Florida Certified General Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), housed within the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), issues two tiers of general contractor credentials under Chapter 489, Part I of the Florida Statutes. The Certified General Contractor (CGC) license authorizes work anywhere in Florida with no scope limit on building height, occupancy, or structural complexity. The Registered General Contractor (RG) license is local-government-based and limits the contractor to the jurisdiction that granted competency. Almost every serious Florida general contractor pursues the CGC because it eliminates the per-county registration burden and unlocks state-wide bidding.

The Licensing Authority

Licensing for this trade is governed by Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation) (CILB / DBPR), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under Florida Statutes Chapter 489, Part I (Construction Contracting); Fla. Admin. Code Chapter 61G4. CILB licenses certified and registered contractors in 22 categories, adopts the Florida Building Code by reference, conducts disciplinary proceedings, and administers the Construction Industries Recovery Fund. DBPR processes applications, collects fees, and issues licenses. The Board meets in person approximately every two months to vote on applications that fall outside staff approval authority.

Official portal: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/construction-industry/
Address: 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783
Phone: (850) 487-1395

Baseline Eligibility

The threshold requirements are straightforward: age 18 or above, plus a valid Social Security Number. No Florida residency requirement.

Good moral character

CILB conducts a moral character review on every applicant. Convictions for crimes related to contracting (theft, fraud, construction-related felonies) are disqualifying absent rehabilitation evidence. CILB votes on each disclosed conviction at the bi-monthly board meeting.

Background investigation

Mandatory FDLE/FBI Level 2 background check via electronic fingerprinting. Results must be on file before the license can issue.

Experience and Education Requirements

A minimum of four years of proven construction experience under a licensed contractor, with at least one year as a foreman in new construction (vertical construction, not strictly site work) must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Form DBPR CILB 4359 — Verification of Construction Experience, completed and signed by each supervising licensed contractor (not by the applicant)
W-2 statements, pay stubs, or 1099 records covering the qualifying period
Construction-related college transcripts (an accredited four-year construction degree may substitute for up to three years of experience)
DD-214 for U.S. military construction experience (active military construction service substitutes year-for-year)

Education substitution

A four-year accredited construction-related bachelor's degree substitutes for three years of experience (one year of supervised field experience is still required). A two-year accredited degree substitutes for one year. Active military construction experience substitutes year-for-year.

The Licensing Examination

Testing is handled by Professional Testing, Inc. (under contract to DBPR/CILB). The applicant has to pass each part listed here before the credential is granted:

Business and Finance — 120 questions, 390 minutes, passing score 70%
Contract Administration — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
Project Management — 120 questions, 360 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $199 per part, paid to Professional Testing on the day of testing.

Retake policy: Failed parts may be re-taken individually by paying a new $199 fee per part. Each passed part remains valid for four years; the applicant must pass all required parts within that window or restart the process.

Financial Security and Insurance

No license surety bond is mandated statewide here under the cited sources, though project-specific or public-works bonding obligations can still attach to a given job.

General liability

Minimum $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage insurance per Fla. Admin. Code 61G4-15.005. CILB must be named as a certificate holder.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation coverage is mandatory under Fla. Stat. Chapter 440 unless an exemption is filed within 30 days of licensure. A sole proprietor or qualifying corporate officer may file a Notice of Election to be Exempt with the Division of Workers' Compensation.

Additional financial requirements

Applicants must submit a credit report showing a FICO score of 660 or higher. Applicants below 660 must complete a 14-hour CILB-approved financial responsibility course AND, if qualifying a business entity, post a $20,000 surety bond (raised to $100,000 if the qualifier is a Financially Responsible Officer).

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$249
Examination	$597
Initial license — sole owner	$209
Initial license — non-sole owner	$259
Renewal (every 2 years)	$209

License Renewal

The Florida Certified General Contractor (CGC) must be renewed every 2 years. The fee to renew is presently $209. Florida CGC licenses renew on August 31 of every even-numbered year. Late renewal triggers a $50 delinquent fee and potential placement on inactive status. A license inactive for more than two consecutive renewal cycles is permanently null and the holder must reapply from scratch.

Continuing education: Fourteen hours of CILB-approved continuing education each two-year cycle, including one hour each of workplace safety, workers compensation, business practices, laws and rules, and advanced building code, plus the remaining hours in elective construction subjects.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity Map

Florida honors the NASCLA Accredited Examination toward this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Georgia	Trade exam waived	Reciprocal for Florida CGC and Georgia General Contractor — Unrestricted, both in good standing.
North Carolina	Trade exam waived	Reciprocal for active license holders.
Tennessee	Trade exam waived	Reciprocal under written agreement.
South Carolina	Trade exam waived	Reciprocal under written agreement.

Florida CILB recognizes the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors in lieu of the Project Management and Contract Administration exam parts (Business and Finance is still required). CILB also maintains formal trade exam reciprocity with several southeastern states for active certified contractors in good standing.

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

The Licensing Roadmap

Document four years of qualifying experience. Accumulate 48 months under a licensed contractor with at least 12 months as a foreman in new vertical construction. Use Form DBPR CILB 4359 for each supervising contractor — applicant-completed forms are rejected.
Pull a credit report and clear financial responsibility. Order a FICO credit report (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion). A score below 660 triggers either the 14-hour financial responsibility course or a surety bond and additional documentation.
Complete the DBPR CILB 4357 Initial Application. Submit the application with the $249 application fee ($149 if filing in an even year before April 30) plus the $50 unlicensed activity fund fee. Include a passport-size photo and the Verification of Construction Experience forms.
Submit electronic fingerprints. Use a DBPR-approved Livescan vendor for the FDLE/FBI Level 2 background check. Results post directly to DBPR.
Receive approval to test. Once DBPR has reviewed the application and the Board (if necessary) has voted to approve, Professional Testing will email the candidate authorization to schedule the exam parts.
Pass the Florida Contractor Examination. Sit for Business and Finance, Contract Administration, and Project Management at any Florida Pearson VUE / Professional Testing center. Score 70% or higher on each part within four years.
Submit proof of insurance and workers compensation election. File the certificate of $300,000/$50,000 liability and the workers' compensation coverage or exemption with DBPR.
Pay the initial license fee. $249 issuance fee. The license is issued on the next available print cycle and arrives by mail within two to three weeks.

Common Application Pitfalls

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Florida General Contractor applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Self-completed experience verification forms

CILB rejects any Form CILB 4359 that appears to have been completed by the applicant rather than the supervising contractor. The form must be signed in ink and submitted directly by the supervisor or notarized.

Underestimating the foreman year

CILB looks specifically for one year of foreman-level supervisory experience in new vertical construction. Pure remodel, repair, or site-development experience does not satisfy the foreman requirement and is a frequent reason for application denial.

Letting exam parts expire

Each passed exam part is valid for only four years. Candidates who pass Business and Finance early and then delay the trade parts can lose credit for the earlier passes and have to retest.

Skipping the workers compensation election

A new licensee who does not file the Notice of Election to be Exempt within 30 days is automatically presumed to need full workers compensation coverage and may be cited by the Division of Workers Compensation.

Missing the August 31 even-year renewal

Florida CGC licenses renew on a fixed two-year cycle ending August 31 of each even year, not on the anniversary of issuance. New licensees often miss the first renewal because the cycle is shorter than two full years.

Before Filing: A Checklist

Before submitting to CILB / DBPR, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

☐ DBPR CILB 4357 Initial Issuance Application with $249 fee
☐ DBPR CILB 4359 Verification of Construction Experience signed by each supervising licensed contractor
☐ FICO credit report of 660+ (or 14-hour financial responsibility course completion certificate plus bond)
☐ Certificate of Insurance — $300,000 public liability / $50,000 property damage with CILB as certificate holder
☐ Workers compensation coverage certificate or signed Notice of Election to be Exempt

Preparation Resources

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

Florida Building Code, current adopted edition — International Code Council / Florida Building Commission. Primary technical reference for the Florida Contractor Examination. The FBC is open-book at the test center.
Builder's Guide to Accounting (Walker) — Craftsman Book Company. Standard reference for the Business and Finance portion.
AIA A201 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction — American Institute of Architects. Tested on the Contract Administration portion.
Florida Statutes Chapter 489 and Fla. Admin. Code Chapter 61G4 — State of Florida. Licensing law and rules — heavily tested on Business and Finance.

Other Florida Trade Licenses

For a different Florida credential, see these companion guides published by CLR:

Answers to Common Questions

What is the difference between a Florida Certified General Contractor and a Registered General Contractor?

A Certified General Contractor (CGC) is licensed by the state and may work anywhere in Florida with no scope limit. A Registered General Contractor (RG) is licensed at the local-government level after demonstrating competency to a county or municipal board, and may only work in jurisdictions that recognize that registration. The CGC eliminates per-county registration entirely.

How many years of experience does Florida require for a CGC license?

Four years of proven construction experience under a licensed contractor, with at least one year as a foreman in new vertical construction. A four-year accredited construction degree substitutes for three years; a two-year accredited degree substitutes for one year. Active U.S. military construction service substitutes year-for-year.

What credit score does Florida require for a CGC license?

A FICO score of 660 or higher. Applicants below 660 must complete a 14-hour CILB-approved financial responsibility course and, if qualifying a business entity, post a surety bond ($20,000 standard, $100,000 if filed by a Financially Responsible Officer).

Does Florida accept the NASCLA exam?

Yes. Florida CILB recognizes the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors in lieu of the Project Management and Contract Administration parts of the Florida exam. The Business and Finance part is still required.

How much insurance does a Florida CGC need?

A minimum of $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage per Fla. Admin. Code 61G4-15.005, with CILB named as certificate holder. Workers compensation is required unless an officer exemption is filed within 30 days of licensure.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-04-26 · Next scheduled review 2026-07-25