Did you know the State of Florida allows you to grandfather certain construction licenses? That’s right! If you hold a Florida Registered Contractors License you may be eligible to upgrade it to a Certified License. Continue reading below to see if you can qualify for the grandfathering application.
Who can grandfather their Florida Construction License?
Most individuals who have a Florida Registered Contractors license with the state can qualify for the grandfathering application if:
- Your Registered Construction License has been active and registered with the State of Florida for 5 years;
- Your contractors license hasn’t been suspended or revoked within the last 5 years; and
- You haven’t been fined in excess of $500 related to construction activities performed under your license.
As you can see, most Florida contractors holding a registered license with the state will qualify. The following license types are regulated by the state and available for grandfathering: AC, Building, General, Mechanical, Plumbing, Pool/Spa, Precision Tank Tester, Residential, Roofing, Sheet Metal, Tank Lining Applicator, and Underground Utility/Excavation.
Who can’t grandfather their Florida Construction License?
The following license types cannot be grandfathered:
- Electrical Contractors – this license is governed by the ECLB and they no longer accept grandfathering applications as of November 1, 2021;
- Any license not regulated by the State of Florida.
In Florida, some municipalities regulated and issued licenses that the state doesn’t regulate. For example: a flooring license may be regulated by a city or county but the State of Florida doesn’t maintain or register this particular license type.
What’s the difference between a Certified and Registered Construction License in Florida?
The difference between these two license types is very clear. A Florida Certified Construction license is a license regulated by the state which requires you to pass a state level exam. It allows you to work anywhere within the State of Florida to perform work under your license classification. A Florida Registered Contractors license is a license type that’s also regulated by the state but doesn’t require you to pass the state exam. These licenses allow you to work within whatever jurisdiction in which you’ve obtained a local competency card. A local competency card is issued by a city or county after you pass an exam administered by that city or county. Once obtained, you then must register your license with the state.
How do I begin the grandfathering application process?
We make it easy! Start by completing our application by clicking on Apply Now at the top of the page. We’ll gather some basic information about you, your license type, and any businesses you currently qualify with your license. Once complete, we’ll collect our application processing fee along with other fees such as the state application fee, credit reporting fees, etc. We’ll complete the application on your behalf including assisting you with complying with the requirements of that application (credit reports, surety bonds, etc.). Finally, we’ll submit the application to the state, monitor its status, and report back to you with the results! That’s right! No more waiting on hold with the DBPR for hours just to find out that your application is “processing” because we do it for you!
How much does it cost?
The cost of your grandfathering application is dependent on your particular license, whether or not you qualify a business or multiple businesses, whether you’re using a financially responsible officer, and other items. The best way to determine your costs is to complete our Florida Construction License Application by clicking on Apply Now at the top of the page.