Are you Eligible to be a General Contractor in Florida?
At Contractors Reporting Services, we have spent over forty years helping people become licensed and eligible Florida general contractor. Our expertise extends beyond handling the bureaucratic requirements to obtain a contractors license; we also help our clients navigate the requirements to obtain their general contractors license and the state requirements to keep their general contractors license active.
We’re going to take you through the requirements for getting your general contractors license in Florida so you know what to expect every step of the way.
- The Exam
General contractors in Florida are required to pass two exams – one on business and finance, and the other on the specific trade. The exam lasts several hours and tests your in depth knowledge about building codes and the financial aspects of completing projects. There are several study guides to help you through the process.
- The application
The application to become a general contractor is where we step in. You provide us with your information, and we take over the bureaucratic work of filing the papers and meeting deadlines. We follow up with the agency to make sure that your license is being processed in a timely manner.
More than anything, we take the stress out of the application process. You have already stressed enough to meet the first requirement for your general contractors license (the exam). Let us take over so you can have a moment to relax before you start your first huge project as a licensed general contractor.
- Documented Experience
Before you can become eligible Florida general contractor, you are required to provide documentation of at least four years of experience in the field. This experience validates your ability to lead a team of workers through a project and manage a project, start to finish. You can provide this documentation to our office and we will ensure that it is filed properly with the state of Florida so you can obtain your contractors license.
- Credit Report
This is the requirement about which most eager general contractors are unaware. The state of Florida requires each contractor, before licensing, to provide a full credit report and a credit score of at least 660. This demonstrates your financial responsibility and gives the state of Florida the confidence to license you to take our large loans and direct big projects in the state, which the security that you are not likely to bankrupt.
- Insurance
The state of Florida requires each general contractor to carry general liability insurance to protect themselves, others, and the project in the event of an accident. The state law requires contractors to carry at least $300,000 bodily injury liability insurance, which protects workers in the event of an accident, and at least $50,000 property damage insurance, which protects to property in the event of damage during the project.
For example, if one of the workers falls and breaks an arm, the bodily injury insurance will pay for his medical expenses, up to the limit of the insurance. Likewise, if a worker falls off a ladder and breaks his arm, and lands on the client’s mailbox and destroys the mailbox, the property damage insurance will pay to fix the mailbox.
Don’t forget that once you obtain your Florida general contractor license, you must complete at least 14 hours of continuing education courses to keep your license active.
If you have any more questions regarding the requirements to become eligible Florida general contractor, please do not hesitate to call our office.
Contractors Reporting Services
13795 N Nebraska Ave.
Tampa, FL 33613
1-800-487-2084
