Florida General Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), regulates general contractors under Chapter 489, Part I of the Florida Statutes. A Certified General Contractor (CGC) may contract in any Florida jurisdiction without meeting that jurisdiction’s competency requirements. A Registered General Contractor (RG) registers a local certificate of competency and may contract only in the jurisdictions for which that registration is issued. Florida describes a general contractor’s services as unlimited as to the type of work, subject to statutory scope and subcontracting requirements.

Regulatory Body

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 and regulates construction contractors. DBPR processes applications and issues licenses; the Board also considers licensure and disciplinary matters and adopts rules implementing Chapter 489.

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

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. No Florida residency requirement.

Good moral character

Applicants must be of good moral character. Disclose criminal, discipline, bankruptcy, lien, and judgment information and provide the supporting explanations and records requested by DBPR.

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

A minimum of 4 years of one qualifying pathway is four years of active construction experience as a worker, apprentice, skilled worker, or foreman, including at least one year as a foreman. Florida also recognizes specified combinations of college credit and trade or foreman experience. 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

• Current DBPR CILB 5-A (individual) or CILB 6-A (qualifying a business) initial-licensure application
• Employment and project-history documentation supporting the selected experience pathway
• Official college transcripts when using college education
• Military documentation when using relevant military training or experience

Education substitution

Florida Statutes section 489.111 provides multiple combinations of college education, skilled-worker experience, and foreman experience. A qualifying baccalaureate degree in building construction with a 3.0 GPA can also support a trade-knowledge examination exemption when the separate DBPR conditions are met.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: Professional Testing, Inc. (under contract to DBPR/CILB). The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

• Business and Finance — 120 questions, 390 minutes, passing score 70%
• Contract Administration — 60 questions, 270 minutes, passing score 70%
• Project Management — 60 questions, 270 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $135 registration fee to Professional Testing, plus Pearson VUE fees of $80 for Business and Finance and $40 each for Contract Administration and Project Management ($295 for all three parts).

Retake policy: All required parts must be passed within four years of the first scheduled examination date. The current DBPR examination package permits unlimited attempts during that period; a new registration and applicable fee are required for a retake.

Insurance and Bonds

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

For an active CGC application, DBPR CILB 5-A requires at least $300,000 public-liability and $50,000 property-damage insurance. Provide the required coverage information with the application.

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

Active applicants submit a nationally recognized credit report with a FICO-derived score and a public-records search statement. A score of 660 or higher, with no unsatisfied judgments or liens, demonstrates financial responsibility; otherwise the individual application requires proof of a CILB-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course.

Fee Schedule

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Florida general contractor.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Florida Certified General Contractor (CGC) must be renewed every 2 years. The fee to renew is presently $205. Certified CGC licenses renew August 31 of each even-numbered year. DBPR lists a $205 renewal fee plus $50 for each qualified business.

Continuing education: Fourteen hours of CILB-approved continuing education each two-year cycle: one hour each of workplace safety, workers’ compensation, business practices, laws and rules, an advanced Building Code module, wind mitigation, and cementitious cladding/stucco/plaster/lath; the remaining hours may be board-approved construction instruction.

Reciprocity

Florida honors the NASCLA Accredited Examination toward this classification.

Florida offers statutory endorsement and reciprocity pathways, including a CILB 32 reciprocity application. For Division I applicants, DBPR states that a NASCLA Accredited Examination, Florida Business and Finance examination, and an examination covering the Florida Building Code may support an endorsement application; all other statutory conditions still apply. Verify the current pathway and application with CILB before relying on an out-of-state credential.

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

General Contractor Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Florida's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

• Alabama General Contractor License Requirements — Alabama General Contractor License (prime or subcontractor)
• Georgia General Contractor License Requirements — Georgia General Contractor (Unlimited Tier)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. Choose and document an experience pathway. Confirm that your construction experience and any college credit satisfy one of the pathways in section 489.111, then assemble the supporting employment, project, education, and military records.
2. Register for the three-part examination. Apply with Professional Testing, Inc. for Business and Finance, Contract Administration, and Project Management. After approval, schedule the computer-based parts with Pearson VUE.
3. Pass all required examination parts. Complete all required parts within four years of the first scheduled examination date. Passing the exam alone does not grant the license.
4. File the current initial-licensure application. After passing, use CILB 5-A if applying as an individual or CILB 6-A if qualifying a business. Include the experience and financial-responsibility documentation required for the route you select.
5. Submit fingerprints and insurance information. Complete the DBPR fingerprint process and, for an active license, provide the required liability/property-damage and workers’ compensation coverage or a lawful exemption.
6. Complete DBPR and Board review. DBPR processes the application and CILB reviews matters requiring Board action before a certificate is issued.

Application Checklist

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

• Current CILB 5-A or CILB 6-A initial-licensure application after passing all required exam parts
• Records documenting the chosen section 489.111 experience/education pathway
• FICO-derived credit report with required public-records search statement; course certificate if needed
• Active-license insurance information — $300,000 public liability / $50,000 property damage
• Workers’ compensation coverage or a lawful exemption

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.

Common Filing Mistakes

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

Treating the exam as the license application

CILB requires a separate initial-licensure application after the examination. Passing the exam alone does not authorize contracting.

Using an unsupported experience formula

Use one of the statutory education/experience pathways and document the foreman component where the selected pathway requires it. The statute does not limit that experience to new vertical construction.

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.

Leaving financial responsibility until the end

The active initial-licensure application requires the credit report and, if the score is below 660, the approved financial-responsibility course documentation.

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.

Study and Reference Materials

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.

• DBPR Construction Contractor Candidate Information Booklet — Florida DBPR. Use the official booklet for testing procedures and permitted materials.
• DBPR General Contractor examination content outlines and reference list — Florida DBPR. The official examination page links the current content outlines and approved references for each part.

Other Florida Trade Licenses

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

• Florida Electrician License Requirements
• Florida Plumber License Requirements
• Florida HVAC Technician License Requirements
• Florida Roofing Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Painting Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Carpentry Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Solar Installer License Requirements
• Florida Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
• Florida Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Home Inspector License Requirements
• Florida Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Florida Handyman License Requirements
• Florida Pest Control License Requirements
• Florida Septic Contractor License Requirements

Frequently Asked 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 contract in any Florida jurisdiction without meeting that jurisdiction’s competency requirements, subject to the statutory scope and subcontracting rules. A Registered General Contractor (RG) holds a state registration based on local competency and may contract only in jurisdictions for which that registration is issued.

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

One route is four years of active construction experience as a worker, apprentice, skilled worker, or foreman, including one year as a foreman. Section 489.111 also provides specified combinations of college education, skilled-worker experience, and foreman experience.

What credit score does Florida require for a CGC license?

For an active individual application, a FICO-derived score of 660 or higher, with no unsatisfied judgments or liens, demonstrates financial responsibility. If the score is lower, DBPR CILB 5-A requires proof of a CILB-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course.

Does Florida accept the NASCLA exam?

DBPR states that Division I applicants who have passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination, Florida Business and Finance examination, and an examination covering the Florida Building Code may apply for endorsement. The Board must still find that all other statutory requirements are satisfied.

How much insurance does a Florida CGC need?

An active CGC applicant must provide at least $300,000 public-liability and $50,000 property-damage coverage, along with workers’ compensation coverage or a lawful exemption.

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