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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.

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.

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.

Details

Comments

# Kelvin. 2022-09-02 12:19
Hello,
I got a question regarding experience/education requirements. I have a bachelor's degree in finance and an associate degree in mechanical engineering. No experience as a foreman yet.
Do I need the experience first before applying? What kind of studies are required or are mine enough?
Thank you,
Reply
# Sharilyn Baez 2022-09-02 13:48
Hello Kelvin,
To apply for a contractor license, even if you have educational experience, you would still need to have at least 1 year of work experience in the field/trade. In the link below, you can find information regarding experience/education requirements.

https://www.contractorcampus.com/florida-general-contractor-license.html
https://www.contractorcampus.com/florida-building-contractor-license.html
https://www.contractorcampus.com/florida-residential-contractor-license.html
Reply
# Keith Williams 2022-11-16 14:20
Hello,
I would like to purchase a business that requires a specialty license. I would need to obtain this license within 1 year after ownership. How can I do this given the 4 year desired work experience?

I do not have a degree in a related field.
(we cannot work under the existing license)
Reply
# Sharilyn Baez 2022-11-17 10:11
Hello Keith,
You will need to satisfy the experience requirements set forth by the Construction Industry Licensing Board in order to be a Specialty Structure Contractor. We recommend contacting the DBPR to see if they can accommodate you. Another approach will be to get a Qualifying agent with a Specialty Structure Contractor License, and they will be able to qualify your business until you obtain the necessary experience. Below I have attached a few links. You can find information for the DBPR, Qualifying Agents in Florida, and the Specialty Structure License.
https://www.contractorcampus.com/florida-specialty-structure-contractor-license.html
https://www.contractorcampus.com/qualifying-agents-in-florida.html
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/construction-industry/
Reply
# Terry Mauer 2023-10-05 15:14
Good afternoon! I am a consultant with the Florida SBDC. One of my clients is purchasing a construction business in Florida. The client plans to employ the current owner for 12 months, essentially to use his GC license, while he finishes obtaining his own. Do you foresee any issues with this arrangement?

Thank you!
Reply
# Claudia Soto 2023-10-20 16:27
Hello Terry,
Since your client does not have a license, the current owner can qualify the business for 12 months and there will not be any issues with the arrangement. We are a construction school and bookstore that offers books and classes for your Contractor's License. Down below, I will provide you with a link to more information on the Florida General Contractor License & the books and classes that we offer.

https://www.contractorcampus.com/florida-general-contractor-license.html
Reply

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