Florida Contractor License FAQs

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How can I obtain a Lee County Painter's License?

You must get sponsorship from the county. This sponsorship process is initiated by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., in the email include your name, address, phone number, the fact that you are getting a painting license, and the name of the testing company you wish to use (GITS, Prometric, or Prov). Once you are sponsored (all done via email), you must buy your books and study for your tests (business and painting). Once you pass the tests you must apply for your painter’s license. Once the license is issued you can register with your city (City of Cape Coral, Fort Myers, etc) to operate as a business. Visit this link to view information on books and classes for the Lee County Painting License.

How do I sign up for my General Contractor Exam in Florida?

To sign up for your FL-Florida GC test, simply visit www.floridaexam.com Make sure you have studied and have your books before signing up (Florida GC Books and Classes).

How often can I take my General Contractor’s Test in Florida?

The Florida General Contractor Exams can be taken up to 6 times per year. This is the link with the schedule for FL-Florida GC testing.

What license do I need, if any, to install Security Cameras and Automated Access Controls in Florida?

A Florida Limited Energy (Low Voltage) Contractor’s License is required to install Security Cameras and Automated Access Controls in Florida.

I have heard there is now an irrigation license for the entire State of Florida. Is it true?

Yes, it is. The State of Florida through its Construction Industry Licensing Board offers a statewide Irrigation Contractor’s License. Once you obtain this license you are allowed to do irrigation work in any county within the state. You must pass the irrigation and business exams. These links contain important information regarding this license. Books needed for the Irrigation Contractor’s Exam. Irrigation License Application Form.

Is it legal to just pay a Qualifying Agent instead of having to get a Florida General Contractor’s License? How much is the going rate for someone to qualify a business with a General Contractor's License or CGC?

A Licensed General Contractor is free to qualify any business entity as long as the application for qualification is approved by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). Once the Application to Qualify a Business is approved by the Board, the qualifying agent (the licensed General Contractor) becomes responsible for the operation of the business. The qualifying agent is therefore expected to supervise and be responsible for all construction-related aspects of operation. In some cases the qualifying agent can opt out of financial responsibility by designating a Financially Responsible Officer (FRO Application must be submitted). Financial arrangements between qualifying agents and the businesses they qualify vary greatly and range from percentage-of-revenue to fixed-weekly compensation. The exact amount of compensation is something agreed to by the parties involved and there is no standard pricing schedule for these services.

I live in Miami and have been doing Air Conditioning work for a Miami-Dade County Mechanical Contractor. The company is asking me to become a Dade County Air Conditioning Journeyman. What do I need to do to get this Journeyman A/C license?

Obtaining the Miami-Dade County Journeyman Air Conditioning License requires you to pass a test and to be approved by the county. You must take the Journeyman Air Conditioning Test through a testing company called Prov. We provide the books and the classes to prepare for all Prov Exams in Miami. The books needed for testing are: Advanced Mechanical Study Guide, HVAC Basics for Contractors, Intermediate Mechanical Study Guide, Florida Building Code, Florida Energy Conservation Code, and the Florida Mechanical Code. You can order these and other books used for Prov testing on this website (www.contractorcampus.com) or by calling 866-986-7978. All Prov books are in-stock and are shipped via UPS from Florida.

What is the difference between the Florida Electrical Specialty Alarm I Contractor License and the Florida Electrical Specialty Alarm II Contractor License? Also, with which license can I do burglar alarms?

The main difference between the Alarm I and Alarm II Contractor’s License in Florida is the fact that only an Alarm I Contractor can do fire alarms. Another way of putting it is that Alarm II Contractors can install any type of Alarm, EXCEPT fire alarms, and Alarm I contractors are unlimited in terms of the type of alarm system they can handle. Regarding your second question, you can do burglar alarms with any alarm license in Florida.

What license do I need to start a roofing repair business in Florida? Where can I take cram classes before taking the tests? Do I need any books? I already have the Building Code.

The Florida Roofing license is the license you need to be able to do roofing repairs, re-roofs, and new-roof installations in Florida. You must pass the Roofing, as well as the Business and Finance Exams. Roofing Contractor Classes are taught online throughout the State of Florida, you will have access to them the same day you sign up and continue to have unlimited access to the classes until you pass the tests. Regarding your Roofing Exam Books, yes, you do need them. The Florida Roofing Exam is open-book and you use several books during testing, not just the building code. Please refer to the list of books used for the roofing test in Florida to view the list of all books. Any books that you need can be ordered through us and you will receive them the following business day (all books are in stock and are shipped UPS ground).

Which Florida Contractor’s Manual should I buy? I am trying to take my Business and Law test for my license and I was told to buy the Contractor’s Manual for FL but when I search online I find that there are several books which go by that name. Which is the exact book I need? I am going for my Florida State Electrical Contractor’s License.

The book that you need is called the Florida Contractor’s Manual and is the one published by the Association of Builders and Contractors Institute. We do have this book in stock (Buy the Florida Contractor's Manual for the Florida State Licensing Exam). This is the proper Contractor’s Manual to use if you are getting a state license. The other books that you are seeing when you search for the Florida Contractor’s Manual are the following: Florida Contractor’s Reference Manual, Florida Contractor’s Business Procedures Reference Manual, and Business and Law Study Guide for Contractors. These books are all used for County Licensing exams ONLY (do not apply to your State Licensing exam) and are required for testing by Prometric, GITS, and Prov respectively.

What is ProV©?

Prov is a testing company which provides contractor licensing examination services to different counties in Florida, as well as in other states. ProV’s website is ProV Testing

I cannot find the books needed for my Miami-Dade contractor exam. I have called several bookstores and they do not carry the ProV books. Does Contractor Campus have ProV books in stock?

Yes, Contractor Campus carries all ProV books in stock. We are a construction school and bookstore and we do offer both classes and books for all ProV licensing exams. Whether you are taking a General Engineering test or a Journeyman plumbing test, or any other licensing exam through ProV, we have the books you need. To buy the ProV books needed for your ProV test, please visit Florida Contractor Licenses then click on your county, select your licensing category and add your books to your shopping cart.

Is it true that I need a license to do Fiber-Optics installations in Florida?

Yes, it is. The installation of Fiber Optics requires the use of a Limited Energy Contractor’s License (FKA Low Voltage Contractor’s License). The scope of this license according to Florida Statutes is as follows: “The scope of certification of a Florida Limited Energy systems specialty contractor includes the installation, repair, fabrication, erection, alteration, addition to, or design of electrical wiring, fixtures, appliances, thermostats, apparatus, raceways, conduit, and fiber optics (transmission of light over stranded glass) or any part thereof not to exceed 98 volts, (RMS).”

Why are there licenses which cannot be obtained through the State of Florida? My husband and I do painting and tile, but we are told these licenses are ONLY offered at the county level.

In Florida, Contractor Licenses can be obtained through your County or the State. Sometimes (depending on your county) you can get the exact same license at both the state and county levels. Some other times, the license you want might not be offered at the state level, but is offered by the county, and vice versa. The State of Florida offers statewide licenses in the following categories:
Building; Class A Air Conditioning; Class B Air Conditioning; Commercial Pool; Gas Line; General; Glass and Glazing; Gypsum Drywall; Irrigation; Marine; Mechanical; Plumbing; Pollutant Storage; Residential; Residential Pool; Roofing; Service Pool; Sheet Metal; Solar; Specialty Structure; Underground Utilities; Electrical; Alarm Systems I; Alarm Systems II; Lighting Maintenance; Limited Energy (Low Voltage); Residential (Electrical); Sign (Electrical); Unlimited (Electrical); Utility Line (Electrical); Fire Protection I; Fire Protection II; Fire Protection III; Fire Protection IV; Fire Protection V.
If you require a license not explicitly mentioned on the list above, you must become licensed through your county. In your case, since you do painting and tile, none of which was listed above, you cannot be licensed through the State, you can only go through your county and reciprocate your way through the State, county by county. If you do not wish to be licensed one county at a time, through each individual county, your only alternative would be to get a State Contractor’s License like Residential, Building, or General. The Residential, Building, and General Contractor licenses all cover painting and tile within their scope of work. The downside to this approach is that the licensee must show proof of experience actually building houses and other commercial structures (depending on the category chosen), not to mention the fact that the exams are much more difficult.

After reading some information on the Florida’s DBPR website (myfloridalicense.com) I notice that the State heavily emphasizes financial responsibility and financial stability as criteria to be established prior to issuing a contractor’s license. What are those criteria to be met in order to demonstrate to the State that one is financially stable and responsible (i.e. have so much money in the bank, or have a specific credit score)?

Florida Law requires all construction contractor applicants to establish that they are both financially responsible and financially stable prior to issuance of their licenses. The Construction Industry Licensing Board has determined a contractor will be deemed financially responsible and stable if the following items are established: (1) There are no unsatisfied liens against the applicant or the company he or she intends to qualify; (2) There are no unsatisfied judgments against the applicant or the company he or she intends to qualify; (3) Applicant has a 660 FICO derived credit score or higher, or submits a licensing bond or irrevocable letter of credit; and (4) The licensing bond or letter of credit shall be maintained until the applicant has achieved a FICO credit score of 660 or higher.

I am currently licensed as a Certified General Contractor in the State of Florida. I want to qualify a secondary business entity; which application form should I use?

In order to qualify a secondary business with your existing license, you must submit to the State of Florida the Application for Qualifying an Additional Business Entity Under the Same License Category Form. Please read the application in detail to make sure you meet all the requirements set forth by the state.

What is reciprocity? I have heard several people talking about reciprocating their license to other counties. From what I understand, this process allows them to simply transfer their license across several counties without having to take their tests several times.

Reciprocity refers to the process through which a registered (county) contractor is able to obtain his/her license in other counties by virtue of being licensed already. If the initial license was obtained through testing and the new county offers a license which scope of work matches that of the existing county license, no examination is required. This means that a contractor could pass the licensing exams and become licensed in Palm Beach County, for example, and once licensed, could simply ask Broward County to issue a license without having to pass the exams again. Please keep in mind that the decision to grant licenses in this fashion rests solely on the issuing county and it is up to it to grant or deny the licensing petition.

How can I get a Painting Contractor’s License in the State of Florida?

The State of Florida does not offer a Painting Contractor’s License through its state licensing board. You must obtain your Painting license through your County. Once you obtain your County Painting Contractor’s License, you can get it in other counties through Reciprocity. In order to obtain your Painting Contractor’s License in a Florida county, you must pass your exams and be approved by the board. Some counties require you to pass the exams prior to applying for licensure before the construction board, while others do the exact opposite and require your approval before taking the exams. The approved testing providers and list of books used during testing do vary by county, so make sure to obtain the books which are approved for your particular county. Florida County Contractor Licenses

What is the difference between the General, Building, and Residential Contractor Licenses?

The Florida Residential License (CRC Certified Residential Contractor) covers the construction and remodel of residential properties (i.e. house, duplex). The Florida Building License (CBC Certified Building Contractor) covers the scope of the residential license plus the construction of commercial buildings up to three stories in height. The Florida General Contractor’s License covers the scope of the building license plus construction of structures higher than three stories.

What are the exam dates for the General Contractor’s License?

I am interested in remodeling residential properties in Florida, mainly Kitchens and Baths. Which license do I need that would cover that type of work?

The Florida Residential Contractor’s License will allow you to do everything in those remodels with the exception of Specialty Trades like Electrical and Plumbing which require a separate contractor’s license. The Electrical and Plumbing component of the work can be sub-contracted to licensed contractors in those fields. Some counties offer their own version of the Residential Contractor’s license and if you wish to stay within your county it is your choice whether you go with the State license or the County one. Some counties like Broward (Fort Lauderdale) offer a Residential Interior Remodeling License which is specifically designed for contractors like yourself who are only interested in residential remodels and do not need a license to build houses (i.e. Residential Contractor License). Some counties like Lee (Fort Myers, Cape Coral) do not offer a Residential Contractor’s License or a Residential Remodeling License at the county level and contractors there have no alternative but to get the State License.

Do I need a License to do CCTV, and Automated Access Controls in FL?

Yes, you do. The Florida Limited Energy (Low Voltage) License is required for any type of Limited Energy Installation, including CCTV, Automated Access Controls, Data, and Fiber Optics.

I currently do all Tile work for a General Contractor in Florida. Do I need a separate Tile license or am I covered under his license?

It depends. If you are on the General Contractor’s payroll and you get W-2s you are considered an employee and you are covered under your employer’s General Contractor’s License. If you get paid through a 1099, you are considered a Sub-Contractor and as such, you must be licensed for the type of work you are performing (at least a Tile Contractor’s License).

If I get a county license in Florida, and later on decide to do work in a different county, how can I “extend” my license to the new county?

The process of validating your contractor’s license in several counties is known as Reciprocity. Reciprocity is a process through which you can be licensed in one county by virtue of being licensed in another as long as you meet the requirements of the “new” county. Those reciprocity requirements do vary by county, but commonly the following rules apply: (1) The new county must have a license of equal scope to the one you are reciprocating. (2) You must have obtained your license through testing. (3) The testing provider from which you took your tests in the past must be approved by the “new” county. It is important to note that these rules are not standard across all counties, and each county has its own set of reciprocity rules. For specific questions about a county’s reciprocity requirements, please contact their contractor licensing board and/or contractor licensing division. To get a information on a specific contractor's license in Florida, please visit Florida Licenses.

How can I look at the list of books used for the General Contractor test? I need the latest information on editions, publishers, ISBNs..etc.

The complete list of books for the general contractor exam in Florida can be found by visiting General Contractor Books.

Please provide link with information on the classes Contractor Campus offers to prepare for the General Contractor exams.

Of course. The information you are looking for can be found the page General Contractor Classes.

Do you have a video explaining the process of obtaining a General Contractor's License? I feel more comfortable getting my information that way.

Yes, we do. Please find the requested video on our YouTube channel. The link to the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDayyXHix9c&t=4s

What do I need to do to get a GC license in FL?

There are 5 steps involved in obtaining a Florida License, please visit the article The 5-Steps to become a licensed General Contractor