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Sarasota County Licensing Requirements

For experience qualifications, please refer to the following:

Experience qualifications for General Board Trades

All classifications must have:

  • Four years proven experience in the trade or educational equivalent thereto or a combination thereof. The following combinations of education and experience are considered to be equivalent:
  • A four year degree from an accredited college or university in the appropriate field of building construction, architecture, or structural engineering, and one full year of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify, or
  • A two year degree from an accredited Jr. College in the appropriate field of building construction, architecture, or structural engineering, and two full years of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify, or
  • Three years of experience as an apprentice and one year as a foreman in the category in which the person seeks to qualify.

For purposes of satisfying the above requirements, 1,800 man-hours shall be equivalent to one year of experience. In substituting accredited college level courses as evidence by a certified transcript, thirty (30) credit hours shall equate to one year from a college or university on a semester basis and forty-five (45) credit hours shall equate to one year from a college or university on a term (or quarter) basis.

Classifications by License:

  • Class “A” General and “B” Building Contractors’ Classifications: When qualifying in either of these classifications, the definition of experience refers to structurally related areas of construction such as site-work, excavation, footing, piles and pile caps, concrete slabs, masonry walls, reinforcement bars, trusses, formwork, steel and column erection.
  • Class “A” General Contractor Classification: An applicant for Class “A” General Contractor’s examination shall possess a minimum of one year of structural experience on buildings four (4) stories or more in height.
  • Class “B” Building Contractor Classification An applicant for Class “B” Building Contractor’s examination shall possess a minimum of one year of structural experience on the construction of commercial or industrial buildings or multiple dwelling residential buildings one, two, or three stories in height. A multiple dwelling residential building is a building containing four or more connected family residences.
  • Class “C” Residential Contractor Classification: When qualifying for this classification, the definition of experience refers to structurally related areas of construction such as site-work, excavation, footings, concrete slabs, masonry walls, reinforcement bars, trusses and formwork.
  • Commercial “A “Pool Contractor Classification: In qualifying for the Commercial Pool Contractor classification, an applicant shall possess experience in the construction of commercial pools as distinguished from residential pools.
  • All Other License Types Reviewed by the General Contractor Licensing Board:
    • An applicant for all license types reviewed by the General Contractor Licensing Board shall possess a minimum of four (4) years of experience.

Experience qualifications for Mechanical Board Trades

All classifications must have:

  • Four years proven experience in the trade or educational equivalent thereto or a combination thereof, except Master Plumber applicants, who must also prove the use of a Journeyman’s Operating Certificate for two years and Master Electrician applicants who must prove the use of a Journeyman’s Operating Certificate for two years after January 18, 1996. The following combinations of education and experience are considered to be equivalent:
  • A four year degree from an accredited college or university in the appropriate field of engineering, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering, and one full year of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify, or
  • A two year degree from an accredited Jr. College in the appropriate field of engineering, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering, and two full years of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify, or
  • A four year approved apprenticeship program for the trade category in which the person seeks to qualify that stipulates the number of hours of on the job training and the number of classroom hours for the mechanical trades (Electrical, Plumbing, H.A.R.V.).
  • Four years of experience: a) three years as an apprentice and b) one year as a foreman, in the category in which the person seeks to qualify.

For purposes of satisfying the above requirements, 1,800 man-hours shall be equivalent to one year of experience. In substituting accredited college level courses as evidence by a certified transcript, thirty (30) credit hours shall equate to one year from a college or university on a semester basis and forty-five (45) credit hours shall equate to one year from a college or university on a term (or quarter) basis. Verified successful completion of an approved four-year apprenticeship shall equate to four-year experience.

Classifications by License:

  • Class “A” Air Conditioning Contractor Classification: In qualifying for the Class “A” Air Conditioning Contractor classification an applicant shall possess experience in the installation, repair, and maintenance of systems in excess of twenty-five tons cooling and 500,000 B.T.U. heating per system.
  • Class “B” Air Conditioning Contractor Classification: In qualifying for the Class “B” Air Conditioning Contractor classification an applicant shall possess experience in the installation, repair, and maintenance of systems up to twenty-five tons cooling and 500,000 B.T.U. heating per system.
  • All Other License Types Reviewed by the Mechanical Contractor Licensing Board:
    • An applicant for license types reviewed by the Mechanical Contractor Licensing Board shall possess a minimum of four years experience EXCEPT for Landscape and Master Plumbing and Master Electrical applicants.
    • Landscaping Contractor License applicants shall be required to prove two (2) years of experience.
    • Master Plumber applicants and Master Electrician applicants must also prove the use of a Journeyman’s Operating Certificate for two (2) years after January 18, 1996 for a total of six (6) years of experience.
  • Other Classifications:
    • For experience requirements refer to the provisions under 1. Qualifications and definitions as defined in Ordinance No. 83-63, as amended by Ordinance No. 93-105, Sections 3.D., 3.E. and 3.F.

Net Worth Requirements

The licensing Board ruled that there is no longer a “cash on hand” requirement. You will still be required to complete the Personal Financial Statement and show financials and provide bank statements but “minimum cash on hand” is no longer required.

General Contractor Licensing Board

Trade CategoryNet Worth Requirement
General Contractor “A” $20,000
Building Contractor “B” $20,000
Residential Contractor “C” $20,000
Commercial Pool “A” $10,000
Residential Pool “B” $10,000
Service Pool “C” $10,000
Roofing Unlimited $10,000
Masonry/Concrete Specialty $2,500
Aluminum/Concrete Specialty $2,500
Marine Specialty $2,500
Sign (non-electrical) Specialty $2,500
Demolition Specialty $2,500
Fence Erection Specialty $2,500
Window & Door Specialty $2,500
Hurricane Shutter Specialty $2,500
The General Contractor Licensing Board reviews the above 16 license types.

Mechanical Contractor Licensing Board

Trade CategoryNet Worth Requirement
Master Plumber $10,000
Master Electrician $10,000
Class “A” or Class “B” H.A.R.V. $10,000
Landscape Specialty $2,500
Irrigation Specialty $2,500
The Mechanical Contractor Licensing Board reviews the above 5 license types.