Sumter County Contractor Licenses

Please submit the following to Sumter County:

1. Copy of State Certified License
2. Copy of Qualifier’s Drivers License
3. Workers Compensation exemption form (if applicable) from the Dept. of Financial Services
4. Certificate of Insurance - Liability and Workers Compensation:
   • General & Building: $300,000 Bodily Injury; $50,000 Property Damage
   • Electrical: $300,000 per occurrence; $500,000 Property Damage
   • All other categories: $100,000 Bodily Injury; $25,000 Property Damage

Sumter County Application for Contractor's License

Certificates of Insurance:

• Must be emailed, mailed, or faxed directly from the insurance company and must be valid in Florida.
• Insurance Certificates and Workers Compensation Exemption Forms must appear in the exact name as your DBPR License or your Sumter County Competency Card.

Sumter County Building Department must be listed as the certificate holder with the address of:
7375 Powell Road, Suite 115,
Wildwood, FL 34785

Application Questions For Competency Card

How much is the application fee for a competency card?

• The competency card application fee is $100.

When does my application need to be submitted?

• Your completed application package must be received in our office three weeks prior to the scheduled Contractor Licensing Board meeting.

The completed application and required supporting documentation shall be evaluated within 10 (ten) business days after receipt.
Reciprocity competency card applicationsshall have a final determination by the Building Official within seven (7) business days following the review period. Failure to submit a complete application with supporting documentation will result in a delay of the processing of your application.

Competency Card Application Procedures

1. To reciprocate exam scores into Sumter County, complete the attached application and supply the following: (a-k)

• a. Letter of Reciprocity: You must arrange with the reciprocal County or Municipality in Florida that sponsored your original Block & Associates/Experior examinations. Please have them mail us a letter of reciprocity verifying that you achieved at least 75% on those examinations. All contractors are required to take the Business & Law exam after February 1, 1993.
• b. Fee: $100.00 – Credit card, cash, check, or money order payable to: BOCC SUMTER COUNTY. Check must contain your address and phone number. (Payment is nonrefundable)
• c. Identification: Submit a clear copy of your driver’s license or a state identification card with photograph.
• d. Certificate of experience: Document (s) must reflect active experience and show a minimum of four (4) years experience. In order to verify an applicant’s experience, the Board requires evidence as to active experience from practicing contractors in the field for which the applicant is applying, or a General, Building, or Residential Contractor. The contractor documenting experience must include his/her certification number and attach a copy of his/her contractor’s license or business license and a copy of his/her driver’s license or state identification for identification purposes. If a contractor completes a certificate of experience and a letter of reference, the Licensing Board will consider both letters as one.
• e. Three Letters of Recommendation: Letters must reflect work related experience for the trade the applicant is applying for from three different categories listed below: Architect, Consumer, County or City Building & Zoning Department, Engineer, Lenders involved in the construction loan business, licensed contractor in any of the categories covered by this ordinance, from Sumter County or another County, Material Sales person, Material Supply Business, or other persons or entities as approved by the Licensing Board and Savings and Loan Institution. All letters must be notarized.
• f. Credit Report and Financial History: The credit report must indicate all credit activity of record for the applicant and include the previous four years, and if applicable, the applicant’s business. This report shall be submitted directly to the county by the applicable credit agency or bureau. Additionally, the applicant must disclose any bankruptcy proceedings in which the applicant or a business owned or controlled by the applicant has been a part of within the last ten years.
• g. Corporation or Fictitious Name: If you are qualifying as a corporation or a fictitious name, you must furnish proof.
• h. Officer or Partner form: Complete the officer or partner responsibility form supplied with application. (If applicable)
• i. Zoning Information form for contractor licensing (for Sumter County Residents only) zoning confirmation for Sumter County contractor.
• j. Copy of your State License (if applicable)
• k. Liability and Worker’s Compensation Insurance: Proof of insurance for general, building, and electrical contractors is $300,000/general liability and $50,000/property damage. All other license categories require $100,000/general liability insurance and $25,000/property damage. The applicant must provide proof of worker’s compensation insurance as required by Florida Statutes. All certificates of insurance must be in the exact name of the business being qualified and list Sumter County Building Department, 7375 Powell Road, Wildwood, FL 34785, as the certificate holder.

1. Submit the completed application to Sumter County Building Services. When the application is complete and the fee is paid, your application will be reviewed by the Building Official.

ONCE ALL OF THE APPLICABLE STEPS ABOVE ARE COMPLETED, THE LICENSE WILL BE IN “ACTIVE” STATUS AND THE APPLICANT WILL BE ABLE TO PERFORM WORK IN THEIR TRADE.

Conditions of Approval For Exemption:

• The business must be conducted entirely within the enclosed living area of the residence.
• No sign advertising the home occupation may be placed on the property.
• No advertising, other than business cards, may be done which contains the physical location of the home occupation.
• Any increase in traffic to the property, that is attributable to the home occupation, shall be limited to two (2) trips (1 trip to and 1 trip from the premises) per day.

Letters of Recommendation Instructions

Please furnish three letters of recommendation, with only one from any of the categories of persons or entities. Such letters shall address the moral character, experience, and other attributes of the applicant that the author feels are important for one in whom public trust is placed. The categories are:

• Consumer
• County or city building department
• Material man or material supply firm, architect or engineer
• Saving and loan institution or other lender involved in the construction loan business
• Licensed contractor in any of the categories of Sumter County, another county, or the State of Florida
• Such other persons or entities as approved by the Department from time to time Letters must be signed, dated, and clearly state the author's name.

Required Additional Documentation

• Furnish examination results, if applicable
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Proof of financial responsibility in the form of a Credit Report not more than 6 months old from an acceptable agency
• Financial Responsibility Applicant Statement completed and signed
• Certificate of insurance for each license category
• Current Florida Driver's License
• Documentation of Education / Experience Requirements

*Before mailing the required materials, please ensure that all of the required documentation is enclosed. Failure to submit all of the required supporting documentation will result in a delay of the processing of your application.

Financial Responsibility Applicant Statement

If the answer is yes to any of the following statements, attach a complete explanation, and include a statement detailing the steps taken by the applicant to prevent reoccurrence of the circumstances leading to the conviction, discipline, judgment, bankruptcy, or other event leading to the response. Please also provide proof of payment, satisfaction of liens, judgments, and bankruptcy discharge papers, if applicable.

• Undertaken construction contracts or work that a third party, such as a bonding or surety company completed or made financial settlements?
• Had claims or lawsuits filed for unpaid or past due accounts by your creditors as a result of construction operations?
• Undertaken construction contracts or work that resulted in liens, suits or judgments being filed?
• Had a lien filed against you by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or Florida Corporate Tax Division? If “yes” you must attach a copy of the Notice of Lien and payment agreement, satisfaction, Release of Lien or other proof of payment.
• Made an assignment of assets in settlement of construction obligations for less than the debts outstanding?
• Been charged with or convicted of acting as a contactor without a license, or if licensed as a contractor, been “subject to” any disciplinary action by a state, county, or municipality? If “yes”, you must attach a copy of state, county, municipal or out-of-state disciplinary order or judgment.
• Filed for or been discharged in bankruptcy within the past five years? If “yes”, you must attach a copy of the Discharge Order, Order Confirming Plan, or, if a Corporate Chapter 7 case, a copy of the Notice of Commencement.
• Been convicted or found guilty of, or entered a plea of “nolo contendre” to, regardless of adjudication, a crime in any jurisdiction with the past ten years? If “yes”, provide proof that your civil rights have been