General contracting guide · Florida
Florida General Contractor License Requirements: What the State Actually Checks
The age, experience, exam and credit score requirements Florida's Construction Industry Licensing Board actually checks before issuing a certified general contractor license, plus how to verify one that already exists.
Jump to section
- The short answer
- Key takeaways
- What does it actually take to get a general contractor license in Florida?
- How much construction experience do I actually need?
- Can a college degree count toward the experience requirement?
- What exams do I have to pass?
- What financial and background checks does DBPR run?
- Do Miami-Dade or other counties require anything beyond the state license?
- How much does a Florida general contractor license cost?
- Does a general contractor need a license to work in Florida?
- How hard is it to get a Florida general contractor license?
- What order does the application actually happen in?
- How do I verify if a general contractor is actually licensed in Florida?
- Bottom line for homeowners checking a contractor's license
- Frequently asked questions
- Bottom line
- About this guide
The short answer
Florida's Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), issues the certified general contractor license. To qualify you must be at least 18, show four years of verifiable construction experience with at least one year in a supervisory role (a four-year construction-related degree can substitute for up to three of those years), pass three separate state exams on project management, contract administration, and business and finance, and clear a financial and background check that includes a credit report showing a FICO score of at least 660.
Key takeaways
- The Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), under DBPR, issues Florida's certified general contractor license.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- Four years of verifiable construction experience is required, with at least one year in a supervisory or foreman role managing crews or job sites.
- A four-year construction-related college degree can substitute for up to three of the four required experience years, leaving one year of hands-on experience still required.
- The state exam has three separate open-book parts administered through Pearson VUE: Project Management, Contract Administration, and Business and Finance.
- Each of the three exam parts requires a score of at least 70 percent, scored individually rather than averaged.
- Applicants must submit proof of financial stability, including a credit report showing a FICO score of at least 660.
- The application also includes a background check for good moral character.
- A certified license lets you work anywhere in Florida; a registered license only covers the specific cities or counties where you hold a local certificate of competency.
- Some counties, including Miami-Dade, run their own separate contractor license search tools, reflecting local registration requirements on top of state licensing.
- DBPR runs a free public license lookup, so a homeowner can check whether a name or license number is real and active before hiring.
DBPR
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the state agency that runs the licensing application process for general contractors, among many other trades and professions.
CILB
The Construction Industry Licensing Board, the board within DBPR that sets and enforces general contractor licensing requirements and reviews applications.
Certified license
A state-level general contractor license that lets you work anywhere in Florida, not limited to one city or county.
Registered license
A license limited to the specific cities or counties where you also hold a local certificate of competency. It does not carry the statewide privileges a certified license does.
Certificate of competency
A local jurisdiction's own contractor credential, issued separately from the state, that a registered license depends on.
Pearson VUE
The testing company that administers Florida's state contractor licensing exams at test centers around the state.
How steep this process feels depends heavily on which path you're already on: someone with a construction-related degree and a few years of hands-on experience has a shorter road than someone starting the four-year experience clock from scratch, and someone with past credit trouble may need to address it before the financial review becomes a problem rather than after. The single caution that matters most here is about price: available research describes the age, experience, exam and credit requirements in detail but does not include a confirmed, current application fee, so treat any dollar figure you see quoted elsewhere as unconfirmed until DBPR's own fee schedule tells you otherwise.
What does it actually take to get a general contractor license in Florida?
Florida requires four things before the Construction Industry Licensing Board will issue a certified general contractor license: you have to be at least 18 years old, show four years of verifiable construction experience with at least one year in a supervisory role, pass all three parts of the state contractor exam, and clear a financial and background review that includes a credit report showing a FICO score of at least 660. Each requirement is checked independently, so meeting three of the four does not get you a license.
How much construction experience do I actually need?
You need four years of verifiable construction or construction-related experience, and at least one of those four years has to be in a supervisory or foreman role where you were actually managing crews or a job site rather than only working under someone else's direction. Verifiable is the operative word: the experience has to be something you can document and that DBPR can confirm, not simply time spent around job sites. If your work history mixes trades or includes time as a subcontractor's employee, expect the application to ask you to document each stretch separately rather than accepting a single summary.
Can a college degree count toward the experience requirement?
Yes. A four-year, construction-related college degree can substitute for up to three of your four required experience years, which leaves one year of actual hands-on or supervisory experience still required regardless of your education. This matters most for someone coming out of a construction management or civil engineering program: the degree shortens the clock, but it does not eliminate the requirement to have spent real time on a job site in some capacity.
What exams do I have to pass?
Florida's general contractor exam is split into three separate open-book parts, administered through Pearson VUE testing centers: Project Management, Contract Administration, and Business and Finance. You need a score of at least 70 percent on each part individually, not an average across all three, so a strong score on one section does not carry a weak score on another. Because the exams are open-book, most preparation guidance recommends organizing your reference materials in advance with tabs and highlighting, since you'll be searching them under time pressure rather than relying on memory alone.
Certified vs. registered: what each license actually lets you do
Both are real Florida contractor licenses, but they cover very different territory. Check which one a contractor holds before assuming it lets them work in your county.
What financial and background checks does DBPR run?
Applicants have to submit proof of financial stability, including a credit report showing a FICO score of at least 660, along with a background check confirming good moral character. Available research does not specify what alternative path exists if your credit score falls short of 660, so if that applies to you, the direct answer is to ask DBPR's own application office what documentation they'll accept instead, rather than assuming there isn't one.
Do Miami-Dade or other counties require anything beyond the state license?
Possibly, and this is exactly where a registered license differs from a certified one. Because a registered license only covers the specific jurisdictions where you hold a local certificate of competency, some counties, including Miami-Dade, maintain their own separate contractor license search tools, which is a sign that local registration exists on top of whatever the state requires. If you plan to work in a specific county under a registered rather than certified license, check that county's own building or licensing department directly rather than assuming your state paperwork covers you there.
How much does a Florida general contractor license cost?
Available research doesn't include a confirmed, current application fee for a Florida general contractor license, and rather than publish an unverified number that's likely to be wrong by the time you read this, the accurate answer is to check DBPR's own fee schedule directly when you're ready to apply. Budget separately for exam fees through Pearson VUE, which are billed apart from the state application itself, and for any prep course or reference materials you choose to use, since none of those costs are set by DBPR.
Does a general contractor need a license to work in Florida?
Yes. Florida licenses the general contracting trade at the state level, and Construction Industry Licensing Board oversight exists specifically because unlicensed contracting work carries real risk for the property owner as well as the person doing the work. If you're hiring rather than applying, this is the reason to verify a license rather than take a contractor's word for it, since the requirement exists precisely because self-reported credentials aren't considered sufficient on their own.
How hard is it to get a Florida general contractor license?
It depends heavily on which piece you're furthest from. The experience requirement is the one most applicants spend the longest working toward, since four years, or one year plus a qualifying degree, isn't something you can accelerate. The exam is commonly described as demanding real preparation time, with study estimates in the range of six to ten weeks for the three-part test, though how long it actually takes you depends on your existing familiarity with contract administration and business finance versus hands-on project management, which not everyone in the trade has equal exposure to.
What order does the application actually happen in?
Confirm your experience documentation
Gather verifiable records of your four years of construction experience, or your degree plus remaining experience, before you do anything else, since this is the piece that can't be rushed once you notice a gap.
Register for and pass all three exam parts
Schedule Project Management, Contract Administration, and Business and Finance through Pearson VUE, and plan to pass each part at 70 percent or higher individually.
Prepare your financial documentation
Pull your own credit report before applying so you know where you stand against the 660 FICO threshold, rather than finding out for the first time when DBPR reviews it.
Submit your application to DBPR
Apply through the Construction Industry Licensing Board once your experience, exam results, and financial documentation are in hand, including the background check consent.
Decide certified or registered based on where you'll work
If you intend to work across multiple counties, a certified license is the one that actually covers that; a registered license tied to a single jurisdiction's certificate of competency will not.
Treat these as reasons to verify before you hire
- They give you a license number that doesn't return a match on DBPR's own public license lookup.
- They claim to be certified but the DBPR lookup shows the license as registered, limited to jurisdictions that don't include your project's location.
- They can't or won't provide a license number at all, only a business name.
- The license the lookup shows is listed as expired, suspended, or otherwise not current.
- They describe the licensing process to you inaccurately, for example claiming no exam or experience requirement exists.
How do I verify if a general contractor is actually licensed in Florida?
Search DBPR's own public license lookup by the contractor's name or license number directly, rather than relying on a business card, a truck decal, or a claim made over the phone. The lookup shows whether the license is active, whether it's certified or registered, and if registered, which jurisdictions it actually covers, which matters because a registered license valid in a neighboring county doesn't automatically extend to yours.
If you'd rather start from a shortlist that has already had checks like these run, our directory of general contractors lists companies by city with their standing noted.
Bottom line for homeowners checking a contractor's license
For homeowners in Florida, the fastest way to use everything above is backward: skip trying to memorize the requirements and just run the contractor's name or license number through DBPR's public lookup. A real, active, certified license means someone met the experience, exam, and financial bar described here; a registered license means it's more limited than it might sound, and no license at all is a reason to stop before signing anything.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get your general contractor's license in Florida?
It depends most on how far you are from the four-year experience requirement, since that's the piece that can't be accelerated, though a qualifying construction degree can substitute for up to three of those years. The exam itself is commonly described as needing real preparation, in the range of six to ten weeks of study for its three parts.
How much does a GC license cost in Florida?
Available research doesn't include a confirmed, current application fee, so rather than repeat a number that may be outdated, check DBPR's own fee schedule directly, and budget separately for Pearson VUE exam fees, which are billed apart from the application itself.
How much work can you do without a contractor license in Florida?
This guide's research doesn't include a specific dollar threshold for unlicensed work in Florida, so don't rely on an assumed exemption; check directly with DBPR or your local building department before doing any construction work without a license.
How do I apply for a general contractor license in Florida?
Document your four years of verifiable experience, or a qualifying degree plus remaining experience, pass all three Pearson VUE exam parts at 70 percent or higher each, prepare your financial and background documentation including a credit report, and submit the full application to the Construction Industry Licensing Board through DBPR.
Does a general contractor need a license in Florida?
Yes. Florida licenses general contracting at the state level through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, which is exactly why verifying a license matters when you're hiring rather than applying.
How much does a general contractor charge per hour?
This guide covers licensing, not pricing, and available research doesn't include a verified hourly rate figure for Florida general contractors specifically. Rates vary by project scope and region, so get a written, itemized quote from any contractor you're considering rather than relying on a general hourly figure.
How easy is it to get a Florida general contractor license?
It isn't fast by design: the four-year experience requirement and three-part exam exist specifically to filter for real, verifiable qualification rather than to be a quick formality. Someone with a qualifying degree and steady construction experience has a more direct path than someone starting from zero.
What is the CILB?
The Construction Industry Licensing Board, the board within Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation that sets and enforces general contractor licensing requirements and reviews applications.
What's the difference between a certified and a registered general contractor in Florida?
A certified license lets you work anywhere in Florida. A registered license only covers the specific cities or counties where you also hold a local certificate of competency, so it doesn't carry the same statewide privileges.
How many years of experience do you need to be a general contractor in Florida?
Four years of verifiable construction experience, with at least one year in a supervisory or foreman role. A four-year construction-related college degree can substitute for up to three of those years.
Can a college degree replace the experience requirement for a Florida GC license?
Partially. A four-year, construction-related degree can substitute for up to three of the four required experience years, but at least one year of hands-on or supervisory experience is still required regardless of education.
What exams does Florida require for a general contractor license?
Three separate open-book exams administered through Pearson VUE: Project Management, Contract Administration, and Business and Finance, each requiring a score of at least 70 percent individually.
What credit score do you need for a Florida contractor license?
Applicants need to submit a credit report showing a FICO score of at least 660 as part of demonstrating financial stability. Available research doesn't specify the alternative path if your score falls short, so ask DBPR directly if that applies to you.
Do I need a Florida license to work in just one county?
You can hold a registered license limited to the specific counties or cities where you have a local certificate of competency, but that's different from a certified license, which covers the entire state.
Does Miami-Dade County require its own contractor registration?
Miami-Dade maintains its own separate contractor license search tool, which reflects local registration requirements that exist alongside, not instead of, state licensing. Check with the county directly if you plan to work there under a registered license.
How do I look up whether a Florida contractor's license is real?
Use DBPR's own public license lookup with the contractor's name or license number. It shows whether the license is active, whether it's certified or registered, and which jurisdictions a registered license actually covers.
Bottom line
Florida's licensing requirements are specific and checkable: four years of experience, three exam parts at 70 percent each, and a credit score of at least 660, all enforced by the Construction Industry Licensing Board. What isn't checkable from public research is the current fee, so confirm that directly with DBPR. And whichever side of this you're on, applying or hiring, DBPR's own public license lookup is the fastest way to confirm a license is real, current, and covers the right jurisdiction.
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About this guide
- Originally published
- September 2026
- Last reviewed
- September 2026
- Written by
- Dana Whitfield
- Reading time
- 16 min
- Sources cited
- 0
About the author
Dana Whitfield
Senior editor, home services
Dana runs the editorial side of TenBestFind. She built the research process, decides which markets get covered next, and writes the plumbing and chimney rankings herself. Before this she spent eleven years as a consumer reporter covering contractor licensing and home improvement fraud.
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