Florida General Contractor License: Cost & DBPR Rules

Florida requires a state license from the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), to work as a general, building, or residential contractor. A certified license — the statewide option — requires four years of qualifying experience, passing a three-part exam, a credit report showing financial responsibility, and proof of general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Under CILB rule 61G4-12.009, the exam route costs $335 to apply and test, plus a $200 initial license fee.

To compare Florida with other states, see contractor license cost by state, or run your own numbers in the general contractor license cost calculator.

General, building, or residential: which license?

Florida's Division I licenses are defined in section 489.105, Florida Statutes:

Division II covers trades such as roofing, pool, sheet metal, air conditioning, mechanical, plumbing, and underground utility contractors. Electrical contractors are licensed by a separate board.

Certified vs registered contractors

• Certified contractors pass the state exam (F.S. 489.111) and can work in every county and city in Florida.
• Registered contractors hold a state registration based on a local competency license and can work only in the local jurisdictions where they met the requirements (F.S. 489.117).

Florida has narrowed local licensing in recent years. Since 2023, local governments can't require licenses for job scopes that fall outside the state categories, such as painting, flooring, cabinetry, and handyman work, and local occupational licenses that predated 2021 expired July 1, 2025 unless general law authorizes them. For a new contractor planning to work in more than one county, the certified license is the practical route.

Florida contractor license fees

The business organization fee applies if you'll contract through an LLC or corporation, which must be qualified by a licensed contractor.

Experience requirements

Under F.S. 489.111(2)(c), you qualify for a Division I exam through any one of these routes:

1. Four years of active experience, at least one of them as a foreman;
2. A four-year degree in engineering, architecture, or building construction plus one year of experience; or
3. College credit combined with experience: one year as a foreman plus three years of college credit; one year skilled worker plus one year foreman plus two years of credit; or two years skilled worker plus one year foreman plus one year of credit.

The type of experience matters (rule 61G4-15.001). General and building contractor applicants need commercial experience in at least four listed areas of construction, and general contractor applicants need at least one year on structures four stories or taller. Residential applicants need experience in at least three listed areas.

Upgrading later. A certified residential contractor can move up to building contractor with three years of experience, and a residential or building contractor can move up to general contractor with four years, under the same statute. Many contractors start with the residential license and upgrade once they have commercial and four-story experience.

The certification exam

Division I exams have three parts (rule 61G4-16.001):

• Business and Finance — common to all categories
• Contract Administration — preconstruction, contracts, permits, and operations
• Project Management — construction methods and materials, safety, and plan reading

Contract Administration and Project Management count as one test administration for fee purposes, which is why Division I applicants pay two $80 administration fees. You have four years from your first attempt to pass all parts, and a passing grade stays valid for four years. Active certified residential or building contractors upgrading to a higher category may be exempt from retaking Business and Finance.

Financial responsibility

Under rule 61G4-15.006 (effective May 5, 2024), you submit a credit report showing:

• No unsatisfied judgments or liens, and
• A FICO score of 660 or higher.

If your score is below 660, you complete a board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course. The current rule doesn't use a surety bond or letter of credit as the alternative.

Insurance requirements

Source: rule 61G4-15.003. You attest to coverage at licensure and renewal, and the certificate holder must be DBPR/CILB. Clients and general contractors usually require higher limits than these minimums.

Workers' compensation works differently in Florida construction than in most states. Any construction employer with one or more employees must carry coverage, and construction sole proprietors are treated as covered employees under F.S. 440.02. Up to three corporate officers (or LLC members) who each own at least 10% can elect an exemption; the certificate costs $50 and is valid for two years (F.S. 440.05). The exemption covers the officer, not the business's employees.

Worked example: certified general contractor startup budget

Add fingerprinting, the credit report, exam-prep books and courses, the general liability premium, and workers' comp for any employees. If you fail one part, the retake costs $135 plus $80 per test.

Renewal and continuing education

Licenses renew every two years for $200 (active) or $50 (inactive). Each biennium you need 14 hours of continuing education (F.S. 489.115), including one hour each on the Florida Building Code, workplace safety, business practices, workers' compensation, and laws and rules, plus wind mitigation for general, building, residential, and roofing contractors (rule 61G4-18.001).

New in 2026: prompt payment to subs and suppliers

Chapter 2026-3, Laws of Florida, effective July 1, 2026, created section 489.1295: licensed contractors must pay subcontractors and suppliers within 45 days after receiving payment (or as the contract provides), unless there's a good-faith dispute. Violations can lead to license discipline, so align your payables process with it now.

After you're certified: local permits and business tax receipts

A statewide certification doesn't replace local paperwork. Before you pull your first permit in a county or city, expect to:

• Register your state license with the building department, often through an online permitting portal where you upload your license, insurance certificates, and workers' comp proof or exemption.
• Obtain a local business tax receipt from the county and, if your office is inside city limits, the city. These are levied under chapter 205, Florida Statutes, and are a tax on doing business, not a competency license.
• Keep certificates current with every jurisdiction. An expired insurance certificate on file can block permit issuance even though your state license is active.

The state vs city contractor licensing guide explains how these layers work in other states too.

Penalties for unlicensed contracting

• Under F.S. 489.127, a first offense is a first-degree misdemeanor; a repeat offense is a third-degree felony; and any unlicensed contracting during a declared state of emergency is a third-degree felony. Local code enforcement can cite up to $2,000.
• Under F.S. 489.13, DBPR can impose an administrative fine of up to $10,000 plus investigative costs.

Florida application checklist

1. Choose general, building, or residential, and the certified route.
2. Document your experience, including the four-story year if you want the general license.
3. Pull your credit report; plan the 14-hour course if your FICO score is under 660.
4. Submit the exam application and fees, then pass all three parts.
5. Buy general liability coverage at or above the rule 61G4-15.003 limits, naming DBPR/CILB as certificate holder.
6. Arrange workers' compensation or file the officer exemption.
7. Submit fingerprints and the initial license fee; add the business organization application if contracting through an entity.

Bonds aren't part of Florida's standard certification, but public projects and some private owners require performance and payment bonds. For the rest of your launch budget, see contractor startup costs, and once you're earning, the contractor tax deductions guide covers what you can write off. Florida has no state personal income tax, which the California vs Florida taxes comparison shows in dollars.