Get A Grandfathered Contractors License
This method is common for contractors who tend to inherit the license of a contractor within their family or someone close to them. When retiring, one contractor may pass their license on to another. However, this doesn’t excuse the new contractor from taking the licensing exam.
If you’re interested in a grandfathered contractors license from a different state than the one you work in, contact The Office of Business and Professional Regulation.
We Take The Guesswork Out Of The Licensure Process
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No need to worry, at API Processing, we handle it all for you! Unlike our competitors, API manages provides license exam services from start to finish. We oversee our clients application until its approved! At API, we have the knowledge and resources to help our contractor clients deal with special circumstances that could potentially stall licensure. We specialize in handling all problematic issues and if a board appearance is required for any reason, we thoroughly prepare you for the process. Let us be your Registered Agent…
How Do I Prove My Roofing Experience To The Florida Contractor License Board
Be prepared to submit:
- A description of your work experience and projects
- Employment History
- Contact Information of a qualifying contractor
- The dates when your experience was gained
For a complete look at how you will need to prove experience when applying to the Florida roofing contractor license, check out this resource.
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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.
How Many Questions Are On The Florida Roofing Exam
The Florida State Roofing examination is based on trade-specific information pertaining to materials, tools, equipment, practices, terminology, and relevant laws. The examination is a five hour, open book exam that consists of 80 questions.
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How To Get A Roofing License In Florida: A Step
Contractor Tips , Posted by Nicole Zemaitis on
Florida is a beautiful state that many folks are happy to call home. With incredible natural surroundings, rich culture, and sunshine galore, its no wonder more people are flocking south year after year. But with the incredible weather comes the significant risk of damage to property during hurricane season. Thats where the need for Certified Roofing Contractors in the state of Florida comes in.
Because Florida is prone to inclement weather during the summer and autumn months, the state needs professionals in the Florida construction industry who focus on property restoration, especially roofing. If you want to seek a fulfilling career in construction, consider getting your roofing license in Florida. Heres everything you need to know to get started.
Know If You Need Additional Contractors Licenses
Florida offers multiple types of contractors licenses, some of which may impact how many exams you need to take . While this article is geared towards the general certified contractors license, Florida offers separate requirements for:
- HVAC technicians
- Sheet metal
- And more
Depending on your specialty areas, you may need to apply for more than one license. For example, if youre a contractor who wants to work on roofing projects, youll need to apply for both the general certified contractor license and the contractors license for roofers.
You can find the entire list of special licenses here.
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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
License Renewal And Expiration
Licenses are renewed every two years. Certified contractors need to renew their licenses before August 31 of every even-numbered year. Registered contractors have to undergo the procedure before August 31 of every odd-numbered year.
There are different fees for renewing depending on whether the license is current, delinquent, active or inactive:
- Current active $209 for individuals and $259 for qualifying businesses
- Current inactive $59
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Florida Contractor License Requirements
To take the Florida roofing exam you must meet the following basic requirements:
- 18 years of age
- Not currently on probation or parole
You must also:
- Journeyman Trade Experience
- Show proof of financial solvency with a minimum 660 Credit Score
- Hold General Liability Insurance and Worker’s Compensation
- Complete a Criminal Background Check
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.
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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.
Submit Your Florida Contractor License Application
How to fill out your application:
Please complete your application plainly in ink.
Licensing Fees:
Payments must be made in the form of personal or cashiers checks, and payable to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Certified Contractor application fees:
- $249 if applying in the period between May 1st of an even year and August 31st of an odd year.
- $149 if applying in the period between September 1st of an odd year and April 30th of an even year.
Registered Contractor application fees:
- $309 if applying in the period between May 1st of an odd year and August 31st of an even year.
- $209 if applying in the period between September 1st of an even year and April 30th of an odd year.
Mailing Address:
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Construction Law Vs Construction Trade
A contractor license school’s main focus should be on the law.
Most states offer several different types of licenses, so if a school is telling you it can teach you your trade, be wary as that is not realistic.
You can however review roof construction concepts you may have forgotten.
Many excellent online resources cover the basics of electricity, HVAC, Masonry, Carpentry, and much more
Check out our complete list of Trade Skills Courses
License And Registration Fees
Licensing fees for certified contractors are:
- $249 when applying between May 1 of an even year and August 31 of an odd year
- $149 when applying between September 1 of an odd year and April 30 of an even year
For registered contractors, the fees are the following:
- $309 when applying between May 1 of an odd year and August 31 of an even year
- $209 when applying for between September 1 of an even year and April 30 of an odd year
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Work With A Responsible Managing Officer
You may be ready to run your own business, but you can’t get very far without a license. Instead, you have the option of working with what’s called a responsible managing officer or a responsible managing employee .
In this case, the responsible contractor or employee assumes responsibility with the board for any legal qualifiers under the license. If you hire an RME or RMO, then that contractor is considered an employee of your business until the project is completed. Keep in mind that this applies to jobs that pay over $500.
Experience Options For Military Veterans
- Three years of military service and one year experience as a foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying
- Two years of military service, one year experience as a foreman, and one year experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying
- One year of military service, one year experience as a foreman, and two years experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying
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Is A Roofer A Good Career
For all the long hours put in during spring and summer you can take a nice extended break to travel or even pick up a hobby. A roofing career certainly wont be a good fit for everyone, but for the person who likes to learn about an industry from the ground up, it can be an exciting and rewarding career.
How Hard Is The Contractors Exam
The California contractor license exam is challenging and most people need some outside assistance or study material in order to pass it. The law test will consist of about 125 questions. The trade exams vary in length depending on your classification. There are about 80 to 125 questions on the trade, on average.
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Free Guide: How To Switch To Commercial
1. Determine the field of work you want to be licensed for. 2. Request an application and fill it out.
- Being at least 18 years of age
- Evidence of high school education completion or equivalent
- Evidence of legal residency or citizenship within the United States
- Documentation of other occupational licenses held within a given state
- Passport-sized photo documentation of applicant
- Company registration with your Secretary of State office
- Some states require surety bonds and criminal background checks, including fingerprint scanning
Contractor licensing applications are typically provided by your Secretary of States office. Many Secretaries of State have made these applications available for download and/or electronic submittal. Check with your Secretary of State office for more information about the proper state authorities to contact if their office does not handle state licensing.
3. Complete and pass all required testing. Written examinations are required by many states for tradecraft licensing. For state projects, questionnaires will be required for job bidding. You will be required to pay fees for the written examination, along with other fees required for the roofing contractor license in your state. Written examination fees are typically nonrefundable and can range from $50-100, sometimes more. States also differ in whether or not they allow open-book testing. Some important to details to keep in mind about the written examinations for state licensing are the following:
Contractor Licenses In Florida
A roofing license is a must if you wish to work in Florida, but it does have a lot of requirements that youll have to be sure are complete before applying. According to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, any contractor wanting to perform roofing services of any sort must have a license. Florida roofing licenses are issued to workers 18 years or older and who has at least four years of experience. This can come in a variety of ways such as a degree in a construction-related field from a four-year college or a mix of accredited college classes with real work experience, with at least one as a foreman. Additionally, anyone seeking a roofing license in Florida must also pass an exam.
You can then schedule a date to take the required exam. The exam fee is $135 and you must get a score of 70% or higher. Its a good idea to take some time and study before the exam so youre prepared. The Florida DBPR provides a list of helpful study materials to review. You can view it here.
A background check and fingerprints are also required to obtain a roofing license in Florida. You must use an approved vendor to perform the fingerprinting and submit it to the state. The cost of this can vary depending on where you have it done.
Once youve obtained your Florida roofing license, you can now start to work with homeowners near you!
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Apply To Take Your Florida Contractor License Exam
So heres the deal: You actually cant apply for your contractors license until you take the Florida Exam for Contractors.
Dont worry, it shouldnt be difficult to take its just designed to test your knowledge of basic safety, business finances, building, and other related topics. The exam is typically held every other month for one week and in various cities.
You can check out the upcoming schedule for the Florida exam here.
In order to register for an exam, you can apply by phone at 264-0562 or online by clicking here. Youll need to pay two fees to take this exam: the $135 registration fee and the $80 exam site administration fee .
If you choose to apply for the exam online, you can pay these fees all at once.
Our Online Option Is Best For:
- Students that are self-motivated and prefer to create their own schedule, but also want the option to attend Livestream instructor lead sessions and state exam reviews.
- Students that want immediate access to start their online course modules.
- Live Streaming Open House on every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- Learn more about how the Gold Coast contractor exam prep program will fully prepare to get your contractor license: Attend Open House
Online Course Tuition
- Last Tuesdays of each month
- Last Thursdaysof each month
State Reference Books
Tuition does not include the state required reference books and tab sets.
If you do not have the current book and tab sets you will have the option to add on a complete book and tab set during the checkout process, or by visiting our online bookstore: View Online Bookstore. Contact our helpful Career Counselors at for more information.
Open House
Live Streaming Open House on every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Learn more about how the Gold Coast contractor exam prep program will fully prepare to get your contractor license: Register Now!
Roofing Contractor License Requirements in Florida:
Important note about experience:
South Dade
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What You Need To Know About Contractor License Schools
If you are looking to prepare for your Florida roofing license exam, taking contractor classes could be a huge help. Most contractor resources include:
- Bilingual study materials
- Online classes taught by industry professionals
- Application assistance
- Insurance and Business services
Many tradesmen find themselves a bit confused when faced with questions about construction accounting, balance sheets, workers compensation, employee rights, job site safety, and Florida state construction law.
These topics can be learned quickly. Studying consistently in the weeks leading up to your exam day will help you greatly.
Practice exams and study guides breaking down everything you need to know can be found here.
Florida Roofing License Requirements And Penalties
Florida roofers, like all contractors, must be licensed to perform work. In this brief article, a roofing lawyer in Florida discusses the licensing regulations that you must abide by as well as the penalties for breaking these laws. As mentioned below, the penalties for contracting without a license in the Sunshine State are severe. If youve been accused of contracting without a license in the state of Florida, consult a roofing attorney in Florida for assistance.
Who Needs a License in the State of Florida?
With very few exceptions, all contractors must be licensed in the State of Florida. Under Florida law, you must obtain either a certified license or a registered license to perform work. A certified license allows you to contract in in any jurisdiction in the state without being required to fulfill the competency requirements of that jurisdiction. A registered contractors license, on the other hand, only allows you to perform work in the jurisdiction that issued the license.
Contracting Without a License
If you would like to speak with a roofing lawyer in Florida, please contact us today.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.
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