General Contractor

Florida State Certified Licensing Information

License Requirements

Excerpts from the Florida Licensing Law ( F.S. Ch. 489 )

Definitions

“General contractor” means a contractor whose services are unlimited as to the type of work which he or she may do, who may contract for any activity requiring licensure under this part, and who may perform any work requiring licensure under this part, except as otherwise expressly provided in F.S. 489.113.

Qualifications

You must be 18 years of age, of good moral character, and meet eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria:

01	Has received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in the appropriate field of engineering, architecture, or building construction and has 1 year of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify. For the purpose of this part, a minimum of 2,000 person-hours shall be used in determining full-time equivalency.
02	Has a total of at least 4 years of active experience as a worker who has learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship as a skilled worker who is able to command the rate of a mechanic in the particular trade or as a foreman who is in charge of a group of workers and usually is responsible to a superintendent or a contractor or his or her equivalent, provided, however, that at least 1 year of active experience shall be as a foreman.
03	Has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a foreman and not less than 3 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not less than 2 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; or has a combination of not less than 2 years of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not less than 1 year of credits for any accredited college-level courses. All junior college or community college-level courses shall be considered accredited college-level courses.
4b	An active certified residential contractor is eligible to take the general contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
4c	An active certified building contractor is eligible to take the general contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.

According to Florida Administrative Code 61G-4-15.001:s

(2)(a)

In the case of applicants for certification in the general or building contractor categories, the phrases “active experience” and “proven experience” as used in Section 489.111(2)(c)1., 2., or 3., F.S., shall be defined to mean construction experience in four or more of the following areas:
• Foundation/Slabs in excess of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet.
• Masonry walls.
• Steel erection.
• Elevated slabs.
• Precast concrete structures.
• Column erection.
• Formwork for structural reinforced concrete.

(2)(b)

An applicant (other than those contractors designated in Sections 489.111(2)(c)4.b. and c., F.S.) for certification in the general contractor classification must submit proof that he possesses at least one year of “active experience” or “proven experience” as defined above in the construction of structures not less than four stories in height.