Starting a Construction Company in Florida
There are 5 steps in the process of creating a construction business in Florida, from non-existance to being able to charge your customers for construction services legally.
- File your articles of incorporation (sunbiz.org)
- Get your contractor's license form the State (from the county in some cases)
- Get a tax receipt or occupational license from your county
- Obtain Liability Insurance and Worker's Compensation
- Register in your county's building department
Florida is one of the largest construction markets in the US and as such it is strictly regulated.
Construction companies all over the US find the Sunshine State to be very profitable, but there is a catch, it is strictly regulated. If you are not incorporated already, you must do so through Florida's Secretary of State. Once you have a business entity, you have to worry about the folks who regulate your industry. The Florida DBPR has two boards that regular construction and electrical contractors respectively. In most cases you must be licensed by them first in order to be able to engage in construction activity.
The license that one of the boards issue to the contractor is sometimes refered to as an certificate of competency and is a requisite to getting your occupational license. The occupational license is just a tax receipt, what you have to pay in order to do business in a particular county. In order for you to get a tax receipt, you must have a certificate of compentency (the license that says that you are contractor).
Once you have your contractor's license and you business license (certificate of competency and occupational license respectively), you must go and register with your local building department. They will require you to provide proof of liability insurance and worker's compensation.
Insurance companies who understand contractor needs
title XXXII REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS Chapter 489 Construction Contracting
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