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General contractors in San Mateo, CA

260 eligible B and B-2 licenses based in San Mateo, per CSLB records dated Oct 16, 2026.

Checked Oct 18, 2026 Verify live on CSLB

25 of 260 San Mateo GCs

Sorted by workers' comp policy on file, then years licensed (we don't have permit data for San Mateo). How we rank. Payment doesn't change the order.

Bid requests come to GC Bay Area first, not straight to the contractor.

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12

Sea Design & Build

Legal name: Sea Construction Inc · Based in San Mateo

workers’ comp insured · licensed 37 yrs

Active · B · #563320 · Bond ✓ · Workers' comp ✓ · Verify on CSLB

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20

O'Riordan Construction Inc

Based in San Mateo

workers’ comp insured · licensed 33 yrs

Active · B · #670221 · Bond ✓ · Workers' comp ✓ · Verify on CSLB

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23

Mar Construction

Based in San Mateo

workers’ comp insured · licensed 28 yrs

Active · B · #744665 · Bond ✓ · Workers' comp ✓ · Verify on CSLB

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Business build-out? See commercial GCs in the Bay Area

316 active B and B-2 licenses list San Mateo as their business city in the CSLB file dated Oct 16, 2026, and 132 have held their license for 20 years or more. A second story on a one-story house, or more than 50 sq ft added to a second story, needs Single Family Dwelling Design Review, with a pre-application meeting and notice to neighbors within 500 feet (San Mateo Municipal Code 27.08.032, checked Oct 18, 2026).

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Check it against the same CSLB data.

Searches active and lapsed Bay Area B and B-2 licenses. Other classes: search on CSLB.

Before you hire in San Mateo

Building permits in San Mateo go through City of San Mateo Community Development Department, Building Division.

Source: City of San Mateo Community Development Department, Building Division, checked Oct 18, 2026

San Mateo reviews kitchen and bath remodels over the counter, in person or virtually through its Citizen Self Service (CSS) portal, if the design is conventional with no structural calculations or Fire review. Plans are still required, and anything that takes a plan checker over 30 minutes goes to full review.

Source: City of San Mateo, Community Development Department, checked Oct 18, 2026

Projects that can't be approved at the counter go to plan check: at least four sets of plans, a valuation-based fee and up to 20 working days. For a wood-frame single-family home of two stories or fewer, the owner can draw and sign the plans.

Source: City of San Mateo, Building Division, checked Oct 18, 2026

Any second-story addition to a one-story house, a new two-story house, or more than 50 sq ft added to a second story needs Single Family Dwelling Design Review. You must hold a pre-application meeting with Planning and notify owners and tenants within 500 feet first.

Source: City of San Mateo Municipal Code 27.08.032, checked Oct 18, 2026

Inspections are booked on CSS and happen within 24 hours, in a 9 a.m. to noon or 12:30 to 5 p.m. slot. Requests made after 4:30 p.m. roll to the next business day.

Source: City of San Mateo, Building Division, checked Oct 18, 2026

Detached one-story sheds up to 120 sq ft, painting and similar finish work, and detached decks up to 200 sq ft and 30 inches high are exempt. Almost everything else, including repairs, needs a San Mateo building permit.

Source: City of San Mateo, Building Division, checked Oct 18, 2026

B or B-2: which license fits your job

Both classes can act as your prime contractor. A B-2 is limited to remodels of an existing wood-frame house. If your plan changes the structure, look for a B.

JobB General BuildingB-2 Residential Remodeling
Kitchen or bath remodel in an existing houseYesYes, when the contract covers 3 or more unrelated trades
Addition or new roomsYesNo
Moving or removing a load-bearing wallYesNo
New homeYesNo
Commercial or tenant workYesNo

Sources: CSLB, class B and class B-2, checked Oct 18, 2026. More in B vs B-2.

California rules for your contract

A down payment on a home improvement contract can't be more than $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less. No progress payment can be more than the work done or materials delivered.

Source: California B&P Code 7159.5, checked Oct 18, 2026

Work under $1,000 in total (labor and materials) that needs no building permit doesn't require a license. The exemption doesn't apply if the person advertises as a contractor, has employees, or splits a job to stay under the limit.

Source: California B&P Code 7048, checked Oct 18, 2026

Every licensed contractor must keep a $25,000 contractor's bond on file with CSLB. That has been the amount since January 1, 2023.

Source: CSLB, bond requirements, checked Oct 18, 2026

A contractor with employees must carry workers' comp. Until 2028, a B contractor with no employees can legally file an exemption, so check which one yours did. From January 1, 2028, a workers' comp certificate is required for every license.

Source: CSLB, workers' compensation, checked Oct 18, 2026

Complaint history isn't in CSLB's free data files, so we don't show it. Check complaints on CSLB before you sign.

Questions about hiring in San Mateo

How many licensed general contractors are based in San Mateo?

316 active B and B-2 licenses list San Mateo as the business city in CSLB's records dated Oct 16, 2026. We list 260 of them; the other 56 have no bond on file or hold a specialty-trade license. Each card's "Verify on CSLB" link opens that license's live record.

Which license does a home remodel need?

A B (General Building) license can take a prime contract that involves two or more unrelated trades other than framing or carpentry. A B-2 (Residential Remodeling) license covers remodels of an existing wood-frame house with three or more unrelated trades, and it can't be used for additions, structural work or new homes.

How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment?

In California, a down payment on a home improvement contract is capped at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less.

Do I need a licensed contractor for a small job?

Work under $1,000 in total that needs no building permit is exempt from licensing. The exemption doesn't apply to someone who advertises as a contractor, has employees, or splits a job to stay under the limit.

What does "exempt" mean under workers' comp on a card?

The contractor told CSLB it has no employees. Until January 1, 2028, a B contractor with no employees can legally file that exemption. Ask whether anyone besides the owner will work on your property.

Where do I get a building permit in San Mateo?

Permits are handled by City of San Mateo Community Development Department, Building Division; the link is in "Before you hire" above. Ask your contractor who will pull the permit and have it in the contract.

General contractors near San Mateo

Other project types in San Mateo

How this list is built

License class, status, dates, bond and workers' comp come from the California Contractors State License Board's public data files. The Master file is dated Oct 16, 2026, the workers' comp file Oct 17, 2026, and we processed them on Oct 18, 2026. Of 316 active licenses in San Mateo, 56 are left out: no bond on file, or a specialty-trade license. Each card's "Verify on CSLB" link opens that license's live record. Read the full method. Related: how to verify a license, bond and insurance, complaints.

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