Florida Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Florida State Fire Marshal, through the Bureau of Fire Prevention within the Department of Financial Services, licenses fire protection system contractors statewide under Fla. Stat. §633.318 and Fla. Admin. Code 69A-46. Florida issues five contractor classes: Contractor I (full scope of fire protection systems excluding pre-engineered), Contractor II (water-based sprinkler systems, foam-water, standpipes, combination risers), Contractor III (CO2, foam, dry chemical, halon and other chemical systems), Contractor IV (one- and two-family dwelling sprinkler systems and mobile homes — requires a Certified Plumbing Contractor license as a prerequisite), and Contractor V (underground piping for water-based fire protection — requires a Certified Underground Utility & Excavation Contractor license or four years of equivalent experience).

Regulatory Oversight

Florida State Fire Marshal — Bureau of Fire Prevention (Department of Financial Services) (SFM / BFP) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Fla. Stat. §633.318; Fla. Admin. Code 69A-46. The State Fire Marshal Bureau of Fire Prevention licenses fire protection system contractors I–V, administers the contractor exams, and adopts the Florida Fire Prevention Code (which incorporates NFPA 1, NFPA 101, NFPA 13/13R/13D, and NFPA 25).

Official portal: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/sfm/bfp/regulatory-licensing
Address: 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 413-3604

Who May Apply

To qualify, an applicant must have reached age 18 and hold a valid Social Security Number. No Florida residency requirement. Out-of-state entities must register with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations.

Good moral character

BFP reviews each applicant for fitness, including disclosure of any prior fire protection license discipline.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure and Live Scan fingerprint background check for the qualifier.

Required Experience and Education

Plan to substantiate 4 years of Contractor I, II, III: four years of verifiable full-time employment with a Florida Fire Protection System Contractor I, II, or III. Contractor IV: a current Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor license plus completion of an SFM-approved residential sprinkler training program. Contractor V: a current Florida Certified Underground Utility & Excavation Contractor license OR four years of verifiable underground utility experience with hard records. Payroll, tax, project logs, and supervisor verification are what the board relies on when it reviews the claim.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

BFP Verification of Experience form signed by each prior Florida-licensed contractor
W-2 or 1099 records covering the qualifying period
Florida CPC license (for Contractor IV) or CUC license (for Contractor V)

Education substitution

Approved fire protection apprenticeship and accredited engineering coursework may substitute for portions of the experience requirement at BFP discretion.

Examination Requirements

Pearson VUE (under contract to the Florida Department of Financial Services / SFM) runs the examination for this credential. Issuance is contingent on passing every part below:

Florida Fire Protection System Contractor I / II / III / IV / V — NFPA 13/13R/13D, NFPA 25, hydraulics, Florida Fire Prevention Code, and business and law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $60 per Pearson VUE exam attempt, plus the SFM application fee.

Retake policy: Failed exams may be re-taken after a 30-day waiting period and a new fee.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

The cited state source set does not require a contractor license surety bond for this credential. Contractors should still confirm project-specific bond, permit-bond, or public-works bond requirements before bidding.

General liability

Fla. Stat. §633.318 requires the contractor to maintain general liability insurance of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $200,000 aggregate, with property damage coverage of at least $25,000.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory in Florida for any contractor with one or more employees under Fla. Stat. §440.

Additional financial requirements

No financial statement requirement.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$350
Examination	$60
Initial license	$400
Renewal (every 2 years)	$400

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Florida Fire Protection System Contractor I / II / III / IV / V (State Fire Marshal) comes due every 2 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $400. BFP licenses renew every two years. Late renewal incurs reinstatement fees and may force re-examination if the lapse exceeds the rule deadline.

Continuing education: Florida requires 14 hours of BFP-approved CEUs each two-year renewal cycle, including specified core fire protection topics. Failure to complete CEUs blocks renewal.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Florida Fire Sprinkler License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Florida for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

Florida does not formally reciprocate fire sprinkler licenses. Out-of-state qualifiers must pass the Florida Pearson VUE exam covering the Florida Fire Prevention Code regardless of any other state license held.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Fire Sprinkler license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Application Process, Step by Step

Document four years of fire protection experience. Complete the BFP Verification of Experience form signed by each prior Florida Contractor I/II/III employer (or hold the prerequisite CPC / CUC license for Contractor IV / V).
Designate a qualifier. The qualifier must be a full-time employee of the applicant entity and serve as the responsible person for the license.
Submit the BFP application. File the application with the experience verification, qualifier designation, insurance certificates, and the application fee.
Pass the Pearson VUE Florida fire protection exam at 75%+. Score 75% or better on NFPA 13/13R/13D, NFPA 25, hydraulics, Florida Fire Prevention Code, and business and law.
Complete Live Scan fingerprinting. The qualifier must complete Live Scan fingerprinting as part of the background check.
Receive the BFP Certificate of Competency. BFP issues the Class I/II/III/IV/V certificate after exam pass and document review.
Coordinate plan review with the local fire official. Each project requires sealed plans, hydraulic calculations, plan review by the local fire official, and final acceptance testing per NFPA 13 chapter 25.
Track CEU compliance for renewal. Florida requires 14 hours of approved CEUs each two-year renewal cycle, including specified core fire protection topics.

Recommended References

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

Florida Fire Prevention Code (current edition) — Florida State Fire Marshal. Primary Florida-specific reference for the Pearson VUE exam.
NFPA 13 — Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems — National Fire Protection Association. Adopted by reference in the Florida Fire Prevention Code.
NFPA 13D and NFPA 13R — National Fire Protection Association. Required for Contractor IV residential scope.
NFPA 25 — Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems — National Fire Protection Association. Required for service scope.

Frequent Application Errors

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Florida Fire Sprinkler application.

Wrong contractor class

Each of the five Florida classes has a strictly defined scope. Performing residential sprinkler work under a Contractor II license, or pre-engineered system work under a Contractor I license, triggers a §633.318 violation.

Missing the 75% passing score

Florida requires 75% (not 70%) on the Pearson VUE exam. Studying to a 70% target is a common reason candidates fail.

Skipping the prerequisite license for IV / V

Contractor IV requires a Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor license; Contractor V requires a Florida Certified Underground Utility & Excavation Contractor license. Missing the prerequisite causes outright denial.

CEU shortage at renewal

Florida's 14-hour CEU requirement is strict. CEUs must come from BFP-approved providers and cover specified core topics. Generic NICET CPD does not always count.

Qualifier not full-time

The qualifier must be a bona fide full-time employee of the applicant entity. Sharing a qualifier across companies is grounds for §633.318 disciplinary action.

Document Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with SFM / BFP:

☐ Four years documented experience under a Florida Contractor I/II/III (or prerequisite CPC/CUC for IV/V)
☐ Designated qualifier who is a full-time employee
☐ Pearson VUE Florida fire protection exam pass certificate (75%+)
☐ Live Scan fingerprint background check
☐ BFP application and fee
☐ General liability ($100k/$200k minimum) and workers compensation certificates
☐ Local fire official plan review and acceptance testing per project
☐ 14 CEU hours per two-year renewal cycle

Other Florida Trade Licenses

CLR covers other Florida trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:

Questions Applicants Ask

What are the five Florida fire protection contractor classes?

Contractor I covers all fire protection systems excluding pre-engineered. Contractor II is limited to water-based sprinkler systems, foam-water, standpipes, and combination risers. Contractor III covers CO2, foam, dry chemical, halon, and other chemical systems. Contractor IV is residential sprinklers in one- and two-family dwellings and mobile homes (requires Florida CPC license). Contractor V is underground piping for water-based systems (requires Florida CUC license or 4 years equivalent experience).

How many years of experience does Florida require?

Four years of full-time employment with a Florida Fire Protection System Contractor I, II, or III for the I/II/III classes. Contractor IV requires a current Florida CPC license; Contractor V requires a Florida CUC license or four years of underground utility experience.

What is the passing score on the Florida fire protection exam?

75% (not 70%). The exam covers NFPA 13/13R/13D, NFPA 25, hydraulics, the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and business and law.

How many CEU hours does Florida require for renewal?

14 hours of approved CEUs each two-year renewal cycle, including specified core fire protection topics. Failure to document CEUs blocks renewal.

Does Florida reciprocate fire sprinkler licenses?

No. Out-of-state qualifiers must pass the Florida Pearson VUE exam covering the Florida Fire Prevention Code regardless of any other state license held.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-05-25 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-23