California access control installers: two license systems

In California, energy-limited systems staying at or below 91 volts fall under the C-7 Low Voltage Systems class. Phones, sound, video and controls are among the items the list says it covers, though it is not limited to those. Keypads and card readers operate in that same range.

Fire alarms are deliberately left out of C-7. Low voltage fire alarms are specifically left out by the regulation. The reader cable and 120 volt feed are both jobs a C-10 can cover, since the C-10 Electrical Contractor handles wiring for any purpose.

There is also a California law called the Alarm Company Act. It describes an alarm system as equipment set up to sense a hazard or announce an unusual condition. A forced-open door could signal that kind of condition, so a reader system connected to alarms probably falls under it.

Firms that do this work act as Alarm Company Operators (ACO). According to the BSIS fact sheet, the company designates a Qualified Manager who has taken and passed the state exam. That individual must have 2 years (4,000 hours) of paid experience in alarm company work. Under the law, any staff who install or service the system are considered alarm agents.

For LLCs, the BSIS ACO FAQ adds a requirement: they need at least $1,000,000 in general liability coverage when they first get licensed. Local registration and a business permit may also be required of alarm companies by cities.

To qualify for a C-7 or C-10 license, the qualifying individual needed 4 full years of experience within the most recent 10-year window. The experience has to be from skilled‑worker duties, or from holding a foreman, supervisor or contractor position in that same class. The experience must be verifiable, and those who witnessed it have to certify it.

Before a license is issued, every contractor puts up a $25,000 bond. CSLB explains that the bond covers consumers who suffer from faulty work and workers who are owed pay.

Check a contractor's class, bond status and complaint record with CSLB Check a License. For alarm-related matters, the BSIS verify a license page connects you to the state search for alarm companies, their employees and qualified managers. Locksmith businesses also show up on that page.

The rules for door hardware are part of Title 24, the California Building Standards Code. The Building Standards Commission shows the 2025 edition, and it takes effect on January 1, 2026. It is enforced by your city or county building department, and that office also decides on permits.

The answer depends on the work. Running wires for readers and strikes counts as contracting work overseen by CSLB. When the system also sends alarm signals or gets monitored, the BSIS rules for alarm companies apply too.