How to get a contractor license in Florida
Florida licenses general contractors at the state level. Florida runs a two-track system under the Construction Industry Licensing Board: Certified contractors pass the state exam and can work anywhere in Florida, while Registered contractors meet a specific local jurisdiction's competency requirements and may contract only there; exams are developed and candidates registered by Professional Testing, Inc. with computer-based delivery scheduled through Pearson VUE.
- Licensing level
- state
- Exam vendor
- Pearson VUE
- Verified
- Official source
Start at the source
Construction Industry Licensing Board, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is the official authority. Its site, www2.myfloridalicense.com, carries the current requirements, applications and any candidate bulletin. Everything on this page routes back to it, because requirements change and the agency's version is the one that counts.
The path, wherever you are
- Confirm the licensing level above with the authority, then pull the current application checklist from its site.
- Where a trade exam is required, get the candidate bulletin: it names the exam vendor, the topics, and the exact reference editions allowed on the table.
- Buy the referenced code books in the exact editions listed, and tab them yourself within whatever marking the bulletin permits.
- Train the lookup, not just the knowledge: contractor trade exams are commonly open book, which makes finding the governing section fast the actual tested skill.
- Expect a separate business and law exam in many jurisdictions, with its own reference book.
Why open book changes your prep
An open-book exam gives you the answers and takes away the time to find them. The candidates who fail are rarely the ones who knew the least; they are the ones who found things slowest. That lookup skill is what this site trains:the free timed drill shows you your seconds-per-lookup in two minutes.
Not sure whether you need a contractor license or an ICC inspector certification? The two are issued by different bodies and scored differently: seeinspector certification vs contractor licenseand why the ICC passing score is a scaled 75.
Frequently asked questions
Does Florida require a state contractor license?
Florida licenses general contractors at the state level. Florida runs a two-track system under the Construction Industry Licensing Board: Certified contractors pass the state exam and can work anywhere in Florida, while Registered contractors meet a specific local jurisdiction's competency requirements and may contract only there; exams are developed and candidates registered by Professional Testing, Inc. with computer-based delivery scheduled through Pearson VUE.
Who do I contact to get licensed in Florida?
Construction Industry Licensing Board, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is the state authority. Its official site carries the current application requirements.
Is the Florida contractor exam open book?
Where Florida or its localities require a trade exam, contractor trade exams are commonly open book against the adopted code and reference list, administered by Pearson VUE. The candidate bulletin for your specific exam is the authority, and it names the exact editions allowed on the table.
Sources
- www2.myfloridalicense.com/construction-industry
- www2.myfloridalicense.com/examination-information/construction-examinations
- www2.myfloridalicense.com/servop/testing/documents/const_cib.pdf
Other states
| California | state |
| Colorado | local |
| Connecticut | state |
| Delaware | hybrid |
| Georgia | state |
| Hawaii | state |
| Idaho | hybrid |
| Illinois | local |
The kit that goes on the table
2024 IRCThe book itself
2021 IRC + tabsIf you register on 2021
2024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourself
Construction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errorsMatch the book and tabs to the edition you register for.Confirm which, first.
The 120-second study sheet, free
Every topic weight on all four residential exams, the code-vocabulary glossary, and the two-week study sequence, on one printable page. Enter your email and we will send you straight to it.
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