California · Public works
DIR Contractor Registration
In California you cannot legally bid on, be listed on, or work a public works project without an active DIR registration. It disqualifies bids quietly.
- DIR fee
- At cost
- Renewal
- Annually
- Required for
- All public works
- Where
- California
DIR registration is a gate, not a formality. An unregistered contractor cannot be listed on a bid proposal, cannot be awarded public works, and cannot be paid for public works performed. A bid listing an unregistered subcontractor can be rejected outright — which makes your registration the prime's problem as well as yours.
What registration obliges you to do
- Register before bidding or performing public works, and renew annually
- Pay prevailing wage for the classification and county of the work
- Submit certified payroll records electronically to DIR
- Meet apprenticeship obligations where they apply
The part people underestimate
Registration takes minutes. Certified payroll does not. Every week of a public works job, records go to DIR in a specific electronic format, and errors invite an audit, penalties, or withheld payment. Contractors who register without setting up eCPR discover this on their first payroll, with a deadline running.
GERC fee
$449
one-time · DIR fee billed at cost
- Registration filed with the Department of Industrial Relations
- Contractor licence and workers' compensation details verified
- Renewal tracked before it lapses
- Certified payroll obligations explained in plain English
- DIR eCPR reporting set up and tested
- Subcontractor registration status checked before you list them
DIR sets its own registration fee annually. We bill it at exactly what DIR charges.
Build your quote Call (909) 454-707650% to start, balance on delivery.
Questions
What people ask about DIR.
Can I bid without DIR registration?
No. You cannot bid, be listed as a subcontractor, or be awarded public works in California without an active registration.
How much does DIR charge?
DIR sets the fee and adjusts it. We bill it at exactly what they charge — we never mark up government fees.
Do I have to renew?
Yes, annually. A lapse mid-project is a serious problem, so we track the date.
What is certified payroll?
A weekly record of who worked, in what classification, at what rate, filed electronically with DIR on public works jobs.
Do my subcontractors need it too?
Yes — and listing an unregistered subcontractor can invalidate your bid. We check before you list anyone.
Also useful