Florida Masonry Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) does not issue a state-certified masonry classification. Masonry contractors in Florida operate as Registered Specialty Contractors — they obtain a county-issued Certificate of Competency in Masonry from a local construction licensing board (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, etc.), then register with the DBPR/CILB to work in that county only. Contractors who want statewide authority must hold a Certified General, Building, or Residential Contractor license. This page documents the verified path including hurricane wind code detailing and OSHA silica enforcement.

Regulatory Oversight

Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) — masonry registered at county level (DBPR/CILB) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Florida Statutes Chapter 489 Part I. CILB issues Certified General, Building, Residential, and specialty contractor licenses for statewide authority. Masonry is NOT a state-certified classification — masonry contractors obtain a county Certificate of Competency from the local construction licensing board (Miami-Dade BORA, Broward CILB, Palm Beach CILB, etc.) and then register that COC with DBPR for the Registered Specialty Contractor status, valid only in the issuing county.

Official portal: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/construction-industry/

Who May Apply

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 18 and producing a valid Social Security Number. No Florida residency requirement; out-of-state entities must register with the Florida Division of Corporations.

Good moral character

CILB conducts a fitness review on every applicant. Felonies relating to construction or fraud may bar issuance.

Background investigation

Mandatory FBI fingerprint Live Scan for Certified contractors and most county COCs.

Required Experience and Education

The applicant must document and verify at least 4 years of journey-level masonry experience including supervision; one year may be substituted by accredited masonry coursework. Counties verify experience independently.. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records to support the claim, as the board can request proof for any period within its lookback window.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

County COC application affidavits signed by licensed contractors
W-2, 1099, or payroll records covering the qualifying period
Project list with permit numbers and addresses

Education substitution

Up to 3 years credit for accredited construction or masonry technology coursework under §489.111.

Examination Requirements

The licensing examination is delivered by Professional Testing Inc. (county COC) or PSI (state Certified contractors). All of the following parts must be cleared prior to issuance:

County Masonry Trade Examination — TMS 402/602, FBC 2023 Chapter 21, hurricane wind detailing, anchored veneer — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%
County Business and Finance Examination — Florida Construction Lien Law, contracts, taxes — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $135–$300 per exam section depending on the county.

Retake policy: Failed sections may be retaken after 30 days. Most county COC applications remain valid for one year.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

The cited materials impose no contractor license bond for this credential. Bear in mind that specific contracts, permits, or public works can still require their own bonds.

General liability

CILB requires $300,000 GL for Registered Specialty masonry; Certified contractors require GL by classification ($300,000 minimum). Most owners require $1,000,000 per occurrence.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation is mandatory under §440.02 for any Florida construction employer with one or more employees (zero exemption for construction). Masonry NCCI 5022 is one of the highest manual rates in Florida.

Additional financial requirements

Certified contractors must demonstrate financial responsibility (FICO 660+ or $20,000 bond). Registered specialty masonry follows county requirements.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$249
Examination	$270
Initial license	$249
Renewal (every 2 years)	$209

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Florida Masonry — Local County Certificate of Competency or Registered Specialty (CILB) comes due every 2 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $209. Florida CILB registrations renew August 31 of even-numbered years. Late renewal incurs delinquent fees plus possible reinstatement examination.

Continuing education: Florida Certified contractors require 14 hours of CE per biennium including 1 hour each of workers comp, business practices, workplace safety, laws and rules, advanced building code, and wind mitigation. Registered specialty masonry follows county CE requirements.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Florida Masonry 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
Georgia	Endorsement	Limited Certified GC endorsement; no masonry-specific reciprocity.
North Carolina	Endorsement	Limited Certified Building endorsement; no masonry-specific reciprocity.
Tennessee	Endorsement	Limited Certified Building endorsement; no masonry-specific reciprocity.

Florida CILB has limited endorsement reciprocity for Certified GC/Building licenses but no masonry-specific reciprocity. County COCs are not transferable between Florida counties.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Choose county (Registered) or statewide (Certified). Registered Specialty Masonry is valid only in the issuing county; Certified Building or General Contractor authorizes statewide work including masonry.
Document four years of masonry experience. Compile signed affidavits, payroll, and project lists per the county or CILB application.
Complete Live Scan fingerprinting. FBI/FDLE Live Scan required for Certified contractors and most county COCs.
Pass the county masonry trade exam. Score 75% or better on the county masonry trade exam covering FBC Chapter 21 and hurricane wind detailing.
Pass the county business and finance exam. Score 75% or better on the Florida Construction Lien Law, contracts, and tax exam.
Obtain county Certificate of Competency. County issues the COC after exams, fees, GL, and workers comp are verified.
Register the COC with DBPR/CILB. File the Registered Specialty Contractor application with DBPR ($249) — required to legally pull permits using the county COC.
Implement OSHA silica program. Federal OSHA enforces 29 CFR 1926.1153 in Florida; written exposure control plan and Table 1 controls are mandatory on every masonry job.

Frequent Application Errors

Drawn from the board instructions and sources cited on this page, the pitfalls below are the ones most likely to slow down or sink a Florida Masonry application.

Working in wrong county on a county COC

Pulling a permit in a county where your COC is not registered is unlicensed contracting under §489.127 — first offense is a misdemeanor, repeat is a felony.

Skipping HVHZ NOA approvals

In Miami-Dade and Broward HVHZ, all masonry units, ties, and anchors must have current Notice of Acceptance. Building officials reject inspections without NOA documentation.

Workers comp construction exemption misuse

Florida construction has zero exemption — only corporate officers (max 3) may file §440.05 exemptions. Sole proprietors with helpers must carry full workers comp or face stop-work orders.

Anchored veneer tie corrosion in coastal zones

Florida coastal salt exposure causes early veneer tie failure; FBC requires hot-dipped galvanized or stainless ties — galvanized wire fails inspection.

Silica plan absent on small jobs

OSHA targets Florida masonry sites; missing 29 CFR 1926.1153(g) plans draw immediate citations even on residential repairs.

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 Building Code 2023 (FBC) Chapter 21 — Masonry — Florida Building Commission. Florida amendments to IBC including HVHZ provisions for Miami-Dade and Broward.
TMS 402/602 Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures — The Masonry Society. Adopted by reference under FBC Chapter 21.
Florida Contractor Manual — Builders Book Inc.. Standard reference for county business and finance exams.

Document Checklist

These are the pieces to lock down before filing with DBPR/CILB:

☐ Florida Division of Corporations entity registration
☐ FBI/FDLE Live Scan fingerprinting
☐ County COC application with experience affidavits
☐ County masonry trade exam pass certificate (75%+)
☐ County business and finance exam pass certificate (75%+)
☐ $300,000 GL certificate and workers compensation certificate
☐ County Certificate of Competency issuance
☐ DBPR Registered Specialty Contractor registration ($249)
☐ OSHA silica written exposure control plan

Other Florida Trade Licenses

If the Masonry license is not the right fit, the following published Florida trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Questions Applicants Ask

Does Florida have a state masonry license?

No. Florida CILB does not certify masonry as a separate state classification. Masonry contractors operate as Registered Specialty Contractors (county-only) or under a Certified General/Building license.

Are county COCs transferable?

No. A Miami-Dade masonry COC is not valid in Broward or Palm Beach. Working multi-county requires multiple county COCs or a Certified state license.

Does Florida require workers comp for sole proprietor masons?

Yes. Florida construction has a zero-employee threshold under §440.02 — even sole proprietor masons must carry workers comp or file a §440.05 construction exemption (officers only, max 3).

What is the FBC HVHZ rule for masonry?

The Florida Building Code High Velocity Hurricane Zone (Miami-Dade and Broward) requires NOA-approved masonry products, special wind anchor details, and impact-resistant openings. Standard FBC details fail HVHZ inspections.

Does Florida enforce OSHA silica?

Federal OSHA enforces 29 CFR 1926.1153 in Florida. Written exposure control plan is mandatory for masonry cutting, grinding, and mixing.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-23 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-21