Florida contractor licensing runs through the Construction Industry Licensing Board under Chapter 489 of the Florida Statutes. The requirements come in three groups: who you are (age, character, experience), what you can show financially, and what you pass. All three are testable on the Business and Finance exam.
This is an independent study aid, not affiliated with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), the Construction Industry Licensing Board, or Pearson VUE. Statutes and rules change: verify current requirements with DBPR before you apply.
The three application gates
Under Fla. Stat. section 489.111(2), an applicant must be at least 18 years of age, be of good moral character, and meet an experience or education pathway:
- A qualifying bachelor's degree in building construction or a related field plus 1 year of proven experience in the category.
- 4 years of active experience as a trade worker or foreman, including at least 1 year as a foreman.
- Specified combinations of college credits and trade or foreman experience totaling 4 years.
An active certified residential or building contractor is eligible for a certified general license after passing the general examination with a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification.
Note the degree shortcut in the classifications post: a qualifying bachelor's with a GPA of 3.0 or higher reduces the exam requirement to Business and Finance only.
Financial responsibility: the FICO 660 rule
This is the licensing gate the exam probes most precisely. Rule 61G4-15.006 (amended effective May 5, 2024) requires a current consumer credit report with no unsatisfied judgments or liens and a FICO-derived score of at least 660.
An applicant below 660 has one named path forward: completing a board-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course. The rule text names only the course as the sub-660 alternative. Do not pick a bond or net-worth substitute as the applicant's option: the reviewed rule text does not state one.
Separately, the applicant must provide a report from a nationally recognized credit agency evidencing financial responsibility, credit, and business reputation (Fla. Stat. section 489.115(5)(b)). The statute also authorizes board guidelines that may include net worth, cash, and bonding requirements, with half of such a requirement satisfiable by the 14-hour course: read that as the statutory authorization behind the rule, not as a menu the applicant picks from.
Background check
Initial applicants undergo an FDLE statewide criminal-history check, with fingerprints processed for both FDLE and the FBI, at the applicant's cost. Licensure may not be denied solely because of a felony or lack of restored civil rights.
Insurance as a licensing condition
Insurance is a prerequisite to initial issuance, renewal of an active certificate or registration, or a change of status. The applicant files a signed affidavit of public liability and property damage insurance, and workers' comp coverage or exemption must be in place:
- General contractor minimums: $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage. Other categories: $100,000/$25,000 except as specified.
- The policy must stipulate 30 days' written notice of cancellation to the certificate holder (DBPR/CILB).
- An applicant seeking a workers' comp exemption must attest the exemption will be obtained within 30 days after licensure. Exemption certificates issued since January 1, 2013 are valid for two years, and the fee is $50.
- Failure to continually maintain required coverage is a rule violation and a discipline ground.
The examinations
Certification requires the board-approved examination. For a certified general contractor, that means three portions, each with a 70 percent passing grade:
- Business and Finance: 120 questions, 6.5 hours, $80 Pearson VUE fee. This is the portion this guide covers.
- Contract Administration: 60 questions, 4.5 hours, $40 Pearson VUE fee.
- Project Management: 60 questions, 4.5 hours, $40 Pearson VUE fee.
You retake only the portions you failed or missed, and you must pass everything within four years of your first attempt or all scores become invalid. The full format is in the exam overview.
A qualifying agent for the business
Every contracting business organization must have a primary qualifying agent: the human who supervises, directs, manages, and controls the business organization's contracting activities and the construction activity on jobs for which the agent obtained permits. The 60-day replacement rules and 30-day separation notice apply if the qualifier leaves, and the business may not contract more than 60 days past the loss of its only qualifier without designating another.
The requirements checklist
- At least 18, good moral character, and one of the experience pathways.
- Credit report with no unsatisfied judgments or liens and FICO of at least 660, or the 14-hour financial-responsibility course.
- FDLE/FBI fingerprint background check at the applicant's cost.
- Signed insurance affidavits meeting the category minimums, with the 30-day cancellation notice.
- Workers' comp coverage or the exemption attested within 30 days of licensure.
- Pass all three exam portions at 70 percent each.
- Application filed with the correct fee tier ($245 or $145 depending on the window).
- A designated primary qualifying agent.
For the fees and the exam scheduling mechanics, see the license cost and how long it takes posts.
Try the free practice quiz
Want to see where you stand right now? Take the free 12-question Florida Business and Finance practice quiz, the scored version with email results, so you can see exactly which topics need work. Start the free quiz