How to Get a Contractor License in Florida (2026)

Who licenses contractors in Florida

Florida contractors are licensed by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), which sits inside the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). The rules come from Chapter 489, Part I, of the Florida Statutes and Chapter 61G4 of the Florida Administrative Code.

Electrical and alarm contractors are not covered here. They are licensed by a separate board, the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board, under different rules.

Some small jobs do not need a state license. DBPR says handyman work under $2,500 total that is casual, minor or inconsequential is exempt, but work that needs a permit usually does not qualify. Check with your local building department before relying on that exemption.

Certified vs registered: which license you need

Florida has two kinds of state contractor licenses. A certified contractor passes the state exam and can work anywhere in Florida. Certified license numbers start with the letter C, such as CGC for a certified general contractor.

A registered contractor holds a local (county or city) competency license and then registers it with the state. A registered license only lets you work in that local jurisdiction, plus any nearby areas that accept it. Registered license numbers start with R.

If you plan to work in more than one county, or want room to grow, the certified license is usually the better choice. The rest of this guide covers the certified path.

	Certified	Registered
Where you can work	Anywhere in Florida	Only the local jurisdiction(s) that accept your local license
Competency test	State exam (Professional Testing, Inc. and Pearson VUE)	Local exam or local competency card
License prefix	C (for example CGC, CBC, CRC)	R (for example RG, RB, RR)
Renewal deadline	August 31 of even-numbered years	August 31 of odd-numbered years
Continuing education	14 hours per 2-year cycle	14 hours per 2-year cycle

Division I vs Division II

CILB splits license categories into two divisions. Division I covers general, building and residential contractors. Division II covers the trades, such as roofing, sheet metal, Class A and B air conditioning, mechanical, plumbing, pool/spa, underground utility, solar, gas line, irrigation and the certified specialty categories.

Division I candidates take three exams: Business and Finance, Contract Administration and Project Management. Division II candidates take two: Business and Finance and a Trade Knowledge exam for their category. Tower, demolition and industrial facilities specialty applicants take the same three-part general contractor exam.

General contractor (CGC): services unlimited as to the type of work.
Building contractor (CBC): commercial and residential buildings up to three stories, plus remodeling of any size building if the work does not affect structural elements.
Residential contractor (CRC): one-, two- and three-family residences not more than two stories, plus accessory structures like garages and sheds.

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Experience and education requirements

Under section 489.111, you must be at least 18 and of good moral character. You must also meet one of the experience paths below. The board counts 2,000 hours as one full-time year.

For general and building contractors, the experience must be commercial and must cover at least four of these six areas: foundations or slabs over 20,000 square feet, masonry walls, steel erection, elevated slabs, column erection, and formwork for structural reinforced concrete. General contractor applicants also need at least one year of experience on structures at least four stories tall.

For residential contractors, the experience must involve one- and two-family homes or townhouses and cover at least three of these areas: foundations, slabs or structural formwork; masonry walls; structural demolition; structural wood framing (including trusses, excluding platform framing); and column erection.

Experience must be gained under a contractor properly licensed in the category you are applying for, or in a category that covers it. These rules are detailed, so check the board's current application instructions before you submit.

4 years of experience as a skilled worker or foreman, with at least 1 year as a foreman.
A bachelor's degree in civil engineering, building construction or architecture (for Division I), plus 1 year of proven experience in the category.
A mix of college credit and experience: up to 3 years of accredited college credit can count, but you still need at least 1 year as a foreman. DBPR says any accredited college credit counts.
Military service: DBPR says up to 3 years of military service can substitute for field experience, shown with your DD214. You still need 1 year of supervisory experience in the category.
Current certified residential or building contractors can move up to building or general with 3 or 4 years in their current category, after passing the higher exam.

The three Division I exams and their format

All three Division I exams are open book, multiple choice with four answer choices, and given on computer at Pearson VUE test centers across Florida. You need 70% on each exam to pass. Scores are not rounded, so 69.9% fails. You get your result at the test center when you finish.

Business and Finance is the same exam for every category. It covers running the company: accounting, payroll, taxes, contracts, lien law and Florida statutes. Contract Administration and Project Management are specific to your category. Contract Administration focuses on contracts, bidding, estimating and plan reading. Project Management focuses on scheduling, safety, construction methods and materials.

You may bring only the books on DBPR's approved reference list. Highlighting and underlining are allowed, but removable tabs and sticky notes are not. A silent, non-printing, battery-powered calculator without an alphabetic keypad is allowed. Exams may include a few unscored pilot questions, and extra time is given for them.

Because the exams are open book, speed in finding answers matters as much as knowing them. Timed practice is the best way to build that speed. You can start with our Business and Finance practice test.

Exam	General (CGC)	Building (CBC)	Residential (CRC)	Time
Business and Finance	120 questions	120 questions	120 questions	6.5 hours
Contract Administration	60 questions	50 questions	45 questions	4.5 hours
Project Management	60 questions	50 questions	45 questions	4.5 hours

How to register, schedule and retake the exams

You apply for the exams through Professional Testing, Inc. at floridaexam.com, not through DBPR. After approval, you schedule each exam with Pearson VUE (888-204-6230). Professional Testing says to wait 10 to 14 business days after applying before you call Pearson VUE. You can take the exams on different days.

You must pass all parts within four years of your first scheduled exam date. Within that window, attempts are unlimited, and you only retake the parts you failed. After you pass, you have four years to apply for your license.

If you already hold an active CILB license, you are exempt from Business and Finance when you add a new category. Candidates with a bachelor's degree in building construction from an accredited 4-year college and a GPA of 3.0 or higher can skip the trade portion and take only Business and Finance.

Registration fee: $135, paid to Professional Testing, Inc. each time you register (including retakes).
Business and Finance: $80, paid to Pearson VUE when you schedule.
Contract Administration: $40, paid to Pearson VUE.
Project Management: $40, paid to Pearson VUE.
First-attempt total for all three Division I parts: $295. Exam fees are non-refundable.

Credit, financial responsibility and insurance

Rule 61G4-15.006 requires a current consumer credit report from a board-approved agency, with a FICO-derived score. The report must show no unsatisfied judgments or liens against you or the business you will qualify. A score of 660 or higher meets the financial stability test. If your score is below 660, you can meet it by completing a 14-hour board-approved financial responsibility course. DBPR publishes the list of approved credit reporting agencies.

If your company names a Financially Responsible Officer (FRO) instead of you, that person files a separate FRO application and must post a $100,000 bond or an irrevocable letter of credit.

You must attest that you carry public liability and property damage insurance at all times. Rule 61G4-15.003 sets the minimums below. You also need workers' compensation coverage or an exemption. You can apply before getting the exemption, as long as you obtain it within 30 days of licensure.

General and building contractors: $300,000 liability and $50,000 property damage.
Residential contractors: $100,000 liability and $25,000 property damage.
These are licensing minimums. Many owners and general contractors require higher limits in their contracts.

Step-by-step: getting your Florida certified license

Here is the full path in order. Most delays come from missing experience proof or an incomplete application, so take your time on steps 1 and 6.

Pick your category (general, building or residential) and confirm your experience matches the board's rules for that category.
Register for the exams with Professional Testing, Inc. at floridaexam.com and pay the $135 registration fee.
Buy or borrow the books on DBPR's current reference list for your category, and tab them with permanent tabs.
Schedule each exam with Pearson VUE and pay the per-exam fee. Pass all three with 70% or higher within four years.
Pull a credit report from a board-approved agency. If your FICO score is under 660, complete the 14-hour financial responsibility course.
Get liability insurance at the required limits and set up workers' comp coverage or an exemption.
Apply to DBPR online (for example, CILB 5-A as an individual or CILB 6-A if you are qualifying a business). Link your exam candidate ID, upload your experience proof and pay the fee.
Submit fingerprints through an FDLE-registered Livescan provider right after you apply. Results can take up to five days to reach DBPR.
Respond to any deficiency letters. If your file goes to a board meeting, DBPR mails a notice about 14 days before. Licenses are usually issued within two weeks after approval.

Application fees and timeline

DBPR's license application fee changes with the two-year licensing cycle. In October 2026, DBPR's fee notice for the certified general contractor application (both CILB 5-A and CILB 6-A) shows $245. It drops to $145 for applications submitted after August 31, 2027. Fees for other categories can differ, so check the fee shown when you open your application on MyFloridaLicense.com.

Plan on extra costs for books, the credit report, fingerprinting and insurance. Veterans, their spouses and Florida National Guard members may qualify for a DBPR fee waiver or discount.

Timeline depends mostly on you. Once your experience is in place, the exam registration step takes about two weeks, and study time is up to you. After you apply, files that need board review wait for the next board meeting, and licenses usually issue within two weeks after approval.

Renewal and continuing education

Certified licenses expire August 31 of every even-numbered year, so the most recent deadline was August 31, 2026 and the next is August 31, 2028. Registered licenses renew August 31 of odd-numbered years. If you qualify a business, DBPR adds a $50 business qualification fee to your renewal. Check your renewal notice for the full amount due.

You need 14 hours of board-approved continuing education each cycle. That must include at least 1 hour each of workplace safety, workers' compensation, business practices, advanced building code, and laws and rules. General, building and residential contractors also need 1 hour of wind mitigation methodology. The rest are general credits.

New licensees get a break. If your license was issued less than 12 months before the August 31 deadline, you owe no CE. If it was issued 1 to 2 years before, you owe 7 hours of general credit. Check DBPR's current CE rules before each cycle, since topic requirements can change.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Florida contractor exam open book?

Yes. All Division I exams are open book, but you can only bring the books on DBPR's approved reference list. Permanent tabs and highlighting are allowed, removable tabs are not.

What score do I need to pass the Florida contractor exams?

You need 70% on each exam. Scores are not rounded, and each exam is scored on its own, so a high score on one part cannot make up for a failed part.

Do I have to pass all three Division I exams at once?

No. You can take them on different days and retake only the parts you fail. You must pass all parts within four years of your first scheduled exam date.

Can I get a Florida contractor license with a credit score under 660?

Yes. If your FICO score is below 660, you can meet the financial stability requirement by completing a 14-hour board-approved financial responsibility course. Your credit report still cannot show unsatisfied judgments or liens.

Does college count toward the 4 years of experience?

Yes. Up to 3 years of accredited college credit can substitute for experience, but you still need at least 1 year as a foreman or supervisor in the category.

Can an out-of-state contractor get licensed in Florida?

Possibly. Florida offers reciprocity with certain states and endorsement for some applicants, including those who held another state's license for at least 10 years. Division I endorsement and reciprocity applicants must also take a 2-hour Florida Building Code course.

Which exam should I study for first?

Many candidates start with Business and Finance because it is the longest and is shared by every category. After that, practice the Contract Administration and Project Management exams for your category.