The pass letter is not a license: the issuance checklist
In one paragraph
Passing both exams earns you a letter, not a license number. CSLB will not issue the number until the initial license fee, the $25,000 contractor's bond, the qualifier bond if you owe one, and a workers' compensation certificate or exemption are all on file, and you have 90 days from the notice before the whole application goes void. This lesson is the checklist, in the order that avoids a second trip.
The rule
Under B&P 7074(a), an original application becomes void if, after being notified, the applicant fails to pay the initial license fee or to file the required bond and documents within 90 days of the notice. The fee is $200 for a sole owner and $350 for any other entity, for a two-year license (CSLB, Step 8).
Why it matters
A voided application means a new application fee, a new wait, and in some cases a new exam window. Almost every avoidable delay at this stage is a document that was sent in the wrong name, a bond that does not match the entity, or a workers' compensation form that was never filed.