This is the review you might want to read before or after you hire CSLS. Even though I passed both my Law and General B test the first time, I'm frustrated enough to write this review to help other when considering or dealing with this, pass guaranteeing, high priced, largest and oldest California exam prep school. THE BAD: Luz did not help at all with my application, was inept and unprofessional. She said the reason I wasn't receiving calls back from her was that her number was probably showing up on my cell phone as "scammer likely". THE GOOD: Lolita, the manager came in to help when I complained that I wanted a refund. She was awesome and I'm sure, why my application was approved. Thank you Lolita. She helped CSLS to earn the one star which is the lowest I can give anyway. Better ask for her if you want any help with your application. TRAINING: The CD's are old and well done, but didn't apply to the test. The practice tests are numerous with 0% of their questions or answers being on the tests. Make sure to read their contract to understand their "real pass guarantee". It has qualifications you must satisfy in order to be valid incuding passing all their worthless practice test. The cost to retake the test is only $100, if you were wondering about its value. The crash couses and the online training were interesting, but worthless in helping to pass the test. It is good to note that the attorney, Brion was amazingly helpful with answering several legal and business quesions I had about contracting and the legal side of running a business. Besides Brion being super knowledgeable, the 36 hours of online zoom meeting style classes covered close to 0% of what was on the test. Between them all, I figure there was about 1 hour of test taking strategies that were helpful for the average test taker. CONCLUSION: It is unbelievable how LITTLE this 35 year old exam prep school helped me to passing my test. How this, "Californias #1 exam contractor prep school", can be so out of touch with what the test covers, I cannot understand. And No, I did not pass because of their training. Happy I passed. Not happy about 36 hours of class time and about 80 hours taking practice test which were pertinent to about 10% of the tests. Shame on CSLS. They are outdated and have fallen out of touch with the times. read more

WARNING!!! PLEASE READ THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!!! COULD HELP YOU TO SAVE HEAD ACHES AND MONEY!!! I want to tell you my story with this "school" today I receive a letter from Neil B. Klasly, he/she is an Attorney said that their client put a complaint, (CONTRACTORS STATE LICENSE SCHOOLS) because I did not answer calls from this School, regarding a payment that I have to do. Well on April of this year, I found this school I was thinking to study and get my General Licence, and I enrolled for a package for $2,295.00. but Things in my life goes wrong, and I just pay just one part of that amount. I never EVER receive any material from this School, I never attended any classes, never use nothing from this school. So I call and explain that I can not continue with this contract, so they refuse to refund the money I payed, but they said I must to pay for the whole course even if I change my mind. there is a contract you signed up and there is nothing to DO. I was trying to negotiate but they just said they can not do nothing. I posted a review here and they called me asking me to put it away, and if I do so, they are going to erase the balance, so I said Ok, I like it , so I was Agreed and put the post away from yelp. but two weeks later I received a call, they said I was owed to this school, whatt?? I did not understand what was going on. Now I receive a letter from their attorney, threatening me that if I do not pay in 10 days, they are going to take me to the court. please please DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS SCHOOL, I THINK THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY NOT TEACHING..... great lesson!, NEVER sign up a contract at least you take your time to READ it COMPLETELY, NOW I responsibly of this and I have to Pay for a course that NEVER been delivery and I don't want it anymore so NEVER received any PRODUCT FROM THIS SCHOOL. :/ :/ please READ ANY Contract ... read more

BEWARE !!! I called to inquire about my eligibility because I have a prior felony . they transferred me to CRAIG KLIVANS and he assured me hes never saw anyone denied for that reason , that he has 30 years experience, and he began to move fast to get my credit number and have me sign a docusign .I told him I would like to talk with my wife first , and have him on speaker , which we did for about 15 minutes , and at the end of our conversation communicated to him that we would like to due diligence and research a lil more before going through with it , and he said he understood. He emailed me 15 times over the weekend and I emailed him back that we are not ready (bieng that I would not even be eligible for another 2 years and I was not gauranteed by the state to be eligible even if I passed the test) I found out yesterday he charged my card 2500$ anyways , and the CONTRACT STATE LICENCE SCHOOL said they would not refund my money because they felt I consented over the phone . Of coarse Im putting a stop payment, And reporting this to the BETTER BUSINESS ..but I have never seen any company like this , it's crooked , trickery , and thief's . That guy knew dam well not to charge my card and we told him flat out that we we're not ready and we would let him know ..And the company backed him and is trying to keep my money even thow 1) I haven't went to any classes 2) havent took the dam test ..so why would you keep my money ?....these people are scandalous ..CHOOSE ANOTHER SCHOOL read more

So I've been in the Fire Protection industry for about 12 years now and I have a good extensive amount of background with these systems and the way they operate. I've always wondered how these contractors got their license whit no prior knowledge of the industry. Working with these business owners who have little to no knowledge of how things are out in the field n rely on someone such as myself to manage and run a crew of men in order to get the job done can be very hectic. I decided to just go n see what it takes to get a license. Upon entering this rinky dink building on Sepulveda Blvd. I met with a beautiful young lady named Lydia Sobalvarro. I had concerns and questions as to what would it take to be a contractor. Lydia was very helpful and resourceful in this area, she answered my questions and walked me thru the whole process of applying to the school and applying for the the Contractors state board. It was a long and arduous process for me but I was determined to be a contractor with her help I was able to succeed in passing my exams and obtaining my license to contract for fire protection systems. I wanna give a big shout out to Contractors State License Schools and their staff for helping me achieve my dream of owning my very own company. Definitely recommend this place for anyone who wants to go into business for themselves! Thanks! read more

From the first inquiry, working with CSLS was an incredibly smooth experience. Craig provided exceptional guidance and ensured we had all the necessary information to get our business up and running. By following his clear instructions, we were able to secure our C-10 license in approximately three months. After obtaining our license, we faced the challenge of finding a trustworthy provider for the insurance coverage required to meet our clients' needs. Craig recommended we reach out to the insurance department that collaborates directly with the school. I had the pleasure of working with Debra Romero, who dedicated several weeks to thoroughly review our clients' requirements, analyze prior policy quotes, and ensure we secured the appropriate coverage at the most competitive rates. Thanks to Debra's efforts, we saved an estimated $5,000 to $6,000 annually on the required coverage. Debra also streamlined the process, making it incredibly easy for us to obtain a Certificate of Insurance (COI) that clearly outlined all of our coverages and identified additionally insured parties as needed. I highly recommend Debra and will continue to work with her for all our business insurance needs related to our electrical contracting business. A big thank you to both Debra and Craig for their outstanding support! read more

I recently had the pleasure of working with Craig L. Klivans, and I can't express enough how grateful I am for his exceptional guidance as an Admissions Counselor. From the very beginning, Craig made the process of selecting and enrolling in my classes incredibly smooth and stress-free. Craig's knowledge and expertise are truly impressive. He took the time to thoroughly explain every detail about my course options and requirements, ensuring I understood each step of the process. His patience and willingness to answer all my questions, no matter how trivial they seemed, made me feel supported and confident in my decisions. What sets Craig apart is his genuine dedication to helping students succeed. He went above and beyond to tailor his advice to my specific needs and licensing goals. His kindness, enthusiasm, and positive attitude made a significant difference in my experience. Craig's ability to make a complex process seem simple is a testament to his remarkable skills and deep understanding. Thanks to Craig, I feel well-prepared and excited for the upcoming classes. I can't thank him enough for his exceptional support and guidance. Craig L. Klivans is a true asset to the admissions team, and any student would be lucky to have his assistance. read more

At first I wasn't too impressed with the school, but as I started going to the classes and studying more over there I was quickly proven wrong! Last year I enrolled there and got my C54 license! On the 23rd of January 2017 I went back to the school and got my GENERAL B license both of them on the first try!!!! School there has all the practice test necessary for you to study and PASS ON THE FIRST TRY! The best part and worry free thing about that school was a lady that works there by the name of Lidia Sobalvarro! HELPED ME WITH ALL THE FILING THAT GOES ALONG WITH YOUR TRADE, CORPORATION FILING etc... EVEN HELPED ME WITH MY BACKGROUND CHECK... I mean she went above and beyond I thought, but then I noticed that she's just one of them people that helps EVERYONE! She's a true blessing for that school! I highly recommend going to her if you will be enrolling at this school! I may sound a little corny praising her over and over but I guess the only way you can find out is by going there and seeking her help, IM SURE EVERYONE ELSE WILL BE IMPRESSED AS WELL! THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PATIENCE AND HELP LYDIA... I WILL ALWAYS BE GREATFUL!!!! ALWAYS!!!! read more

Before signing up I read several reviews ranging from haters to 5 star fans. After digging a bit deeper, most of the haters were people who did not READ the contract they were signing and failed to hold up their end of the deal (did not complete things on time, did not study, did not do the crash course, etc). My experience was great! The staff was helpful in navigating the contractor's license process, down to stuffing the envelope after passing my trade and law tests. Alyssa was especially helpful and always wore a smile when answering questions and helping me through the paperwork. The actual classes might seem a little dull, but the teachers are there to help students learn the bulk of the material in a relatively short time (if this was a college course, it would be spread over 2 semesters.) As a student, it is incredibly important to spend some serious time studying. All in, I'd say this was a good experience and encourage those seeking their contractor's license to go for it. If you fail the state tests, you simply don't know your trade well enough and/or did not pay attention in class. read more

After I decided it was time for me to get my license I started searching for schools and decided to go with csls. Craig was very helpful explaining me all the different options for programs available and emailed me all the information so I cam think about it and compare my options. After deciding to go with the complete package and started the process it was very easy from getting my materials, scheduling classes and setting up the online practice exams. Steve the teacher is very helpful and always there to answer questions. After I revived my test date they were very quick in scheduling my crash course to make sure it will be the weekend before my test. I have to say the crash course is very helpful i recommend it to everyone trying to get their license to attend it! I passed on the first try! On the way out of the test center I called Lydia who helped me through the whole process and she congratulated me on passing and set up an appointment for me the same day to set up my bond send the acceptance letter to cslb. THANK YOU FOR SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE read more

Have had my general contractor's license for several years- originally obtained my license and business entity formation help through CSLS. I have always had my bond through them as well. Recently at end of 2016, I changed entity types and had to have a new license issued and bond.. I sort of did things out of order and got into a last minute bind- Julio Avila with CSLS in Southern California was very helpful in expediting the new bond and even transmitted it to CSLB for me in a prompt fashion. Great customer service and a top notch experience. There are many other bond agencies out there offering for a lower cost, but it's service and experience like I recently had with Julio that keeps me coming back to CSLS for my needs. I have referred at least a dozen of my professional colleagues to them in the past years whenever they were needing to add a license or obtain an original license. For us in Northern California, it's very convenient- their office is located a stone's throw from the State Board off Hwy 50 in Sacramento. Thank you much! read more

This is the worst school I've ever signed up for! I signed up for a Saturday Lead EPA Cert class during memorial weekend 8-5. After driving over an hr to get to class, I arrived at 8:24am, the instructor said I had to reschedule! I apologized for being tardy, I explained I drove over an hour to get to class and that I would gladly makeup the time during break or lunch He said I had to reschedule because I did not hear his lecture!!! How ridiculous! I said "sir, with all due respect, this is not medical school; I'm certain your presentation is in writing? No?" He said I had to leave... One of the students followed me out and said that class started about 8:10 or so, that I hadn't missed much at all... He said he was surprised as well?? The Inflexibility by the instructor, his inability to problem-solving is terribly disappointing! I am paid in full for this class and will now have to reschedule but the waste of day on Saturday morning during Memorial Day weekend when instead I should've taken a vacation was simply unnecessary! read more

Craig , I want to thank you for helping me make this decision to help myself thru this challenging process. I phoned you for a simple question, and you solved my issues on how your company can provide the necessary steps to achieve my goal that I could not do on my own! You have put in place all the steps I need to begin the process of owning a corporate company, plus pay all the bonds fees, and other fees to keep me moving into my own license! Craig, without your confidence, I would have passed this opportunity by. You understand your product, but most important you listen, and guided me right to the finish line! It just made sense, and you melted my fears. I have been fighting this for about 3 years, and your kindness and ability to solve my problems was amazing! Some things that you had to tell me were hard facts, not easy for anyone to hear. I appreciate you, so much, and your program will give me security. This is what helped me to set myself free to be on the road to my dream! Thank you, Carol Brady read more

Quiero agradecer profundamente a Aracely Sandoval por la gran ayuda que me brindó ya que debido a su apoyo pude lograr obtener mi licencia de Electricista Contratista yo vivo en Sacramento pero en la escuela de Sacramento no me ayudaron satisfactoriamente Aracely siempre estuvo al tanto de lo que yo necesitaba para lograr mi meta y sobretodo me ayudó en español mil gracias Araceli. Lastima que en Sacramento "no hay" quien hable español BUENO SI HAY PERO NO LES GUSTA HABLARLO según me lo expreso la señorita que está en el escritorio de enfrente . I would like to thank to Aracely Sandoval for the unvaluable help that she bring me to reach my goal get my C10 License she always be the re to help me specially in the terms that I did not understand she explain me in Spanish I really Love the Way she help me I am very proud of her I look forward to meet her one day and give ver a big hugh and tell her THANK YOU . ALREY Electric Contractor Juan Alberto Ortiz Rey read more

Definitely not recommended the material that they teach is not up to date, and none of it is showing on the general b test , I was buying the most expensive package that they have to offer I was surprised that after I was studying very hard doing all the exams that I was buying over 700 questions,getting on all the school test score of 90 and up And going to all the classes that they have to offer. When I get to the test it's felt like I never went to the school , question that they were asking was totally different from what the school offer On the state exam the referral you to a sketchbook over 30 questions, this school don't teach you even one of those questions. I failed the test three times I bought the exam from another school and I past after the first time, so price the what I was studying was exactly at the test. I was losing money for a bad experience I hope that you're reading my review and not going to do the same mistake that I did read more