Florida contractor licenses: who needs one and how to check

Florida licenses contractors in two ways: certified, which is valid anywhere in the state, and registered, which is valid only in the local jurisdictions where the contractor met competency requirements (Chapter 489, Florida Statutes).

Licensing body: Construction Industry Licensing Board (DBPR).

How licenses are organized

• Certified contractors: license codes start with "C" and can contract statewide.
• Registered contractors: license codes start with "R" and can contract only where registered.

Good to know

• A registered license from one county does not cover a job in the next; check the code letter.
• Construction licenses expire on August 31 of every even-numbered year.

Check a contractor's license

Search the state's own records by the business name or license number before you sign. On ContractorsNearMe.ai, a profile shows a Verified license badge only after we match its license to these records.