Does a Florida contractor need a licence?
Florida licenses some trades at state level and forbids local licences for others, so here is what applies before you hire, each answer with the law it comes from and the date we read it.
Does a Florida contractor still need a surety bond?
No, not since 5 May 2024, when the Board replaced the bond option with a credit test: an applicant shows financial stability with a FICO score of 660 or above, or by completing a Board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course. Pages still quoting a $20,000 or $10,000 contractor bond are out of date.
Source: Fla. Admin. Code R. 61G4-15.006(2)(a)-(b), amended effective 5/5/2024. https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-61G4-15-006 (read 21 September 2026)
Does a Florida contractor need insurance?
Yes, and the minimum depends on the category: a general contractor carries $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, while roofing, air-conditioning, plumbing, residential and specialty categories carry $100,000 and $25,000. Workers' compensation follows Chapter 440. The applicant files an affidavit of that coverage.
Source: Fla. Admin. Code R. 61G4-15.003 (insurance minimums); F.S. 489.115(5). https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-61G4-15-003 (read 21 September 2026)
How do I get quotes from Florida contractors without a visit?
Contractors who take part estimate from your photos and a written scope card, so nobody visits before you see any prices. Homeowners pay InstaBids nothing. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection. The contractor you pick may visit once before settling the final price against the percentage the bid stated.
How do I check a Florida contractor's licence?
Search the DBPR "Verify a Licensee" database by name, licence number, city or county, or licence type. Two boards issue these: the Construction Industry Licensing Board covers roofing, air-conditioning, plumbing and general, and the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board covers electrical. Check that the name of record matches the company you are hiring.
Source: Florida DBPR Licensee Search. https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID= (read 21 September 2026)
Does a roofer need a state licence in Florida?
Yes, a roofing contractor must hold a state certificate or registration, issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board at DBPR, and the category is unlimited in the roofing trade. Casual or minor work under $2,500 in aggregate is exempt only if the person does not advertise as a contractor.
Source: F.S. 489.105(3)(e); F.S. 489.103(9). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/Sections/0489.105.html (read 21 September 2026)
Does an HVAC contractor need a state licence in Florida?
Yes, as a Class A air-conditioning contractor, whose scope is unlimited, a Class B, limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating per system, or a mechanical contractor. The Construction Industry Licensing Board issues all three, and the same under-$2,500 casual exemption applies.
Source: F.S. 489.105(3)(f)-(i); F.S. 489.103(9). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/Sections/0489.105.html (read 21 September 2026)
Does a plumber need a state licence in Florida?
Yes, a plumbing contractor must hold a state certificate or registration from the Construction Industry Licensing Board, and the category is unlimited in the plumbing trade. As with roofing, casual or minor work under $2,500 in aggregate is exempt only where the person does not advertise as a contractor.
Source: F.S. 489.105(3)(m); F.S. 489.103(9). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/Sections/0489.105.html (read 21 September 2026)
Does an electrician need a state licence in Florida?
Yes, and electrical sits under a different board, the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board, in Part II of Chapter 489. A certified electrical contractor may work statewide; a registered one may work only in the jurisdiction of registration. The electrical exemptions contain no casual or minor dollar threshold.
Source: F.S. 489.505(8),(12),(16); F.S. 489.503. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/Sections/0489.505.html (read 21 September 2026)
Do painters, flooring installers or fence builders need a Florida licence?
No state licence covers these three, and the rules differ:
- Painting and flooring: no state licence, and a local government may not require one.
- Rooftop painting above three stories: a local licence may continue if imposed before 1 January 2021.
- Fencing: county or city only, where imposed before 1 January 2021, and not in the state database.
Source: F.S. 489.117(4)(a)1 and 489.117(4)(a)3. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/Sections/0489.117.html (read 21 September 2026)
Is there a cap on a contractor's deposit in Florida?
No, Florida sets no cap on the deposit amount, and instead regulates what follows a large one: a contractor taking more than 10 percent of the contract price up front must apply for permits within 30 days of that payment and start work within 90 days after permits issue, absent just cause or your written agreement.
Source: F.S. 489.126(2)(a). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/Sections/0489.126.html (read 21 September 2026)
What is Florida's right to cancel a home contract?
Three business days, for a home-solicitation sale: consumer goods or services over $25 sold at your home rather than at the seller's place of business, cancellable until midnight of the third business day. The statute excludes a sale resulting from your own specific request, so whether it reaches a bid you invited is a lawyer's question.
Source: F.S. 501.025(1)-(3); F.S. 501.021. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0501/Sections/0501.025.html (read 21 September 2026)
What must a Florida contract over $2,500 contain?
Two notices apply to residential contracts over $2,500: the Construction Lien Law notice for homes of up to four units, in at least 12-point capitalised bold on the front page or a separate signed page, and the Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund notice with the Board's address and phone.
Source: F.S. 713.015(1); F.S. 489.1425(1)-(2). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/Sections/0489.1425.html (read 21 September 2026)
What is the Notice to Owner a subcontractor sends me?
Typically a subcontractor or supplier with no direct contract with you must serve it before starting or within 45 days of first furnishing, and it carries a warning that a lien can reach your property even if you have paid your contractor in full. Keep every one you receive and match it against your contractor's final payment affidavit.
Source: F.S. 713.06(2)(a),(2)(c); F.S. 713.06(3)(d). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0713/Sections/0713.06.html (read 21 September 2026)
Before you sign anything
Look the licence up yourself, check that the name of record matches the company written on the contract, and keep every notice that arrives about your job. Ten minutes of that is worth more than any list of company names, including ours.
Start a bid card
Describe the job once, add photos, and use the written scope to describe the work. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection.
InstaBids is in an early pilot in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We are still building our contractor network, so a job may not get bids yet. Your request page shows whether any bids have come in.
Last checked: 21 September 2026 · What not to tell a contractor · How it works