (a). The Attorney General’s failure to provide this notice shall not constitute a defense to the action.(c)
The board may intervene in any court proceedings brought pursuant to this section within 60 days of the filing of the initial complaint. After that time, intervention shall be by leave of court upon good cause shown. If the board elects not to intervene, the election shall be deemed consent by the board to comply with any order of the court issued pursuant to subdivision (d) and to be subject to the court’s jurisdiction to enforce the order, if necessary. No action or inaction under this section shall preclude the registrar from independently or concurrently proceeding administratively against the contractor’s license and obtaining administrative remedies for any violations not alleged in the Attorney General’s complaint, whether or not the board has intervened.(d)
Upon the Attorney General establishing the cause of action described in subdivision (a), the following shall apply:(1)
The relief granted shall be in the form of an order by the court directing the registrar to exercise its authority to suspend or revoke, to deny an application for, or to deny the continued maintenance of, a contractor’s license under terms specified by the court. In granting the relief, the court may consider both the severity and the form of relief imposed by the registrar in disciplinary actions taken by the registrar, making reasonable efforts to conform to the court’s order.(2)
Any order for suspension, revocation, or application denial pursuant to this section shall be considered disciplinary action within the meaning of Section 7071.8 and legal action within the meaning of Section 7124.6, and, unless the court orders otherwise, the registrar shall determine the length of time prior to license reinstatement or reissuance pursuant to Section 7102, except that a license denied under this section is subject to the period prescribed in subdivision (a) of Section 486.(e)
Nothing in this section shall preclude or require the board to investigate a license for violations of this chapter pursuant to Section 7011.7 and 7090 or require the board to afford notice or a hearing under the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.(f)
A good faith mistake regarding which wage rate applies to a particular category of work, including, but not limited to, for purposes of payment of prevailing wages, shall not constitute a violation under this section.
Source:
Section 7036, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=7036. (updated Jan. 1, 2026; accessed Dec. 15, 2025).
