A two-day undercover operation in Riverside County resulted in 12 unlicensed contractors being cited, facing hefty fines and possibly jail time.
Officials said the unlicensed contractors were asked to submit bids for various construction projects that included landscaping, painting and/or masonry work.
According to California law, an unlicensed contractor cannot bid or work on any project that costs more than $500, including materials and labor.
Of the unlicensed contractors who were asked to submit bids, all 12 provided estimates that far exceeded that state limit, ranging from $2,300 to $32,000 for the proposed projects.
The 12 offenders were all given notices to appear in court to face misdemeanor charges for engaging in illegal contracting activities.
Penalties for those violations include fines up to $15,000 and up to six months in jail. Repeat offenders receive mandatory 90-day jail sentences and possible fines of $5,000 or 20% of the contract price.
Six of the unlicensed contractors also allegedly requested down payments which exceeded the legal limit of $1,000 or 10% of the total project cost, officials said. Penalties for those misdemeanor charges include possible $5,000 fines and additional jail time.