General Contractor License in Florida — Requirements, Fees & Exam

How to get licensed as a general contractor in Florida: Pearson VUE exam, biennial renewal, 14 hrs CE — verified from Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB).

Source-verified

Requirements below are drawn from Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) (official site) and last verified August 5, 2026. Boards change fees and rules often — confirm before acting.

Requirements at a glance

Two-tier structure (certified vs registered): Florida issues each construction category at two tiers. A CERTIFIED contractor "possesses a certificate of competency issued by the department and shall be allowed to contract in any jurisdiction in the state without being required to fulfill the competency requirements of that jurisdiction" (s. 489.105(8)); DBPR designates these with an occupation code beginning "C". A REGISTERED contractor "has registered with the department pursuant to fulfilling the competency requirements in the jurisdiction for which the registration is issued. Registered contractors may contract only in such jurisdictions" (s. 489.105(10)); occupation code begins "R". Certification requires the state exam; registration does not.
Division I vs Division II: DBPR: "Division 1 Categories include General, Building and Residential Contractors. Division 1 exams have three parts: Business and Finance, Contract Administration and Project Management." "Division 2 exams have two parts: Business and Finance and Trade Knowledge." Division II covers roofing, sheet metal, air conditioning, mechanical, pool/spa, plumbing, underground utility and excavation, solar and the specialty categories.
Age and character: 18 years of age (s. 489.111(2)(a)) and good moral character (s. 489.111(2)(b)).
Mandatory subcontracting - the statutory limit on "unlimited" scope: s. 489.113(3) F.S.: "A contractor shall subcontract all electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool, and air-conditioning work, unless such contractor holds a state certificate or registration in the respective trade category". This is the exception s. 489.105(3)(a) points to when it defines a general contractor’s scope as unlimited "except as otherwise expressly provided in s. 489.113", and it binds general, building and residential contractors alike. The statute’s own carve-outs, paragraphs (a)-(g): (a) "A general, building, or residential contractor, except as otherwise provided in this part, shall be responsible for any construction or alteration of a structural component of a building or structure", and "any certified general contractor or certified underground utility and excavation contractor may perform clearing and grubbing, grading, excavation, and other site work for any construction project in the state" - a certified building or certified residential contractor may do the same site work "limited to the lot on which any specific building is located"; (b) no subcontracting is required for "the installation, or repair made under warranty, of wood shingles, wood shakes, or asphalt or fiberglass shingle roofing materials on a new building of his or her own construction"; (c) "A general contractor shall not be required to subcontract structural swimming pool work. All other swimming pool work shall be subcontracted to an appropriately licensed certified or registered swimming pool contractor."; (d) a general contractor need not subcontract construction of a main sanitary sewer collection system, storm collection system or water distribution system, "not including the continuation of utility lines from the mains to the buildings"; (e) nor the continuation of utility lines from the mains in mobile home parks; (f) a solar contractor need not subcontract minor electrical, mechanical, plumbing or roofing work as defined by board rule, within the scope of the solar licence and pertaining exclusively to residential solar energy equipment; and (g) "No general, building, or residential contractor certified after 1973 shall act as, hold himself or herself out to be, or advertise himself or herself to be a roofing contractor unless he or she is certified or registered as a roofing contractor."
Degree exemption from the examination - Business and Finance only: s. 489.113(1) F.S.: "If an applicant has received a baccalaureate degree in building construction from an accredited 4-year college, or a related degree as approved by the board by rule, and has a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, such applicant is only required to take and pass the business and finance portion of the examination." DBPR’s CILB FAQ states the same: "Effective July 1, 2020, applicants for construction licenses will be exempt from having to pass the trade knowledge portion of the examination by attesting that they have obtained a baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in building construction AND that they have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. These individuals will attest to this when applying for the examination and will then only be required to take the Business and Finance exam. This is applicable for all construction license types." WHAT IT MEANS FOR A DIVISION I (general, building, residential) APPLICANT: Division I has no part called "trade knowledge" - its three parts are Business and Finance, Contract Administration and Project Management - so the exemption operates through the statute’s other half. The qualifying candidate sits Business and Finance ALONE and does not sit Contract Administration or Project Management. DBPR’s live CILB 1 package puts it the same way: "These candidates will have to take and pass the Business and Finance examination." On the live per-part fees that is $80.00 to Pearson VUE instead of $80.00 + $40.00 + $40.00, and 6.5 hours of examination instead of 15.5. s. 489.111(2)(c)1. adds that "An applicant who is exempt from passing an examination under s. 489.113(1) is eligible for a license under this section."
Financial responsibility and financial stability: Rule 61G4-15.006 F.A.C.: the applicant must provide a current consumer credit report that does not disclose any unsatisfied judgments or liens, AND proof of a credit score, FICO derived, of 660 or higher. "Applicants who are unable to provide a credit score, FICO derived, of 660 or higher, shall meet the financial stability requirement by completion of a 14-hour financial responsibility course approved by the Board."
Public liability and property damage insurance: Rule 61G4-15.003(1) F.A.C. requires "a signed affidavit attesting to the fact that the applicant has obtained and will maintain public liability and property damage insurance" as a prerequisite to "the initial issuance, or the renewal of an active certificate or registration or a change in the status of an active certificate or registration", and makes it "a violation of this rule for any licensee to fail to continually maintain" that cover. Aggregate amounts, from the rule’s table and corroborated verbatim by DBPR’s CILB FAQ ("General and building contractors must maintain $300,000 liability insurance and $50,000 property damage insurance. All other categories must maintain $100,000 liability and $25,000 property damage insurance, or in amounts as defined by board rule"): General Contractor $300,000 liability / $50,000 property damage; Building Contractor $300,000 / $50,000; Residential Contractor $100,000 / $25,000.
Workers' compensation and background check: DBPR CILB 5-A checklist: workers’ compensation insurance or an exemption is required within 30 days of issuance of the licence - s. 489.115(5)(d) F.S. requires the applicant to submit "an affidavit attesting to the fact that the applicant will obtain an exemption within 30 days after the date the initial certificate or registration is issued by the board". Background check: "An applicant must have a background check as part of the licensing process. You must submit your fingerprints using a Livescan Service Provider registered with FDLE immediately after submitting your application for licensure" - and s. 489.115(6) requires "a statewide criminal history records check through the Department of Law Enforcement". The searched-records wording belongs to the CREDIT REPORT, not to the fingerprint check: the same checklist’s FINANCIAL/CREDIT item reads "Credit reports must include a FICO derived credit score and indicate that local, state and federal records have been searched."
Contracting through a business organization: s. 489.119(2) F.S.: "If the applicant proposes to engage in contracting as a business organization... the applicant must apply for registration or certification as the qualifying agent of the business organization." A qualifying agent must be certified or registered under Part I for the business organization to operate in that category. DBPR: "Are contractors required to qualify a construction business? Yes, contractors are required to qualify a construction business with their individual license", and "the name of the qualified business will be listed on the contractor’s license." NO SEPARATE BUSINESS LICENCE IS REQUIRED. DBPR’s CILB FAQ: "Do I need a Certificate of Authority? A Certificate of Authority is also known as a “Qualified Business License.” These licenses are not required as of October 1, 2009. However, if you intend to do business as a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, any business entity other than a sole proprietorship or when you operate as an individual, you must apply to be the “qualifying agent” of the business. The business name will appear on your license." And: "When do I renew my qualified business license? As of October 1, 2009, qualified business licenses are no longer required. You are not required to renew or maintain the qualified business license." Rule 61G4-12.009(10) F.A.C. still prescribes the amounts - "The application and initial issue of certification or registration for a business organization shall be fifty dollars ($50.00)" and "The biennial renewal fee for a certification or registration issued to a business organization shall be fifty dollars ($50.00)" - and DBPR’s renewal table still carries a "+$50 per qualified business" line, but those amounts reach only a licensee who still holds a qualified business licence, not a new applicant qualifying a business.
Endorsement / out-of-state and NASCLA route: DBPR: "Beginning March 10th, 2019, applicants for general, building, or residential contractor licenses who have passed the examination administered by the National Association of State Contractor Licensing Agencies ('NASCLA') and Florida Business and Finance exam, and an exam covering the Florida Building Code can make application for endorsement using the CILB 10 form." Also: "As of July 1, 2020, applicants with an active or recently active out-of-state license held for 10 years may apply for the same license in Florida. Division I and roofing endorsement/reciprocity applicants must complete a 2 hour course on the Florida Building Code which includes information on wind mitigation techniques."

Legal basis

Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) administers general contractor licensing in Florida. Every figure below is verified against the board’s own official pages and dated. Who must personally hold a credential — the contractor, the business, or the individual worker — is set out under Requirements.

What it’s called

CILB contractor licence; Certified General Contractor (CGC); state certified general contractor; Division I contractor licence. DBPR designates the categories by occupation code: “CG and RG” for general contractor, “CB and RB” for building contractor, “CR and RR” for residential contractor - codes beginning with “C” are certified, codes beginning with “R” are registered. Statutory terms: “certificate of competency” (certified) and “registration” (registered).

License types & fees

Type	Experience	Exam	Fee	Scope Limit
Certified General Contractor (Division I; DBPR occupation code "CG")	s. 489.111(2)(c) F.S. - "Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria" - options: (1) baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in engineering, architecture or building construction + 1 year proven experience (2,000 person-hours = full-time equivalency); or (2) at least 4 years active experience as a skilled worker/apprentice/foreman, of which at least 1 year as a foreman; or (3) stated foreman + accredited college-credit combinations; or (4) an active certified residential OR certified building contractor with a minimum of 4 years proven experience in the classification in which certified (s. 489.111(2)(c)4.b. and 4.c.). GC-SPECIFIC RULE, QUOTED WITH ITS OWN EXCEPTION: rule 61G4-15.001(2)(b) F.A.C. reads "An applicant (other than those contractors designated in sections 489.111(2)(c)4.b. and c., F.S.) for certification in the general contractor classification must submit proof that she or he possesses at least one year of “active experience” or “proven experience” as defined above in the construction of structures not less than four stories in height." THE PARENTHETICAL EXEMPTS THE UPGRADE ROUTES: an active certified residential or certified building contractor applying under option (4) above is expressly outside the four-story proof requirement. Rule 61G4-15.001(2)(a) defines the general and building experience standard as commercial construction experience which "must be in four or more of the following areas": foundations or slabs in excess of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet; masonry walls; steel erection; elevated slabs; column erection; formwork for structural reinforced concrete. Rule 61G4-15.001(2)(c) takes the term "story" from rule 61G4-12.011(1) F.A.C. The applicant must be 18 and of good moral character (s. 489.111(2)(a)-(b)).	Division I state certification examination, three parts: Business and Finance (6.5 hours), Contract Administration (4.5 hours) and Project Management (4.5 hours). Open book, multiple choice. Registration through Professional Testing, Inc.; computer-based delivery through Pearson VUE. All parts must be passed within 4 years of the first scheduled exam. An applicant with a baccalaureate degree in building construction from an accredited 4-year college and a GPA of 3.0 or higher takes ONLY the Business and Finance part (s. 489.113(1) F.S.).	EXAMINATION - rule 61G4-12.009(1)(a) F.A.C.: application + examination fee $335.00, nonrefundable, broken out as $135.00 at scheduling + $80.00 per test administered (contract administration and project management count as ONE test for fee assessment) + $40.00 to the Department for application processing after passing. DBPR’s live CILB 1 package (rev. 2026 May 12) charges the same total as $135.00 to Professional Testing, Inc., then to Pearson VUE $80.00 Business and Finance + $40.00 Contract Administration + $40.00 Project Management. LICENCE APPLICATION - LIVE FIGURE: DBPR’s fee notice on the Certified General Contractor as an Individual - Active (CILB 5-A) application reads "The current fee for this application is $245. If you submit this application after August 31, 2027 the fee will be $145" (checked 2026-08-05). That is the code’s own components added up: $200.00 initial certification fee (rule 61G4-12.009(4)(a)) + $40.00 post-examination application processing (rule 61G4-12.009(1)(a)) + the $5.00 statutory unlicensed-activity fee (s. 455.2281 F.S.) = $245.00; after 31 August 2027 - the second year of the certified biennium running 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028 - the rule’s reduced $100.00 initial fee gives $145.00.	s. 489.105(3)(a) F.S. defines a general contractor in full as "a contractor whose services are unlimited as to the type of work which he or she may do, who may contract for any activity requiring licensure under this part, and who may perform any work requiring licensure under this part, except as otherwise expressly provided in s. 489.113." DBPR’s Construction Industry page states only the opening clause - "a contractor whose services are unlimited as to the type of work which he or she may do." THE STATUTORY EXCEPTION IS OPERATIVE AND IT NARROWS WHAT "UNLIMITED" MEANS: s. 489.113(3) F.S. requires a contractor to subcontract all electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool and air-conditioning work unless that contractor also holds a state certificate or registration in the respective trade category (the carve-outs are in paragraphs (a)-(g) - set out under Requirements). Certified = "allowed to contract in any jurisdiction in the state without being required to fulfill the competency requirements of that jurisdiction" (s. 489.105(8)).
Certified Building Contractor (Division I; "CB")	Same s. 489.111(2)(c) criteria. s. 489.111(2)(c)4.a.: an active certified residential contractor is eligible with a minimum of 3 years proven experience. The four-stories-or-more proof in rule 61G4-15.001(2)(b) is specific to the GENERAL classification, not building; the "four or more" commercial-experience areas in rule 61G4-15.001(2)(a) apply to general AND building applicants alike.	Division I examination, three parts (same structure as General).	Same schedule as Certified General: $335.00 application + examination (rule 61G4-12.009(1)(a)). LICENCE APPLICATION - LIVE FIGURE: DBPR’s fee notice on the Certified Building Contractor as an Individual - Active (CILB 5-B) application reads "The current fee for this application is $245. If you submit this application after August 31, 2027 the fee will be $145" (checked 2026-08-05) - the same $200.00 initial certification fee + $40.00 application processing + $5.00 statutory unlicensed-activity fee, falling to $100.00 + $40.00 + $5.00 in the second year of the certified biennium.	s. 489.105(3)(b) F.S.: "a contractor whose services are limited to construction of commercial buildings and single-dwelling or multiple-dwelling residential buildings, which do not exceed three stories in height, and accessory use structures in connection therewith or a contractor whose services are limited to remodeling, repair, or improvement of any size building if the services do not affect the structural members of the building." WORDING DIVERGENCE, BOTH OFFICIAL AND BOTH LIVE: the statute says "structural members"; DBPR’s Construction Industry page states the same limit as "if the services do not affect the structural elements of the building", and explains an accessory use structure as "a garage, guest house, garden shed, or other outbuildings". The s. 489.113(3) mandatory-subcontracting rule applies to building contractors as well as general contractors. Certified = may contract in any jurisdiction in the state.
Certified Residential Contractor (Division I; "CR")	Same s. 489.111(2)(c) criteria. Rule 61G4-15.001(3) defines the residential-category experience as construction, alteration, enlargement or repair of detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories above grade plane, in three or more listed areas.	Division I examination, three parts.	Same schedule: $335.00 application + examination (rule 61G4-12.009(1)(a)). LICENCE APPLICATION - LIVE FIGURE: DBPR’s fee notice on the Certified Residential Contractor as an Individual - Active (CILB 5-C) application reads "The current fee for this application is $245. If you submit this application after August 31, 2027 the fee will be $145" (checked 2026-08-05) - $200.00 initial certification fee + $40.00 application processing + $5.00 statutory unlicensed-activity fee, falling to $100.00 + $40.00 + $5.00 in the second year of the certified biennium.	s. 489.105(3)(c) F.S.: "a contractor whose services are limited to construction, remodeling, repair, or improvement of one-family, two-family, or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story and accessory use structures in connection therewith." NOTE THE WHOLE LIMIT: the cap is two habitable stories ABOVE no more than one uninhabitable story - not simply "two stories" - so an elevated or garage-under house is not automatically outside the class. DBPR’s page phrases the same limit more loosely as residences "which are not more than two stories" and adds the accessory use structures. The s. 489.113(3) mandatory-subcontracting rule applies to residential contractors as well. Certified = may contract in any jurisdiction in the state.
Registered General Contractor (Division I; "RG")	No state experience standard. s. 489.117(1)(a): the applicant must "submit the required fee and file evidence of successful compliance with the local examination and licensing requirements, if any, in the area for which registration is desired." Competency is determined by the local jurisdiction.	No state examination. s. 489.117(1)(a): "An examination is not required for registration." A registered contractor may later convert to certified under s. 489.118 / rule 61G4-15.030.	Rule 61G4-12.009(2) F.A.C.: "The application fee for registration shall be $100.00." LICENCE APPLICATION - LIVE FIGURE: DBPR’s fee notice on the Registered General Contractor as an Individual - Active (CILB 2) application reads "The current fee for this application is $305! If you submit this application after August 31, 2026 the fee will be $205" (checked 2026-08-05) - the $100.00 registration application fee + the $200.00 initial registration fee (rule 61G4-12.009(4)(a)) + the $5.00 statutory unlicensed-activity fee (s. 455.2281 F.S.); after 31 August 2026 - the second year of the registered biennium running 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2027 - the rule’s reduced $100.00 initial fee gives $205.00. Later certification under s. 489.118: application fee $100.00 (rule 61G4-12.009(13)).	s. 489.105(10): "any contractor who has registered with the department pursuant to fulfilling the competency requirements in the jurisdiction for which the registration is issued. Registered contractors may contract only in such jurisdictions." s. 489.117(1)(b): "Registration allows the registrant to engage in contracting only in the counties, municipalities, or development districts where he or she has complied with all local licensing requirements, if any, and only for the type of work covered by the registration." Trade scope is the same unlimited scope as the certified tier; what is limited is the GEOGRAPHY, not the type of work.
Registered Building Contractor ("RB") and Registered Residential Contractor ("RR")	No state experience standard; local examination and licensing requirements govern (s. 489.117(1)(a)).	No state examination required for registration (s. 489.117(1)(a)).	Registration application fee $100.00 (rule 61G4-12.009(2)) + initial registration fee $200.00, or $100.00 "remitted within the second year of a biennium" (rule 61G4-12.009(4)(a)) + the $5.00 statutory unlicensed-activity fee (s. 455.2281 F.S.). DBPR’s live fee notice on the equivalent Registered General Contractor application shows that combination charged as $305 now and $205 after 31 August 2026; the fee notices for the registered building and registered residential applications were not separately checked.	Same trade scopes as the corresponding certified tiers - commercial and residential buildings not exceeding three stories (s. 489.105(3)(b)), and one-, two- or three-family residences "not exceeding two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story and accessory use structures in connection therewith" (s. 489.105(3)(c)) - but the registrant "may contract only in" the counties, municipalities or development districts where local licensing requirements have been met, and only for the type of work covered by the registration (ss. 489.105(10), 489.117(1)(b)). The s. 489.113(3) mandatory-subcontracting rule applies here too - it binds "a contractor", certified or registered.

Who does NOT need this license — exemptions

s. 489.103 F.S., “This part does not apply to” - the section runs to subsection (24). The exemptions that bear on general contracting are set out in full first; the remainder are listed in brief afterwards, so the list on this page is complete. (1) Contractors working on bridges, roads, streets, highways or railroads, and services incidental thereto (the board and the Department of Transportation define “services incidental thereto” by rule). (2) Any EMPLOYEE of a certificateholder or registrant acting within the scope of the licence held and with the licenceholder’s knowledge and permission - but the employee is NOT exempt if the employer is not a certificateholder or registrant in that type of contracting and the employee holds himself or his employer out as licensed, leads the consumer to believe he has an ownership or management interest, or performs any of the acts which constitute contracting; “employee” means a person who receives compensation from and is under the supervision and control of an employer who regularly deducts F.I.C.A. and withholding tax and provides workers’ compensation. (3) Authorised employees of the United States, the state, or a municipality, county, irrigation district, reclamation district or other municipal or political subdivision (excepting school boards, state university boards of trustees and community college boards of trustees unless performing routine maintenance or repair or construction not exceeding $200,000 to existing installations), if the employee does not hold himself out for hire. (4) “An officer appointed by a court when he or she is acting within the scope of his or her office as defined by law or court order” - but the officer must employ or contract with a licensee for construction projects not already under way at appointment. (5) Public utilities - including municipal gas utilities and special gas districts, telecommunications companies and natural gas transmission companies - “on construction, maintenance, and development work performed by their employees.” (6) “The sale or installation of any finished products, materials, or articles of merchandise that are not fabricated into and do not become a permanent fixed part of the structure, such as awnings” - but this “does not exempt in-ground spas and swimming pools that involve excavation, plumbing, chemicals, or wiring of any appliance without a factory-installed electrical cord and plug.” (7)(a) OWNER-BUILDER - “Owners of property when acting as their own contractor and providing direct, onsite supervision themselves of all work not performed by licensed contractors: 1. When building or improving farm outbuildings or one-family or two-family residences on such property for the occupancy or use of such owners and not offered for sale or lease, or building or improving commercial buildings, at a cost not to exceed $75,000, on such property for the occupancy or use of such owners and not offered for sale or lease.” NOTE THE PLACEMENT OF THE CAP: the $75,000 limit attaches to the COMMERCIAL-BUILDING branch; the farm-outbuilding / one- or two-family residence branch carries NO stated dollar cap - the statutory disclosure statement puts it the same way at paragraph 4, “I understand that I may build or improve a one-family or two-family residence or a farm outbuilding. I may also build or improve a commercial building if the costs do not exceed $75,000.” Proof of sale or lease, or offering for sale or lease, within 1 year after completion creates a presumption that the construction was undertaken for sale or lease. The same subsection also exempts owners: 2. repairing or replacing wood shakes or asphalt or fiberglass shingles on one-, two- or three-family residences after a Governor-declared state of emergency, not offered for sale within 1 year; 3. installing, uninstalling or replacing solar panels on one-, two- or three-family residences in participating SunShot Initiative jurisdictions (a licensed electrical contractor must still do the wiring and interconnection); and 4. completing the requirements of a building permit where the listed contractor substantially completed the project as determined by the local permitting agency. Owner-builders must sign a disclosure statement under penalty of perjury with the building permit application, and may not delegate direct supervision to anyone who is not registered or certified. (8) Any construction within the limits of any site the title to which is in the United States, or with respect to which federal law supersedes this part. (9) MINOR WORK - “Any work or operation of a casual, minor, or inconsequential nature in which the aggregate contract price for labor, materials, and all other items is less than $2,500,” but this exemption does NOT apply (a) if the work is part of a larger or major operation, whether by the same or a different contractor, or where a division of the operation is made into contracts of less than $2,500 to evade this part, or (b) to a person who advertises that he or she is a contractor or otherwise represents that he or she is qualified to engage in contracting. THERE IS NO GENERAL “HANDYMAN LICENCE” IN FLORIDA. Note that $2,500 is not the section’s only dollar threshold: subsection (17) below sets a separate $5,000 threshold for a chapter 475 real-estate licensee acting as the owner’s agent. (10) (a) “Any construction or operation incidental to the construction or repair of irrigation and drainage ditches”; (b) “Regularly constituted irrigation districts or reclamation districts”; or (c) “Clearing or other work on the land in rural districts for fire prevention purposes or otherwise except when performed by a licensee.” THE REMAINING EXEMPTIONS IN s. 489.103, in brief: (11) registered architects and engineers acting within the scope of their practice, and persons exempted by the law regulating architects and engineers - “provided, however, that an architect or engineer shall not act as a contractor unless properly licensed under this chapter”; (12) any person “who only furnishes materials or supplies without fabricating them into, or consuming them in the performance of, the work of the contractor”; (13) chapter 527 (liquefied petroleum gas) licensees performing the work that licence authorises; (14) any person who sells, services or installs heating or air-conditioning units “which have a capacity no greater than 3 tons or 36,000 Btu, which have no ducts, and which have a factory-installed electrical cord and plug”; (15) installation and maintenance of water conditioning units by operators of water conditioning services; (16) an architect, landscape architect or engineer offering design-build services, so long as the contractor services are rendered by a certified or registered general contractor; (17) contracting for repair, maintenance, remodeling or improvement by a person licensed under part I of chapter 475 “while acting as the owner’s agent pursuant to that license”, where all work requiring a contractor is performed by a licensed contractor “and where the aggregate contract for labor, materials, and all other items is less than $5,000” - with the same anti-splitting and anti-advertising exceptions as (9); (18) one-, two- or three-family residences constructed or rehabilitated by Habitat for Humanity International, Inc. or its local affiliates, subject to permits, inspections and supervision by someone with construction experience; (19) a disaster recovery mitigation organisation or not-for-profit repairing a one-, two- or three-family residence impacted by a disaster, on the same conditions plus volunteer labour and not holding itself out as a contractor; (20) the sale, delivery, assembly or tie-down of prefabricated portable sheds “not more than 250 square feet in interior size” and not intended as a residence; (21) the same for lawn storage and storage buildings “not exceeding 400 square feet” bearing the department’s insignia of Florida Building Code approval; (22) a person licensed under s. 633.304(1)(d) or (3)(b) performing the work that licence authorises; (23) an employee of an apartment community or apartment community management company making minor repairs to existing electric water heaters or existing electric HVAC systems, on detailed conditions that include a National Apartment Association apartment maintenance technician certificate, a $1,000 cap on replacement parts per repair and a 100-apartment minimum - and which “does not limit the authority of a municipality or county to adopt or enforce an ordinance, rule, or regulation requiring licensure, certification, or registration of a person employed as an apartment maintenance technician”; and (24) a member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida or the Seminole Tribe of Florida constructing chickees. SUBCONTRACTORS: s. 489.113(2) F.S.: “a subcontractor who is not certified or registered may perform construction work under the supervision of a person who is certified or registered, provided that the work is within the scope of the supervising contractor’s license, the supervising contractor is responsible for the work, and the subcontractor being supervised is not engaged in construction work that would require a license as a contractor under any of the categories listed in s. 489.105(3)(d)-(o). This subsection does not affect the application of any local construction licensing ordinances.” THAT LAST SENTENCE IS THE LIMIT: the exemption is from STATE licensure only - a county or municipal licence may still be required. DBPR states the same rule in its CILB FAQ, answering a demolition question: “as long as you have been subcontracted by an appropriately licensed Division I contractor and are working under the supervision of that licensee, you are not required to obtain licensure unless the work you are performing requires licensure under Section 489.105(3)(d)-(o), Florida Statutes.” (The (d)-(o) cross-reference is the statute’s own and is narrower than the Division II list in s. 489.105(3), which now runs to paragraph (q).) GLASS AND GLAZING: DBPR: “Senate Bill 704, which passed during the 2012 legislative session, removed the Certified Glass and Glazing Contractor category from the mandatory license types under 489.105, Florida Statutes. Therefore, a state certified license is not required to perform non-structural glass and glazing work such as installation of glass and mirrors. Please be aware that work such as installation of doors, windows, store front frames and structurally anchored opening protections will still require a Division I contractors license or an appropriate specialty contractors license. In addition, your local county or municipality may have a local license requirement for glass and glazing work with which must you still comply.” DBPR also lists trades outside state contractor licensing entirely: “Cabinets, countertops, paint, wallpaper, carpet, tile and window treatments are examples of work that do not require state licensure.” Throughout: an exemption from STATE licensure is not an exemption from county or municipal licensing.

Fees

CERTIFICATION BY EXAMINATION - rule 61G4-12.009(1)(a) F.A.C.: “The application and examination fee for an applicant for certification shall be three hundred thirty-five dollars ($335.00) and shall be nonrefundable”, paid as $135.00 at scheduling + $80.00 per test administered + $40.00 to the Department for application processing after passing, with contract administration and project management “considered one test for fee assessment.” DBPR’s live CILB 1 package (rev. 2026 May 12) breaks the same amounts out as $135.00 to Professional Testing, Inc.; $80.00 Business and Finance, $40.00 Contract Administration and $40.00 Project Management to Pearson VUE. Retake: $135.00 + $80.00 administration per test scheduled. LICENCE APPLICATION - WHAT DBPR ACTUALLY CHARGES, from its own live fee notices (checked 2026-08-05): Certified General, Building or Residential Contractor as an Individual - Active (CILB 5-A / 5-B / 5-C) - “The current fee for this application is $245. If you submit this application after August 31, 2027 the fee will be $145.” Registered General Contractor as an Individual - Active (CILB 2) - “The current fee for this application is $305! If you submit this application after August 31, 2026 the fee will be $205.” HOW THOSE FIGURES ARE BUILT - each component is separately published: initial certification or registration fee $200.00, reduced to $100.00 when “remitted within the second year of a biennium” (rule 61G4-12.009(4)(a)); registration application fee $100.00 (rule 61G4-12.009(2)); post-examination application processing $40.00 (rule 61G4-12.009(1)(a)); and the fee s. 455.2281 F.S. requires the department to impose “upon initial licensure and each subsequent renewal, a special fee of $5 per licensee, in addition to all other fees imposed, to fund efforts to combat unlicensed activity.” Certified: $200 + $40 + $5 = $245, and $100 + $40 + $5 = $145 after 31 August 2027, the second year of the certified biennium that runs 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028. Registered: $100 + $200 + $5 = $305, and $100 + $100 + $5 = $205 after 31 August 2026, the second year of the registered biennium that runs 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2027. One wording note: rule 61G4-12.009(4)(a) reads “The initial certification or registration fee for registrants shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00). However, any initial certification or registration fee for registrants remitted within the second year of a biennium shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00).” - the rule is headed “Initial License; Fees” and covers “certification or registration”, but its operative words read “for registrants”. DBPR’s live certified fee notices show the same $200/$100 amounts applying to certified applicants. BIENNIAL RENEWAL: rule 61G4-12.009(3)(a) F.A.C. states “The biennial renewal fee for certification and registration shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00).” and (3)(b) “The biennial renewal for certification and registration on inactive status shall be fifty dollars ($50.00).” DBPR bills $5.00 more at each tier because s. 455.2281 F.S. adds the statutory unlicensed-activity fee on top of the board fee: $200 + $5 = the $205 charged, and $50 + $5 = $55 inactive. DBPR’s live renewal notice for certified contractors reads “pay the renewal fee of $205 or $255 with qualified business. If submitted after August 31, 2026, the fee will be $230 or $280 with qualified business”; inactive “$55”, after August 31 2026 “$80”; renewing a current active licence as inactive “$55”, after August 31 2026 “$130”; reactivating from inactive “$305”, after August 31 2026 “$330”. DBPR’s published renewal table independently lists “$205 (+$50 per qualified business)”. Every one of those live figures is the rule’s fee plus published add-ons: +$50.00 per qualified business (rule 61G4-12.009(10)(b)), +$25.00 delinquency (rule 61G4-12.009(11)(a)), +$100.00 reactivation (rule 61G4-12.009(6)), +$50.00 off-cycle change of status (rule 61G4-12.009(12)(a)). HOW WE KNOW THE $5 IS THE DIFFERENCE: DBPR does not publish an itemised breakdown of any of these charges - no invoice, fee schedule or form fetched on 2026-08-05 shows the unlicensed-activity fee as a separate line. The attribution rests on s. 455.2281 F.S., which directs the department to impose the $5 “upon initial licensure and each subsequent renewal … in addition to all other fees imposed”, together with the fact that all thirteen published charges - four application figures ($245, $145, $305, $205) and nine renewal figures ($205, $255, $55, $230, $280, $80, $305, $330, $130) - reconcile exactly to the board rule plus that $5 plus the rule’s own named add-ons. Read it as an exact reconciliation, not as a DBPR line item. OTHER (rule 61G4-12.009): delinquency fee $25.00; reactivation of an inactive licence $100.00; transfer between business entities $50.00; active-to-inactive status change $50.00; examination review $75.00; duplicate licence $25.00; reinstatement of a null and void licence $100.00; certification of a registered contractor under s. 489.118 $100.00; business-organization certification or registration $50.00 to apply and $50.00 biennial renewal - noting that DBPR states qualified business licences “are not required as of October 1, 2009” and that “You are not required to renew or maintain the qualified business license.”

Exam

Certified tier: the Division I state certification examination, three parts - Business and Finance (6.5 hours), Contract Administration (4.5 hours) and Project Management (4.5 hours). All parts are open book, multiple choice, computer-based. DBPR has contracted with Professional Testing, Inc. to register candidates and develop and score the examinations; candidates then schedule the computer-based tests with Pearson VUE. All parts must be passed within four years of the first exam scheduled (unlimited attempts within that window); only failed or missed parts are retaken. DEGREE EXEMPTION: a candidate who has received a baccalaureate degree in building construction from an accredited 4-year college with a GPA of 3.0 or higher takes only the Business and Finance part - s. 489.113(1) F.S. (“such applicant is only required to take and pass the business and finance portion of the examination”) and DBPR’s live CILB 1 package (“These candidates will have to take and pass the Business and Finance examination”). PASSING SCORE NOT PUBLISHED: DBPR does not state a passing score on its Construction Industry page, in its CILB FAQ, or in the live CILB 1 examination registration package - all three checked 2026-08-05. Registered tier: no state examination - s. 489.117(1)(a) states “An examination is not required for registration”; the applicant instead files evidence of compliance with the local jurisdiction’s examination and licensing requirements.

Renewal & continuing education

Biennial. s. 489.115(4)(a): “Each certificateholder or registrant who desires to continue as a certificateholder or registrant shall renew the certificate or registration every 2 years.” DBPR sets the two tiers on OPPOSITE biennia: CERTIFIED contractor licences “expire August 31st every even year” and REGISTERED contractor licences “expire August 31st every odd year.” The current certified deadline published by DBPR is midnight EST on August 31, 2026. DBPR notifies licensees 90-120 days before expiration, by email. 14 hours per biennium. s. 489.115(4)(b)1. F.S.: “at least 14 classroom hours of at least 50 minutes each of continuing education courses during each biennium,” a portion of which “must deal with the subject of workers’ compensation, business practices, workplace safety, and, for applicable licensure categories, wind mitigation methodologies, and 1 hour of which must deal with laws and rules.” DBPR’s published renewal table gives the General Contractor breakdown as: “14 hours of CE - minimum of 1 hour specialized or advanced module, 1 hour workplace safety, 1 hour business practices, 1 hour workers’ compensation, 1 hour laws and rules, 1 hour of wind mitigation, 1 hour cementitious cladding, stucco, plastering and lath application and repair methodologies, and the remaining hours can be any board approved construction related instruction.” (Building and Residential Contractor carry the identical breakdown.) THE CEMENTITIOUS-CLADDING HOUR IS NOT YET ENFORCED. DBPR’s Hot Topics notice: “The amended rule requires all general, building, residential, and specialty structure contractors to complete one hour of continuing education related to Cementitious Cladding, Stucco, Plastering and Lath application and repair methodologies as part of the 14 hours that is currently required… Enforcement of this one-hour requirement will begin for registered contractors with a license expiration date of August 31, 2027, and will begin for certified contractors with a license expiration date of August 31, 2028.” A certified general contractor renewing by the 31 August 2026 deadline is therefore not yet subject to it. Qualifying courses are those covering the topics listed in rule 61G4-18.001(2)(h) F.A.C. THE FIRST BIENNIUM IS PRORATED. s. 489.115(4)(b)1. F.S.: “The board shall prescribe by rule the continuing education, if any, which is required during the first biennium of initial licensure. A person who has been licensed for less than an entire biennium must not be required to complete the full 14 hours of continuing education.” DBPR’s CILB FAQ gives the board’s figures: “If your license was issued less than 12 months prior to August 31st of the renewal years, you do not owe any continuing education. If your license was issued more than 1 year, but less than 2 years, prior to August 31st of the renewal year, you owe 7 hours of general credits of continuing education.” Reactivating from inactive requires only “the continuing education requirements for the renewal cycle immediately preceding license reactivation” (DBPR CILB FAQ, citing House Bill 517 (2012)). All CE providers and courses must be approved by the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

How to apply

Applications are handled by Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Start at the official application page .

Verify a license in Florida

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) publishes a public license search , searchable by Name, License Number, City or County or License Type. It covers all professions and businesses regulated by DBPR, including every Construction Industry Licensing Board certified and registered contractor category and qualified business organizations.

Records come from Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)’s own system. LicensingAtlas does not hold license records and cannot confirm any individual’s status — the date on this page refers to the requirements described above, not to anyone’s credential.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues general contractor licenses in Florida?

Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) issues general contractor licenses in Florida. You apply through the board’s official application page (linked above).

How much does a general contractor license cost in Florida?

What exam do you need to pass for a general contractor license in Florida?

How often do you renew a general contractor license in Florida?

Is continuing education required to renew a general contractor license in Florida?

14 hours per biennium. s. 489.115(4)(b)1. F.S.: “at least 14 classroom hours of at least 50 minutes each of continuing education courses during each biennium,” a portion of which “must deal with the subject of workers’ compensation, business practices, workplace safety, and, for applicable licensure categories, wind mitigation methodologies, and 1 hour of which must deal with laws and rules.” DBPR’s published renewal table gives the General Contractor breakdown as: “14 hours of CE - minimum of 1 hour specialized or advanced module, 1 hour workplace safety, 1 hour business practices, 1 hour workers’ compensation, 1 hour laws and rules, 1 hour of wind mitigation, 1 hour cementitious cladding, stucco, plastering and lath application and repair methodologies, and the remaining hours can be any board approved construction related instruction.” (Building and Residential Contractor carry the identical breakdown.) THE CEMENTITIOUS-CLADDING HOUR IS NOT YET ENFORCED. DBPR’s Hot Topics notice: “The amended rule requires all general, building, residential, and specialty structure contractors to complete one hour of continuing education related to Cementitious Cladding, Stucco, Plastering and Lath application and repair methodologies as part of the 14 hours that is currently required… Enforcement of this one-hour requirement will begin for registered contractors with a license expiration date of August 31, 2027, and will begin for certified contractors with a license expiration date of August 31, 2028.” A certified general contractor renewing by the 31 August 2026 deadline is therefore not yet subject to it. Qualifying courses are those covering the topics listed in rule 61G4-18.001(2)(h) F.A.C. THE FIRST BIENNIUM IS PRORATED. s. 489.115(4)(b)1. F.S.: “The board shall prescribe by rule the continuing education, if any, which is required during the first biennium of initial licensure. A person who has been licensed for less than an entire biennium must not be required to complete the full 14 hours of continuing education.” DBPR’s CILB FAQ gives the board’s figures: “If your license was issued less than 12 months prior to August 31st of the renewal years, you do not owe any continuing education. If your license was issued more than 1 year, but less than 2 years, prior to August 31st of the renewal year, you owe 7 hours of general credits of continuing education.” Reactivating from inactive requires only “the continuing education requirements for the renewal cycle immediately preceding license reactivation” (DBPR CILB FAQ, citing House Bill 517 (2012)). All CE providers and courses must be approved by the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

See every license and certification LicensingAtlas covers in Florida.

Sources & verification

Last verified against these sources: August 5, 2026.

We re-fetch every cited source on a weekly schedule: see what changed at the agencies, or every correction we have ever made.

LicensingAtlas states licensing and certification requirements categorically from official sources. It is a reference, not legal or career advice, and requirements change frequently — confirm details with the issuing board before you act.