AB 1327: Contractors Now Have to Email You the Contract

Why This Law Exists

We hear about this every week. A contractor shows up at someone’s door — usually an older homeowner — with a clipboard and a sales pitch. They sign a contract on the spot. The contractor takes the paperwork and leaves. The homeowner is left with nothing. No copy of what they signed. No record of the price, the scope, or the timeline.

Then the work starts. Or it doesn’t. Either way, the homeowner can’t remember exactly what was agreed to because they don’t have the contract. They can’t exercise their 3-day right to cancel because they don’t have the cancellation form. They’re stuck.

This happens a lot in Sacramento. We’ve seen it with grab bar installs, bathroom remodels, roofing jobs. The pattern is always the same: fast-talking salesperson, signature at the kitchen table, and the paperwork walks out the door.

AB 1327 was authored by Assemblymember [name withheld pending final enrollment] and signed by Governor Newsom in October 2025. It amends Business & Professions Code Section 7159 to add an email delivery requirement.

What AB 1327 Actually Requires

The law is short. Here’s what it says, stripped of the legal language:

1. Within 24 hours of signing a home improvement contract, the contractor must send a copy of the fully executed contract to the homeowner’s email address.

2. The homeowner must provide an email address on the contract. There’s a new required field for this.

3. The emailed copy must include everything — the contract, the scope of work, the price, the payment schedule, and the Notice of 3-Day Right to Cancel.

4. This applies to contracts over $500. Same threshold as the existing written contract requirement under B&P Code 7159.

The contractor still has to give you a physical copy at the time of signing. That hasn’t changed. AB 1327 adds the email requirement on top of the existing paper copy rule.

What Counts as “Email”

This matters. The law says “electronic mail.” That means actual email — a message sent to your email address with the contract attached as a PDF or included in the body.

What doesn’t count:

– A text message with a photo of the contract. Not email.
– A link to some portal where you have to log in. Not email.
– A message through Facebook or Instagram. Not email.
– “I’ll send it later.” Not compliance.

The contractor can use DocuSign, HelloSign, PandaDoc, or any e-signature platform that delivers the final signed document by email. That’s fine. The point is that a copy of the signed contract has to land in your inbox within 24 hours.

How This Connects to the 3-Day Right to Cancel

California law already gives you 3 business days to cancel a home improvement contract without penalty (we explain this in detail in our AB 2471 cancellation rights guide) (B&P Code 7159). That clock starts when you receive a copy of the contract and the cancellation notice.

Here’s where it gets interesting. If the contractor doesn’t email the contract within 24 hours, and they also didn’t give you a paper copy at signing, when does your 3-day window start? Arguably, it doesn’t start until you actually receive a copy.

We’ve talked to two consumer protection attorneys in Sacramento about this. Both said the same thing: if you never received a copy — paper or email — your cancellation rights are still open. That’s a big deal. It means a contractor who skips the email step might be giving you an indefinite cancellation window.

What Should You Do If Your Contractor Doesn’t Send It?

Step one: ask. Send them an email or text saying, “I need a copy of the contract we signed on [date]. Please email it to me at [your email].” Keep it simple. Keep it in writing so you have a record.

Step two: wait 48 hours. Some contractors are bad at paperwork but not bad actors. Give them a chance.

Step three: if they still haven’t sent it, call the CSLB at (800) 321-2752 and file a complaint. You can also file online at cslb.ca.gov. This is a violation of B&P Code 7159 and the CSLB takes it seriously.

Step four: if work hasn’t started yet and you want out, send a written cancellation. Use the cancellation form if you have one, or write a letter that says “I am canceling the contract signed on [date] for [description of work] per my rights under Business & Professions Code 7159.” Send it by email and certified mail.

Penalties for Contractors

AB 1327 doesn’t create a separate penalty. Instead, failure to email the contract falls under the existing enforcement framework for B&P Code 7159 violations. That can mean:

– CSLB disciplinary action (warning, citation, or license suspension)
– A civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation
– The contract may be voidable by the homeowner
– Strengthened cancellation rights as described above

For repeat offenders or contractors who are clearly using the missing-paperwork trick to pressure seniors, the CSLB can revoke the license entirely. We’ve seen it happen in Sacramento with two contractors in the past year alone.

Bottom Line

AB 1327 is a simple law. Contractor signs you up, contractor emails you the contract within 24 hours. That’s it. If they don’t, they’re breaking the law and you’ve got options.

Every contractor in our directory knows about this law. We sent them all an email about it in December 2025. If you’re hiring from our directory and don’t get the contract email within 24 hours — or if a contractor asks for too much money upfront, read our deposit scam warning signs —, let us know at help@sacramentoseniorsafety.com. We’ll follow up with the contractor directly.