How Do I Check a Contractor's License in Florida?

How do I check a contractor’s license in Florida, step by step?

Use the free license search at myfloridalicense.com, run by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), and confirm the license is active, in the right name and for the right kind of work. It takes about five minutes and works the same in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

1. Get the license number. Ask for it in writing. Licensed contractors expect the question.
2. Open the DBPR license search at myfloridalicense.com. You can search by name, license number, city or county, or license type.
3. Check the status. You want a current, active license. Anything else is a reason to ask questions before you sign.
4. Match the name. The person or company on the license should match the company on your quote and contract. A license lent from someone else is a red flag.
5. Match the license type to the job. An air-conditioning license does not cover a roof, and a pool license does not cover electrical work in the house.
6. Check certified or registered. A certified contractor can work anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor can only work in the local jurisdiction where the registration applies.
7. Read the details page. Open the full license record and review anything noted there. If something is unclear, file a question or complaint with DBPR through the same site.
8. Check the business entity. Search the company on the Florida Division of Corporations site (Sunbiz) to confirm it is active and see who runs it.

What license does each type of home service need?

Trades that touch structure, plumbing, wiring or refrigerant need a state license; cleaning and routine maintenance often do not. This table covers the six services this site’s hubs cover.

Service	License needed?	Who issues it	What to check
AC replacement and repair	Yes, air-conditioning or mechanical contractor	DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board	Certified licenses start with “CA” (Class A to C), registered with “RA”; Class B is limited to 25 tons of cooling per system
Pool equipment repair, heaters, pool building	Yes, pool/spa contractor	DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board	Active license that covers repair and servicing
Routine pool cleaning	No, for cleaning, filter changes and simple water treatment	Not licensed by the state	Insurance and a clear service agreement
Lawn fertilizing for hire	Yes, limited certification for urban landscape fertilizer application	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services	Certification card; local best management practices training
Real estate agent	Yes, sales associate or broker	DBPR Division of Real Estate	Active license and the brokerage it is under
CPA	Yes, CPA license	DBPR Division of Certified Public Accounting (Board of Accountancy)	Active license; the firm’s license too
Balloon and event decor	No state trade license	Not licensed by the state	Insurance (many venues require it), contract and reviews

Sources: Florida Statutes 489.105 and 482.1562, and DBPR. For lawn care, workers who only apply fertilizer the homeowner provides at a single residence are exempt from the certification. For more on each trade, see the HVAC, pool cleaning, lawn care, real estate, CPA and balloon decor hubs.

Do small jobs need a licensed contractor?

Florida exempts casual, minor or inconsequential work under $2,500 total, but the exemption is narrower than many people think. Under Florida Statute 489.103, the exemption does not apply when the small job is part of a larger project or when the person advertises as a contractor. Work in licensed trades such as electrical, plumbing and air conditioning generally needs a licensed contractor no matter the price.

Homeowners can also act as their own contractor on their own one- or two-family home under the owner-builder exemption. You must live in the home (not build it to sell or rent), personally supervise the work and sign the permit application yourself. If anything goes wrong, you carry the responsibility a contractor would.

What insurance should a contractor have?

Ask for a certificate of liability insurance and proof of workers’ compensation coverage or an exemption, and check that the dates are current. Liability insurance pays for damage the contractor causes to your property. Workers’ compensation covers a worker hurt on your job; without it, an injured worker may look to you. Ask the contractor to have the insurance agent send the certificate directly to you, which is harder to fake than a PDF the contractor forwards. The Florida Department of Financial Services keeps workers’ compensation coverage and exemption records, which DBPR points contractors to.

How do permits protect me?

A permit means the county reviews the plan and inspects the work, which protects you, your insurance and your future buyer. In Manatee County, jobs such as replacing an air conditioner, re-roofing and building a pool require a permit. Your contractor normally pulls it and includes the fee in the price.

Two Florida rules help homeowners here:

• Deposits and permits. If a contractor takes more than 10 percent of the contract price up front on residential work, Florida Statute 489.126 requires them to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after permits are issued.
• Notice of commencement. For improvements over $2,500, Florida’s construction lien law generally requires the owner to record a notice of commencement with the county clerk before work starts and post a copy at the job site. It helps protect you from liens filed by unpaid subcontractors and suppliers.

Ask for the permit number and look it up on the county’s permit portal. Our guide to AC replacement cost explains how the permit fits into an HVAC quote.

What are the red flags of a bad contractor?

The biggest red flags are no license number, a cash-only demand, a large up-front deposit and an offer to skip the permit. Watch for:

Red flag	Why it matters
Will not give a license number, or the number does not match the name	May be unlicensed or using someone else’s license
Asks you to pull the permit as an owner-builder	Shifts legal responsibility for the work to you
Suggests skipping the permit to save money	No inspection, and problems at resale or insurance time
Wants cash, or a large deposit before any permit	Hard to recover money if they disappear
Door-to-door after a storm, with pressure to sign today	Common after hurricanes; unlicensed work during an emergency is a felony
No written contract, or a vague one	Nothing to hold them to on scope, price or schedule
Only a cell number, no business address or Sunbiz record	Hard to find them later
Quote far below everyone else’s	May skip permits, insurance or quality equipment

After a hurricane, be especially careful. Florida Statute 489.127 makes unlicensed contracting during a state of emergency declared by the Governor a third-degree felony. Our guide to hurricane prep for your pool, AC and yard covers who to call after a storm.

What should be in the contract?

A written contract should spell out the scope, price, payment schedule, timeline, permits and warranties, with the license number on it. Before you sign, make sure it includes:

• The contractor’s legal business name, address and license number
• A detailed description of the work and the materials or equipment, with model numbers
• The total price and a payment schedule tied to completed stages, not dates
• Who pulls the permit and who pays for it
• Start and completion dates
• Warranty terms for labor and for equipment
• How changes to the job are approved and priced (written change orders)

Keep copies of everything, including the license lookup and insurance certificate.

What if I already hired an unlicensed contractor?

Stop paying, document the work, and report it to DBPR. Florida Statute 489.128 makes contracts with unlicensed contractors unenforceable by the contractor, and they lose lien rights for the work. Talk to an attorney about your own situation, especially if money or significant damage is involved. You can file a complaint, including about unlicensed activity, through myfloridalicense.com. Then have a licensed contractor inspect the work and pull any permit that should have been obtained.

If you are new to the area and setting up a home, our first 30 days in Lakewood Ranch checklist lists the services most new residents line up.