Florida General Contractor License Applications
As you can see above, The Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board offers two general contractor licenses. A certified general contractors license, in where you can perform general contracting work throughout the state, and a registered general contractors license where you can only perform work in a particular jurisdiction. Below is a breakdown of how to obtain both general contractors licenses in Florida.
Florida Roofing License Requirements
Florida roofing contractors are regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation as well as the Construction Industry Licensing Board . Together, these institutions ensure that roofing contractors meet the required business licensing, experience requirements, and ongoing education to stay up to date on the latest code changes and building standards.
In order to obtain a state certified roofing contractors license an applicant must:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have good moral character. .
- If you do not meet the 660 FICO score, you CAN still get your license by posting a licensing bond.
- Bond amounts vary based on whether the applicant is a Division I or Division II contractor, however this amount can be reduced by 50% upon taking a board-approved financial responsibility course.
Important note about experience:
Experience does not have to be gained in Florida or even the USA so long as it can be verified and notarized by a State Certified Florida Licensed Roofing Contractor with an equal to or higher certification.
The Importance Of Licensed Roofers In Florida
In 2018, there was not enough professional roofing contractors in Florida, while extreme natural calamities continuously wreaked havoc on the Sunshine State. As a result, then Florida Governor, Rick Scott, was constrained to issue an Emergency Order that eased some of the e igibility requirements in licensing roofing contractors. In effect the order, enabled many general contractors to obtain official recognition as licensed roofing contractors.
After all, Floridas Administrative Code issues or denies a contractor license by gauging an individuals qualifications and experience. Besides, courses on roofing science and technology do not typically form part of an architectural or civil engineering degree.
A roofing contractor license mainly requires a demonstration of knowledge, expertise and skills derived from actual experience in performing various types of roofing jobs.
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Registered General Contractor License
Like the certified license, the registered license is also further divided into two applicant options: applicants may register as an individual contractor or as a qualified business. Individual contractors must first either take and pass the Florida State Construction Examination, or possess a certificate of competency from a local licensing office bearing the applicants name and the business entity.
To apply for a registered general contractors license in Florida, the following tasks should be completed:
Additional Application Requirements:
The completed application and required additional documentation should be sent to:
State of FloridaDepartment of Business and Professional Regulation1940 North Monroe StreetTallahassee, FL 32399-0783
Florida Roofing Contractor License Examination
All applicants must pass the Florida Construction License Exam. The exam is administered by a third-party company called Professional Testing Inc.
There are Two Parts:
1. Law, Business and Project Management Exam
There are three areas of this examination:
- Business & Finance
The test covers the following topics:
- Determining Business Organizational Structure
- Invoices, Draw Requests, and Lien Laws
- Safety
- Fixed Assets and Business Allocation
Exams are held every month.
To find out how much it costs to get a roofing license in Florida, check out this page for current dates and costs.
Some of the topics covered on the Roofing license exam includes:
- Basic Mathematics
- Reading and Interpreting Plans and Specifications
- Installation of metal gravel stops
- Performing test cuts
- Insulating and ventilating for built-up roofs
- Roof assembly installed over steel decks
- Roof assembly installed over concrete decks
- Roof assembly installed over insulating concrete
- Roof assembly installed over wood deck
- Installing coal tar pitch built-up roofing
- Installing roofing felts
- Installing flashing and counter-flashing for built-up roofs
- Selecting appropriate type of shingles
- Installing architectural metal roofs
- Membrane Waterproofing
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Get Business Insurance For Your Contractor Business
Business insurance may seem like a small detail in your journey to get a contractor’s license in Florida. But in reality, it’s a big decision. That’s because it can determine how much financial protection your business has in the event of certain occurrences, like if property gets damaged or someone gets injured.
Below are three steps you can take to make sure you choose the right insurance coverage for your contractor business.
Florida Roofing License Application
The application process for the Registered and Certified Contractor License are as follows:
- Step 1:
Complete either Individual or Business Application for Contractor License with Test Scores Included.
- Step 3:
Include Credit Score, Proof of Experience, Proof of Insurance and Completed Background Check with Application.
Applicants will be expected to prove active worker’s compensation within 30 days of the Florida contractor license being issued.
Completed applications can be sent to:
State of Florida
Department of Business and Professional Regulation
1940 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783
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Licensing And Registration Fee Summary
The application fee for a certified general contractors license, separate from the exam fees, is as follows:
- If all exam parts were passed prior to January 1, 2009: $409.
- Applications sent after August 31, 2019: $309.
The application fees for a registered general contractors license are as follows:
- If applying between May 1 of an odd year through August 31st of an even year: $309.
- If applying between September 1 of an even year through April 30 of an odd year: $209.
Checks should be made payable to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Passing Floridas Roofing Contractor Examination
A major requirement for those seeking to obtain initial licensure as a roofing contractor is to pass the Roofing Contractor Examination. Understand that before an applicant can take the examination, he or she must possess the basic education and experience obtained and acquired via the following options:
Option 1
A 4-year bachelors degree in engineering, building construction or architecture, and at least one year of actual work experience in actual roof construction and repair.
Option 2
As alternative to a bachelors degree, the equivalent is to have four years of active experience as a worker in the roofing industry of which at least one year was spent as foreman in charge of a crew while acting under instructions of a superintendent.
Option 3
A combination junior or community college education and related work experience as a W-2 employee of a licensed roofing contractor. This requirement works on a sliding scale, as the more accredited courses completed by a licensure applicant, the less years of related experience will be required.
This denotes that those who acquired additional education and training in roofing methods and technologies from their employers, would pose as an advantage.
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Florida Contractor License Types
To get a Florida contractors license the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board, operating under the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, requires you to be approved at the state level. The state offers two broad classifications for licensing:
- Certified license which is valid throughout the state, permitting the contractor to work anywhere in Florida.
- Registered license which limits the contractor to work within specific local jurisdictions. It also requires him/her to have been issued a certificate of competency by those jurisdictions.
Applicants can then apply for more specific contractors licenses under these classifications. A general contractor may be most concerned with applying for the following:
- Building Contractor For the construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of commercial and residential buildings that do surpass three stories in height.
- Residential Contractor For the construction, repair, remodeling, or improvement of one-family to three-family dwellings that do not surpass two stories in height.
- General Contractor Not limited in the construction, repair, alteration, remodeling, or improvement of any structure or building type.
Florida Construction School For Roofing
While there isnt an education requirement that must be met before an applicant can take the roofing licensing exam, it is highly recommended that even those with experience in the field take an exam prep course. There is a huge difference between having the field experience to repair and replace roofing structures, and understanding the nitty-gritty details associated with the trade knowledge and business and finance questions that are found on the licensing exam.
Gold Coast School of Construction will fully prepare you to pass the roofing licensing exam and obtain your roofing contractors license. You can learn more information about how the Gold Coast curriculum works by visiting the course information page, or by contacting a helpful career counselor at 1-800-732-9140. You will quickly learn why Florida contractors trust Gold Coast Schools, where The Proof is in the Passing!
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Florida State Business Licenses And Registration
Depending on your business structure, you will register and become licensed to do business in Florida through separate agencies. Small businesses will register through the Florida Department of Revenue.
Corporations, non-profits, LLCs, and partnerships will register through the Florida Division of Corporations.
How Do I Obtain A License
To apply for your license, contact the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or visit the Contractor’s Board Website.
14 hours of continuing education are required each renewal. Florida does not have any reciprocity agreements.
With RocketCert, our education is written but a combination of professional educators and industry professionals. Our exam prep is guaranteed to help you pass the exam, and is backed with our no pass, no pay policy. We pride ourselves on providing industry leading customer service. Also, if you find a better price, we will beat it by 20%.
The first step is to obtain pre-approval for your exam. This can be completed through PTI by calling 407-264-0562.
Preparing to pass the State exam is a critical part of the licensing process. Failing the exam can result in substantial delays before you are able to work under your license. We offer industry leading exam prep and all of the required books, at an unbeatable price.
After studying with RocketCert, you will be on your way to passing the required State exam . Contact PSI at 800-733-9267 to begin this process. Testing centers are setup throughout the State in larger cities.
Next you will need to submit to background checks, form a legal entity, obtain all required insurance, and obtain a bond .
After completing all the steps above, it will be time to apply through DBPR to obtain your Florida Contractors License. Have questions or concerns with this process ? Our licensing specialists can help you with the process.
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Florida Roofing Contractor License
A Florida Roofing Contractor is a contractor whose services are unlimited in the roofing trade and who has the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, alter, extend, or design, if not prohibited by law, and use materials and items used in the installation, maintenance, extension, and alteration of all kinds of roofing, waterproofing, and coating, except when coating is not represented to protect, repair, waterproof, stop leaks, or extend the life of the roof. The scope of work of a Roofing Contractor also includes skylights and any related work, required roof-deck attachments, and any repair or replacement of wood roof sheathing or fascia as needed during roof repair or replacement and any related work.
Become A Licensed Roofer Today
Roofing contractors are in high demand across Florida. With the number of residential and commercial buildings across the state, new roofing as well as roofing repair companies have a huge opportunity to build extremely viable businesses. Whether you are looking to run a small residential roofing operation, or you want to tackle large scale projects, you must have the proper roofing license in order to legally do so.
In this article we will breakdown and simplify what it takes to become a licensed roofing contractor in the state of Florida.
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Why Licensing Is Important
Licensing is crucial, no matter what state you want to work in, and its provided by either a state or district-based authority. Having a license means accessing various job opportunities in your state, which includes large-scale projects like designing plumbing layouts. Performing plumbing work without a proper license is an offense under section 221D, sub-section 1 of the Building Act 1993.
Getting licensed from your state-based authority is a beneficial turning point for a plumbers career. It promotes learning about the specific plumbing problems that are common in a state, and how to address them with advanced methods.
Joining A National Or Regional Association
A very important step that many contractors take after being granted their license is to join a national or regional roofing association. Not only does joining one of these associations improve your credibility, making you stand out amongst a sea of other contractors, but it also keeps you informed and in the loop on all of the latest developments and happenings from within the roofing industry itself, should there be any changes in rules or regulations, you will be the first to know if you become a member of a national or regional roofing association.
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Florida General Contractor Exam
All applicants for a certified Florida contractors license are required to pass the Florida State Construction Examination. Your Florida general contractor exam will be administered through Professional Testing, Inc. Before beginning the application process for actual licensure, you will need to take and pass your exam. The exam has three parts, and the applicant must pass all three:
For parts 1 and 2, the paper-and-pencil test may be taken in Tallahassee, Orlando, or Miami. The applicant must select first and second choices on the exam application. The exams are administered every other month, in February, April, June, August, October, and December. Completed applications and indicated fees must be received by the testing office no later than 30 days prior to the examination date.
Applicants for a registered Florida contractors license may, in lieu of taking the Florida State Construction Examination, present a Certificate of Competency issued by the local building authority in the jurisdiction in which they wish to work. Applicants not in possession of a current certificate must take the construction exam before beginning the examination process. All procedures and fees outlined above for the exam for a certified license also apply to the exam for the registered license.
Proof Of Experience And State Examination
To become a certified contractor, you need to show proof of 4 years of experience in the field in which you wish to become certified. It should include a minimum 1 year of supervisory experience. You can substitute up to 3 years of experience with three years of college credit hours.
Depending on the type of license that you want to get, you may need to provide additional proof of experience. This applies specifically for Florida general contractor license and residential contractor license applicants, among others.
You also need to pass the Florida contractor license exam. All license types require that, except for the Swimming Pool Specialty one.
Florida registered contractor license applicants have to either pass the certification exam as well, or get a Certificate of Competency from their city or countys licensing authority.
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What To Do If You Want To Be A Florida Roofer
Want to get into roofing? If you like working with your hands, and doing physical labor, a job as a roofing contractor could be a great match for you.
What does a roofing contractor do? A roofer installs, maintains, repairs, alters, extends and designs everything to do with roofs. They are skilled in knowing how to waterproof, coat, repair, stop leaks, and more. Roofing contractors repair and replace and install roofs in both residential homes and commercial buildings. A roofer can be self-employed or work for a larger construction-based company.
As a roofer, you dont have to worry about your job disappearing. This career type will never be put out of work as roofs will always be found on homes and buildings across the country and world.
You cant just have knowledge of roofing to become a roofer. You need a license. Without the license, you are practicing illegally and unsafely in Florida. If any problem occurs, you can get into a lot of legal trouble.
As a roofer, you can also have a specialty when it comes to roofing. Roofs are made from all different materials. Roofers can choose which type of roofs they are exceptionally skilled at installing or repair, like metal or tile, and some people even do solar panels.
- Built-up Roofing Systems
Obtaining A License For Commercial Roofing Florida
Every state has different requirements before you are issued a license as a certified roofer Orlando. We recommend you to check with your state to know what is required of you to be given a license as a roofer.
You must have completed a specific job training and experience hour, including passing the Orland state licensing board exam.
An employer may necessarily not demand a license before you are employed, but having a license will help you get a senior position in the field.
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