Florida general contractor license & renewal
The requirements, the timing and the official sources. Everything we’ve verified, in one place.
License fee
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Not verified yet
Required hours
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Not verified yet
Exam
Statewide certification requires the appropriate approved examination. An approved building-construction or related bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0 or higher limits the examination to business and finance.
Renewal
Each certificateholder or registrant who desires to continue as a certificateholder or registrant shall renew the certificate or registration every 2 years.
Before you begin
Agency guidance
Contractors must be certified or registered in the appropriate classification before engaging in contracting.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
No person may engage in the business of contracting in this state without first being certified or registered in the proper classification.Official source
Agency guidance
The full 14-hour CE requirement does not apply to someone licensed for less than an entire biennium.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
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.Official source
How to get this license
Use the agency’s requirements below to plan your next steps. Missing details stay marked.
Start with the licensing authority
Licensing board
Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation shall submit the requests for the criminal history records check
Official sourceOfficial agency page
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Certification and registration; endorsement; reciprocity; renewals; continuing education.
Official sourceCheck the qualifications
Education
One qualifying pathway is an appropriate four-year engineering, architecture or building-construction degree plus one year of category experience.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria: Has received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in the appropriate field of engineering, architecture, or building construction and has 1 year of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify.
Official sourceExperience
Experience-only pathway: four years of qualifying active experience, including at least one as a foreman. Other statutory qualification pathways are available.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Has a total of at least 4 years of active experience as a worker who has learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship as a skilled worker who is able to command the rate of a mechanic in the particular trade or as a foreman who is in charge of a group of workers and usually is responsible to a superintendent or a contractor or his or her equivalent; provided, however, that at least 1 year of active experience shall be as a foreman.
Official sourceExam
Statewide certification requires the appropriate approved examination. An approved building-construction or related bachelor's degree with GPA 3.0 or higher limits the examination to business and finance.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
To establish competency, a person shall pass the appropriate examination approved by the board and certified by the department. 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.
Official sourceInsurance
Workers’ compensation as required by chapter 440, public liability, and property damage insurance; coverage amounts are set by Board rule.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
the applicant has obtained workers’ compensation insurance as required by chapter 440, public liability insurance, and property damage insurance for the safety and welfare of the public, in amounts determined by rule of the board.
Official sourceReview fees and apply
Application fee
Not verified yet
Exam fee
Not verified yet
License fee
Not verified yet
Apply with the agency
Not verified yet
Reciprocity
Endorsement is available under statutory pathways, including a valid out-of-state license issued under substantially equivalent criteria; this is not automatic license transfer.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Holds a valid license to practice contracting issued by another state or territory of the United States, if the criteria for issuance of such license were substantially equivalent to Florida’s current certification criteria;Official source
Official sources and verification (14)
Last verified 2026-10-24. Each quotation supports the corresponding published value.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation shall submit the requests for the criminal history records checkOfficial source
Verified 2026-10-24
Certification and registration; endorsement; reciprocity; renewals; continuing education.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria: Has received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in the appropriate field of engineering, architecture, or building construction and has 1 year of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Has a total of at least 4 years of active experience as a worker who has learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship as a skilled worker who is able to command the rate of a mechanic in the particular trade or as a foreman who is in charge of a group of workers and usually is responsible to a superintendent or a contractor or his or her equivalent; provided, however, that at least 1 year of active experience shall be as a foreman.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
To establish competency, a person shall pass the appropriate examination approved by the board and certified by the department. 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.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
the applicant has obtained workers’ compensation insurance as required by chapter 440, public liability insurance, and property damage insurance for the safety and welfare of the public, in amounts determined by rule of the board.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
shall renew the certificate or registration every 2 years.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Each certificateholder or registrant who desires to continue as a certificateholder or registrant shall renew the certificate or registration every 2 years.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
at least 14 classroom hours of at least 50 minutes each of continuing education courses during each bienniumOfficial source
Verified 2026-10-24
a portion of the required 14 hours 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.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Holds a valid license to practice contracting issued by another state or territory of the United States, if the criteria for issuance of such license were substantially equivalent to Florida’s current certification criteria;Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
No person may engage in the business of contracting in this state without first being certified or registered in the proper classification.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
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.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
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Same license in other states
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Last verified 2026-10-24.
Official sources (3)
Not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the official agency before filing.