Residential Contractor

Florida State Certified Licensing Information

License Requirements

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

Definitions

“Residential contractor” means a contractor whose services are limited to construction, remodeling, repair, or improvement of one-family, two-family, or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story and accessory use structures in connection therewith.

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.

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

(2)(a)

In the case of applicants for certification in the residential contractor category, 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.
• Masonry walls.
• Trusses.
• Structural wood framing (excluding platform framing).
• Column erection.
• Formwork for structural reinforced concrete.