There are roughly 5,000 licensed general contractors in Florida, and by following the proper steps, you can be one too.
One of the first things you will need to do is get your Florida general contractor license from the state licensing board or your local jurisdiction.
That means you will need to file applications, pay required fees and fulfill general contractor insurance requirements before taking on clients and starting work on new construction projects.
In this article, we will cover:
To start your commercial or residential contractor business in Florida, you will need to meet a few initial requirements, pass an exam, provide proof of insurance and register your new business.
The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) is the state agency you’ll work with to meet licensure requirements and get approval through the application process.
To meet the initial requirements for your general contractor license, you must be 18 years of age and provide the state licensing board with supporting documents and information, including:
In addition, you must have four years of work experience or a combination of education and experience (with up to three years of education eligible to substitute for experience).
There are several different types of general contractor licenses available from the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) based on the work you will be doing.
You will need to pass your Florida state construction examination before submitting your application for a Florida general contractor license.
Applicants with a four-year degree in building construction from an accredited college and a GPA of 3.0 or higher may receive an exemption from having to take the trade knowledge portion of the licensing exam.
You can schedule exams with Professional Testing, Inc. in February, April, June, August, October and December.
There are two types of examination categories:
There is a $135 registration fee required with your exam application form, plus fees ranging from $40 to $80 for specific tests.
The Florida general contractor licensing process can go quickly if your application is complete and you pass your exams.
It can help to have a Florida construction lawyer review your application before submitting it to the DBPR to ensure everything is accurate and complete.
General contractor applicants in the state of Florida are required to show they have general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance if they have employees.
Your business insurance in Florida will need to cover the following policy limits set by the Florida licensing board:
Florida general liability insurance can help protect your general contracting business if someone other than an employee is injured as a result of your work. It can also help cover expenses if you or an employee are held responsible for damaging someone’s property.
This means that if a client files a legal claim against your business because they were injured on your job site, or if there is damage to their property during the project, your policy could help cover related expenses up to your policy limits.
Construction businesses with employees must have workers’ compensation insurance in Florida, which can help cover medical expenses, lost wages and employer liability if there is an on-the-job injury, illness or death.
NEXT helps Florida general contractors get the insurance they need to get licensed and protect their business.
Our online services allow you to quickly apply for fast, affordable and tailored insurance in about 10 minutes.
You’ll have immediate access to your certificate of insurance after you purchase, and you can share it 24/7 from a computer or the NEXT mobile app.
Get a free instant quote online today.
Ashley Henshaw was a contributing writer at NEXT. She specializes in small business topics, covering everything from insurance and branding to web hosting and cryptocurrency.
Her work has appeared in The Huffington Post, AOL City's Best, Citysearch, USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle and Livestrong.
