OSHA's 6-foot fall protection rule for residential construction and California's $1,000 contractor license threshold, explained.
By the SolarCleaningRated team · Facts checked against the sources listed below on November 1, 2026. General information, not professional advice.
OSHA's rule for residential construction says each employee working 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by a guardrail system, a safety net system or a personal fall arrest system, unless another provision allows an alternative; if the employer can show these are infeasible or create a greater hazard, it must follow a fall protection plan. The rule covers residential construction activities and does not mention panel cleaning; either way, it is fair to ask any cleaner how its crew is protected on your roof.
The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) says that from January 1, 2025, the exemption for minor work without a contractor license rose from $500 to $1,000. The exemption applies only when the work needs no permit of any kind and the unlicensed person hires no one to help. CSLB's bulletin does not address panel cleaning specifically, so ask CSLB if you are unsure whether a job needs a licensed contractor.
Rules differ by state. If a job goes beyond cleaning, such as removing panels, repairing wiring or installing bird barriers that attach to the system, ask the company which state license it holds and check it with the state contractor board.
On this site, “Shows a license number” means the company displays a contractor license number on its own website. We do not check it with the board, so check it yourself.
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