Florida

General Licensing Requirements For Concrete Contractors In Florida

As a concrete contractor in Florida, you need to obtain a license before you can begin providing commercial or residential services. You need to submit certain documentation to the Construction Industry Licensing Board before receiving approval from the state. This is the governing body that’s responsible for regulating contractors and evaluating their performance in the construction industry. They are going to review your application and credentials before they decide to approve you for a license.

How To Become A

Licensed Contractor

First and foremost, you will need to pass the contractor’s exam in addition to providing your financial records and proof of your experience in concrete construction services. Florida will generally favor you if you have a stable financial history. To be considered for the license, you must also have at
least four years of experience, with at least one of those years maintaining a supervisory position. The state of Florida will allow you to substitute your supervisory experience with three years of undergraduate schooling.

Applicants will also need to undergo a criminal background check, and they will need to submit proof of liability insurance and whatever else the Board deems necessary. This also includes active workers’ compensation coverage.

Financial

Requirements

The Board will require you to be in good financial standing before moving forward with approving your license. You must demonstrate the following requirements:

  • You don’t have any liens against you or your company (a legal claim to possession of property).
  • You must have a crest score of 660 or better. If you don’t meet this requirement, then we recommend that you request a licensing bond or irrevocable letter of credit.
  • Division I (general) contractors must have a $20,000 bond and the bond is $10,000 for Division II contractors.
  • You must complete a 14-hour financial responsibility course. You can register for the courses online.

The

Application Process

The Board issues two general licenses: a Certified License and a Registered License. The Certified License allows you to perform work throughout the state of Florida and the Registered License limits you to performing work in a particular jurisdiction. However, both licenses are very much obtainable and we want to explain what you will need to do:
required documents

Certified General

Contractor License

  • Download and fill out the application for the Florida State Construction Examination.
  • If you pass your exam, then download and complete the application packet. You will need to fill it out as an individual or qualified business.
  • With your application, you will need to submit a credit score report (demonstrating financial stability), and proof of your previous experience in concrete construction. Remember that you must have four years of experience or a combination of college and experience.

Registered General

Contractor License

  • Download and fill out the application for the Florida State Construction Examination. (If you already possess a Certificate of Competency, then you are exempt from taking the exam.)
  • After passing the exam, download and complete the full application packet. You will need to complete the application as an individual or qualifying business.
  • Submit a credit score report and a copy of the Certificate of Competency issued to you by your local jurisdiction (if you forgo the exam).
required documents

General Contractor Exam

The exam consists of three parts (and you must pass all of them): Project Management, Contract Administration, Business and Finance. The in-person exams are administered throughout the state of Florida, and they take place once every other month. You must submit your completed exam and pay the submission fee one month prior to the exam date.

Additional Information

You should determine your business structure prior to registering it with either the Florida Department of Revenue (small businesses) or the Florida Division of Corporations (large businesses, non-profits, LLCs, etc.). You must possess one or more tax-specific identification numbers for you to receive your license and obtain any building permits.

We also want to touch on some additional requirements that often get skimmed over. You must be at least 18 years old to apply for a license, and you must show proof that you possess general liability and property damage insurance. This also includes worker’s compensation on a self-insured basis or through a commercial carrier or the Florida Workers’ Compensation Insurance system.

required documents
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