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Florida Contractor License Courses, Classes & Exam Prep
Obtaining a Contractor’s License in the State of Florida
Obtaining a contractor’s license in Florida can be difficult. The process is long and intense, but for a good reason.
If getting your license was easy, then just anyone could work on houses and commercial buildings. The elaborate process ensures that only qualified professionals can legally work in Florida.
Every state has specific laws when it comes to the construction industry.
In Florida, you need a contractor’s license to perform construction work legally. The license will allow you to take on new building construction as well as working on existing structures.
We go into detail about the steps to become a licensed contractor in our blog post. Visit our blog to learn more about Florida's licensing process!
Contractor Training Center provides you with all the resources you need to obtain your license! Read on to learn more about getting your Florida license and how we can help.
Registered vs. Certified Contractor’s License
In Florida, you can earn a registered license at the local level. This registration only allows you to work in the county in which you operate.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, however, issues certified contractor’s licenses. These licenses allow you to work anywhere in the state.
(Note: Some counties require you to have a certified license even if you have a registered license.)
Earning Your Certified Contractor’s License
If you want to perform work anywhere in Florida, a certified contractor’s license is your best bet.
To earn a certified contractor’s licenses, you must pass a trade exam. (In Florida, the NASCLA license can supplement a trade exam.) Passing the exam is only part of the process. Later on, we discuss additional requirements you must meet.
What You Can Expect From Us
When you use our services, you will have everything you need to earn your contractor’s license.
NASCLA Exam Prep
We offer prep for your NASCLA license. As mentioned above, Florida accepts the NASCLA license as passing the trade exam. Fifteen other U.S. states also accept this license. We provide books, tabs, and prep classes for the NASCLA exam. These resources break down the material and cover key concepts, setting you up for success. We also offer a NASCLA Exam Prep Tabbed and Highlighted Book Bundle. This bundle is one of our most popular products. It points you to the most relevant information, and you can use it to help you pass the open-book NASCLA exam.
Those who use our services have a high first-time pass rate. If you don’t pass the first time, we’re here for you. We’ll review your test and provide study tips based on the questions you missed. You can repeat our class for free until you pass!
Application Consulting and Submission
Aside from the NASCLA exam prep, we also provide application consulting and submission.
Our experts help you navigate the confusing process. We start with a consulting session to determine the license for which you should apply if you have not yet decided. Then, we help you with the actual application. We ensure you use the appropriate forms and fill them out accurately. Before you submit your application to the state licensing agency, we’ll give it a final review.
Contractors across the state have found our consulting and submission services helpful. We help you get it right the first time, so you don’t have to go through the process more than once.
If the licensing agency does reject your application, we’re here for you! We will consult you with the reapplication process and make the appropriate adjustments.
The Benefits of Having a Contractor’s License in Florida
Why should you go through this rigorous process? Some benefits of having a contractor’s license in Florida include:
You’ll Be Complying with the Law
Florida law requires contractors to be licensed and insured. You cannot legally work on residential or commercial construction if you aren’t certified.
If you perform work without a license, the state may impose hefty fines.
You Can Get Insurance
Insurance is essential to have as a contractor. It protects you if there’s a problem with the work you complete.
Without a license, you won’t be able to get contractor insurance.
Gives You Credibility
Having a license increases your credibility, allowing you to build trust with your clients. There are other ways you can gain their trust, but this is a big part of establishing yourself and your business, especially if you're working with new customers.
Getting a contractor's license isn't done overnight, and the process of obtaining a license can be considered a significant investment. Customers often feel at ease knowing a contractor has invested their own time and money working to back up their skills with a license to prove it.
Gives You A Higher Earning Potential
Consequently, there are larger projects that you can't perform without a contractor's license. With one, you can take on big assignments, get more jobs, and increase your profit. More times than not, clients will pay a higher price to a licensed contractor as opposed to unlicensed handymen.
With a license, your clients can trust that you have the knowledge and skills to do what they need. It’s an assurance that you’ll follow all applicable laws and regulations. You can build a relationship with your customers and establish trust in other ways, of course. However, a licensed contractor will stand out far more and attract customers easier.
Additionally, many states legally require businesses to hold a contractor's license to work on projects over a certain financial threshold. If you take the initiative and earn your license now, you can get more business, increase profits, and take on more significant assignments right away. Clients will typically pay a higher fee for licensed contractors because they can trust that the contractor knows what to do and how to do it well.
How Much Work Can You Do Without a Contractor's License in Florida?
In most states, any job over $1,000 requires a contractor’s license, but that is not the case in Florida. Small service jobs that a handyperson can perform do not require licensure. However, only a licensed contractor can perform construction work, including roof work, demolitions, and structural work like additions.
So while you can offer handyman services in Florida without any license, your job scope will be limited without a contractor’s license. With that in mind, you may want to consider earning a contractor’s license in Florida so that you can begin to take on larger jobs and increase your earning potential.
Preparing for the Contractor’s Exam
Licensing exams cover a lot of information.
Studying, of course, is crucial to your success. You’ll need to familiarize yourself with the material and grasp critical concepts.
Knowing what topics and questions to focus on will also help you pass. Our prep courses review questions that are similar to real exam questions and familiarizes you with the testing process. Our courses are backed by our No-Pass No-Pay Guarantee: if you don't pass the exam, we'll keep working with you until you do!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you wondering if you need to bother with a contractor’s license at all? The definition of a contractor is someone who does the following:
Subtracts, demolishes, builds, or repairs structures
Develops residential or commercial property
If you perform this kind of work, you’ll need to get a license.
Some contractors opt to get a registered license. The exams are usually much easier, and you don’t need to meet as many additional requirements. A registered license only permits you to work in the local county that granted it.
A certified license, however, means that the holder has passed the state exam. They can work anywhere in Florida.
The latter may be the better option as it doesn’t limit your business’s service area. Additionally, customers may find your services more trustworthy.
Last of all - the National NASCLA Exam is not just accepted as a trade exam for Florida contractors - NASCLA is accepted by 15+ other states, too! Learn more about the National NASCLA Exam here.
You must renew your contractor’s license every two years. You’ll get a notice 31 days before the renewal date.
To renew, you must complete at least 14 hours of continuing education. You must complete at least one hour in each of the following:
- Business Practices
- Worker’s Compensation
- Workplace Safety
- Advanced or Specialized Module, which is approved by the Florida Building Commission
- Rules and Laws that regulate the construction industry
- Wind Mitigation Methodologies, if the license is of the following categories: General, Building, Glazing & Glass, Roofing, Specialty Structure, or Residential.
We offer courses that qualify for the continuing education requirement in Florida. Visit our Florida Continuing Education collection page here.
Before test day, you should review the test policies for your exam and ensure you have the correct forms of ID ready to take with you to the exam.
Calculators are permitted if they are silent, hand-held, battery-operated, nonprinting, and without an alphabetic keypad. Solar calculators are not recommended.
The exam is open-book, so you should also have your approved reference manuals with you to take the exam. You may bring only the materials and books on the approved reference list into the test center. We offer the approved reference material for your exams here. The references may be tabbed and highlighted, but removable tabs, such as post-its, are not allowed in the examination center.
The more prepared you are for your exam, the less difficult it will be. Our exam prep seminars are tailored to each exam, ensuring that you only study information that you will need to know for the test. We have an EXTREMELY HIGH first-time pass rate, and we will give you the class again for free if you don’t pass. We have helped over 30,000 contractors get licensed, and we look forward to helping you too!
We cover all of the steps for getting licensed in Florida in our blog post here!
