Florida licensing for homeowners

Who must be licensed in Florida

Florida licenses construction contractors through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Construction Industry Licensing Board. Certified licences allow work statewide; registered licences limit the contractor to certain local jurisdictions. Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC contracting require state certification or registration under Chapter 489, Florida Statutes. Local building departments issue permits and inspect to the Florida Building Code. Contracting without a required licence is a serious violation; homeowners should verify both state licence and local permit path before work starts.

Licensing boards and lookups

Licence classes and what they authorize

• Certified General (CGC) — Certified General Contractor

  General building construction statewide when qualified by examination.

• Certified Building (CBC) — Certified Building Contractor

  Commercial and residential building construction up to three stories in scope rules.

• Certified Residential (CRC) — Certified Residential Contractor

  One-, two-, or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories.

• Certified Electrical (EC) — Certified Electrical Contractor

  Electrical contracting statewide.

• Certified Plumbing (CFC) — Certified Plumbing Contractor

  Plumbing contracting statewide.

• Certified Air Conditioning (CAC) — Certified Air Conditioning Contractor

  HVAC contracting statewide.

Verify a licence in about two minutes

1. Open DBPR's license search and select the construction contractor or trade category.
2. Search by licence number or exact legal name.
3. Confirm licence type (certified vs registered) and that status is Current.
4. Compare the licence name to the business on your contract and insurance COI.
5. Call the county building department to confirm they accept the licence type for your permit application.

Insurance and bond minimums

Florida requires workers' compensation or an exemption filing for construction contractors, and public liability and property damage insurance minimums apply under Chapter 489 rules (amounts vary by licence type — verify on the DBPR record). Many counties require additional proof at permit.

Who issues permits

County and city building departments enforce the Florida Building Code. Hurricane-prone wind zones and floodplain rules add local layers. State DBPR licences who may contract; local officials decide permit issuance.

Homeowner permits — can you pull one, and should you

Owner-builders may obtain permits in many counties for their own home with an owner-builder affidavit, but cannot contract for compensation without a licence. Regulated trades on the job still need appropriately licensed subcontractors.

Deposits, cancellation rights, and liens

Deposit rules

Florida does not use California's 10% statutory cap statewide, but home solicitation and construction lien law impose disclosure and notice requirements. Negotiate deposits against defined milestones.

Rescission / cooling-off

Three-business-day right of rescission applies to certain home solicitation sales under Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act framework when the statutory conditions are met.

Mechanic's lien timeline

Florida Construction Lien Law (Chapter 713) requires notices for many claimants; contractors must record claims within 90 days of final furnishing unless shortened by notice rules. Pay with conditional waivers.

Written contracts are standard on regulated jobs; lien law notices must appear in many construction contracts.

Where to file a complaint

File complaints against licensed contractors with DBPR online. Unlicensed activity can be reported to DBPR and local law enforcement. County consumer protection offices handle some dispute mediation.

If you hire someone unlicensed

Unlicensed contracting can result in fines, stop-work orders, and inability to enforce liens. Insurance may deny storm or water claims when unpermitted work contributed to the loss. Homestead properties still face lien risk when subcontractors are unpaid.

Which trades need a licence here

Reciprocity

Florida offers limited reciprocity for certain certified licences with specific states under DBPR rules — check current reciprocity agreements before assuming an out-of-state licence transfers.

Cities and counties with an extra layer

Miami-Dade, Broward, and coastal counties add hurricane product approval, contractor registration, and sometimes separate local business tax receipts. Wind-borne debris regions affect roofing specifications.

Related guides

Common questions — Florida

Sources

• Florida Statutes Chapter 489 — Contracting
• Florida Statutes Chapter 713 — Liens
• DBPR License Search

Content reviewed 2026-10-06. Statutes and board URLs were checked at publication; confirm current text on the official site before relying on it in a dispute.