STATE LICENSE
RequiredFlorida DBPR — Construction Industry Lice…
General contractors are unlimited as to the type of work they may do and may contract for any activity requiring licensure under Chapter 489. Building contractors are limited to commercial buildings and single- or multiple-dwelling residential buildings not exceeding three stories. Residential contractors are limited to construction, remodeling, repair or improvement of one-, two- or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story.
Whichever tier you hold, § 489.113(3) requires you to subcontract all electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool and air-conditioning work unless you personally hold a state certificate or registration in that trade — with narrow exceptions such as structural roofing on your own new construction.
Division I carries the heavier numbers: $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage against Division II's $100,000 and $25,000, and a $20,000 financial responsibility bond if your FICO-derived score is under 660, halved to $10,000 by the board-approved 14-hour course. Residential contracts over $2,500 must carry the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund statement.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Certification reaches every jurisdiction in the state; registration reaches only where local competency was satisfied, evidenced by a local competency card or a letter from the building official. Local governments issue building permits and business tax receipts, but § 163.211 preempted occupational licensing and the pre-2021 grandfather expired July 1, 2025 — and a local building department may not issue a permit to any contractor without a valid active state certificate or registration.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Florida county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of September 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
General, building and residential contractors carry $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage; every Division II trade carries $100,000 and $25,000.
Rule 61G4-12.009 treats the contract administration and project management tests as one test for fee purposes. A failed retake costs $135 plus $80 administration per test.
Section 489.103(9) exempts work of a casual, minor or inconsequential nature under $2,500 — but not if it is part of a larger project, not if the work is split into smaller contracts to evade licensure, and not if you advertise as a contractor.
A practical sequence for a new general contracting contractor in Florida. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Contracting, bidding or holding yourself out as a contractor without the required certificate or registration.
DBPR may fine an unlicensed person directly and assess its investigative and legal costs.
An unlicensed contractor cannot enforce its contract in law or in equity — while the owner keeps every remedy, and sureties remain bound on their bonds.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on September 2026.
Pending verification: Whether certified licenses expire August 31 of even years and registrations August 31 of odd years — derived from the fee windows in the DBPR CILB forms and Rule 61G4-12.009(4)(a); the DBPR renewal page returned HTTP 403 · The exact split of the 14 CE hours between wind mitigation, advanced Florida Building Code modules and the general subjects, which is set by board rule · How the $249 / $149 amounts printed on the CILB 5-series forms reconcile line by line with the $200 / $100 initial license fee in Rule 61G4-12.009(4)(a)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.