Florida has two tiers of contractor licensing: Certified (valid statewide, issued by DBPR) and Registered (valid only in the county or municipality where registered, requires local examination in some areas). If you plan to work across county lines, you need a state-certified license — registered contractors must get separate approval in each jurisdiction. Most growing contracting businesses should pursue certification for flexibility.

Florida's Certified General Contractor (CGC) license allows you to take on any construction project. Specialty contractor licenses are narrower: Certified Roofing Contractor (CRC), Certified Electrical Contractor (EC), Certified Plumbing Contractor (CFC), Certified Air Conditioning Contractor (CAC), etc. Specialty licenses typically require fewer experience years and have separate exams from the CGC — choose the license type that matches your actual work scope.

A contracting license is held by a Qualifying Agent (the individual) who becomes the licensed qualifier for the contracting company. The qualifying agent must be actively involved in the company's operations and is personally responsible for work quality and code compliance. One person can qualify multiple companies — called a "secondary qualifying agent" arrangement — but must demonstrate active involvement to avoid disciplinary action.

Unlicensed contracting in Florida is a first-degree misdemeanor for a first offense and a third-degree felony for subsequent offenses. Stop-work orders are issued immediately upon discovery and posted publicly. Beyond criminal penalties, unlicensed contractors cannot file construction liens to collect unpaid bills, cannot pull permits (which voids the homeowner's insurance), and face civil liability for damages resulting from non-code-compliant work.