Buying a Construction Business in Florida
Before taking over the Construction business you just purchased, you may need to get a license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The license which qualified the company initially belongs to the original owner. Before you obtain the license, you may need to register with the Florida Department of State, the IRS, and the Florida Department of Revenue.
What type of Contractor License am I required to obtain?
To start a construction business in the State of Florida, you are required to obtain an occupational license or a tax receipt. The tax collector will require proof that you have a license issued by the CILB, EILB, or local contractor licensing board. You will need to show evidence of being licensed before them granting you the occupational license. This means to obtain the occupational license; you are required to show that you have a competency card or contractor's license if the nature of your business needs it. Below you will see a few examples of the type of licenses you could obtain to qualify your construction business.
- Florida General Contractor
Unlimited height and scope of work, can sub-out all mechanical and electrical trades - Florida Building Contractor
Up to three stories (new construction), unlimited remodeling - Florida Residential Contractor
Build and remodel houses, no commercial construction
What Classes do I need?
When obtaining one of licenses above, you would take a Trade and a Business exam. The Business exam is to be taken in order to obtain any State of Florida licenses. We offer courses to help you prepare to take the exams. The courses we offer are all online and include lecture videos and practice questions. The online courses are at your own pace, and you have unlimited access to the study material. When you purchase at least one online course they include in-person refresher classes that cover Business, Accounting, Trade math, and How to find information within the books. These classes are offered in Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers, Miami, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale.
- General Contractor Class
- Building Contractor Class
- Residential Contractor Class
- Business and Finance
Application
To obtain your contractor's license, you must pass the examinations, meet specific experience and financial requirements, and complete the application for the state to review. We know this a very stressful step to do. We could take care of all that stress for you. We will work with you however you prefer, whether that is by email, phone, or in person. We dedicate ourselves to making sure your application is complete and accurate with all the required information so you can get your license as soon as possible. To view more information about our application services, please visit: Florida Contractor License Applications
The links below will show you the PDF of the application for the General, Building, and Residential Contractor License for the State of Florida.
