CPA license in CA

I passed all parts of the uniform CPA exam, and I worked as an accoutant in a bank about 2 and half years. Yesterday I asked my previous boss, a CPA to sign-off my certification of general experience(non-public accounting), he told me that his CPA license was not active at that period.

I wonder if a CPA license can be inactive about two and half years, is he lying to me?

 

Thank you very much for answering my questions.