LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeBusiness and Professions CodeDiv. 3Ch. 14Art. 3§ 8556 Contractor Pest Damage Repairs

§ 8556 Contractor Pest Damage Repairs

Business and Professions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 8556 Contractor Pest Damage Repairs

Key Takeaways

  • •Licensed contractors can fix parts of a building damaged by bugs or rot if it's part of a bigger repair job or if a pest report says it's needed.
  • •Contractors can put special wood treatment on certain parts of wood (like cuts or holes) to stop bugs, but they must tell the customer in writing that if bugs are already there, call a pest control company first.
  • •Contractors can hire pest control companies to treat the soil under or near a building to kill or stop bugs, but the contractor can't do this work themselves—they must hire a licensed pest control company.

Example

You hire a contractor to fix your wooden deck that has some rot. While working, they see a few small holes in the wood and want to treat it to stop more damage.

The contractor can apply a wood treatment to the damaged parts to prevent bugs from making it worse, but they must give you a written note saying if you think there are already bugs, you should call a pest control company before they treat the wood. If the bugs are in the ground under the deck, the contractor can hire a pest control company to treat the soil, but they can't do it themselves.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 8556 Contractor Pest Damage Repairs

(a) Licensed contractors acting in their capacity as such, may remove and replace any structure or portions of a structure damaged by wood destroying pests or organisms if that work is incidental to other work being performed on the structure involved or if that work has been identified by a structural pest control inspection report. Licensed contractors acting in their capacity as such may apply wood preservatives directly to end cuts and drill holes of pressure treated wood, and to foundation wood as required by building codes, as well as to fencing and decking, by brush, dip, or spray method and need not obtain a license under this chapter for performance of that work, provided a disclosure in the following form is submitted to the customer in writing: “The application of a wood preservative is intended to prevent the establishment and flourishing of organisms which can deteriorate wood. If you suspect pest infestation or infection, contact a registered structural pest control company prior to the application of a wood preservative.” These exemptions do not authorize the performance of any other acts defined in Section 8505. (b) A licensed contractor may contract for the performance of any soil treatment pest control work to eliminate, exterminate, control, or prevent infestations or infections of pests or organisms in the ground beneath or adjacent to any existing building or structure or in or upon any site upon which any building or structure is to be constructed, but the actual performance of any such work must be done by a registered structural pest control company. (Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 983, Sec. 10.4. Effective January 1, 2000.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

performancetreatmentcontractportlicensefineinspectioninfestation

Related Statutes

  • § 8516 Wood Pest Inspection Requirements
  • § 8514 Pest Control Inspection Requirements
  • § 8518 Contractor Work Completion Reports
  • § 8519.5 Fumigation Certification Requirements
  • § 8664 Prime Contractor Fine Appeals

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Business and Professions Code. Section 8556.
View Official Source