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How to check a contractor's license in Florida

Florida contractors are licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). A contractor needs a license when the whole job, labor and materials together, costs $2,500 or more, or is part of a bigger job.

When a license is required

Under F.S. 489.103(9), work is exempt only when the total price is under $2,500, it isn't part of a larger job, and the person doesn't advertise as a contractor. Electrical work has no such exemption (F.S. 489.503).

Which license class

TradeCertified (valid statewide)Registered (valid only where registered)
RoofingRoofing contractorRegistered roofing contractor
ElectricalElectrical contractorRegistered electrical contractor
PlumbingPlumbing contractorRegistered plumbing contractor
Heating and air conditioningClass A, B or C air-conditioning contractor, or mechanical contractorRegistered versions of the same
General buildingGeneral, building or residential contractorRegistered versions of the same

DBPR doesn't list a painting license. Electrical contractors are licensed by the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board, the other trades by the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

Check it in three steps

  1. Ask for the license number. Contractors must show it on bids, contracts and adverts.
  2. Look it up on DBPR's Verify a Licensee page, by name or license number. The status should be current and active, and the license type should match the work.
  3. Check workers' comp coverage in the Division of Workers' Compensation coverage database that DBPR points to, to see whether the contractor's cover is active.

An unlicensed contractor can't enforce the contract against you (F.S. 489.128). If a licensed contractor does wrong, the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund is a last resort once you've exhausted civil remedies. For contracts signed since July 1, 2024 it pays at most $100,000 or $30,000 per claim, depending on the license type (F.S. 489.143), and nothing if the contractor wasn't licensed when you signed.

Licensed contractors we've already checked