Are you looking for more information about a construction license in Florida? Do you want to learn more about the types of construction licenses Florida offers? Our Guide on The State of Florida Contractor License explains the costs, license classifications, and much more! Keep reading to learn more about your specific license type.
What are the different types of Florida Construction Licenses?
The State of Florida issues many different types of construction licenses. These license types range from registered to certified, general to specialty, and many more. You can find a list of those license types below:
| Air Conditioning – HVAC | Specialty – Building Demolition |
| Building | Specialty – Drywall |
| Electrical | Specialty – Gas Line |
| General | Specialty – Glass and Glazing |
| Mechanical | Specialty – Industrial Facilities |
| Plumbing | Specialty – Irrigation |
| Pollutant Storage Systems | Specialty – Marine |
| Pool and Spa | Specialty – Residential Pool Contractor |
| Residential | Specialty – Commercial Pool Contractor |
| Roofing | Specialty – Structure |
| Sheet Metal | Specialty – Tower |
| Solar | Underground Utility and Excavation |
As you can see from the list above, there are a ton of Florida Contractor License types to choose from! Additionally, some licenses also have their own sub-license types like Electrical and Air Conditioning.
How much does a Florida Construction license cost?
The total cost to get your license depends on a few different factors. These are:
- The license type you’re applying for;
- The date you apply; and
- How your construction business will be structured.
For example: If you apply for a particular construction license during an odd year, your application fees could be different than if you apply in an even year. Further, you may have to complete more than one application if you’re using someone else’s existing license to qualify your business. While our Florida contractor licensing guide provides useful information about license types, you may want to schedule a call with one of our licensing associates to learn more.
What’s Grandfathering and does my construction license type qualify for it?
The grandfathering process allows you to convert a “registered” license to a “certified” license. You must meet certain requirements such as having passed an exam for your registered license, not having penalties assessed, and others. Additionally, the ability to grandfather an electrical license has expired. The ability to grandfather other “registered” license types is scheduled to sunset in July of 2023.
What’s the difference between a registered construction license and a certified construction license?
In the most basic sense, a registered license allows you to work only in the city, town, country, etc. that issued your certificate of competency. Certified licenses allow you to work all over the State of Florida. Most cities and local municipalities have stopped regulating most registered license types as they are now preempted by the state. You may read more about HB 735 here.
What’s required to obtain my Florida Construction License?
In most cases, you must pass both the trade knowledge and business and finance exams.