Navigating the Red Tape – How to Become a Contractor
At Contractors Reporting Services, we have spent over forty years helping contractors become licensed and prepared for jobs in the field. In our years of experience, we have helped how to become contractor move from passing their exams to becoming licensed general contractors in the state of Florida. We help you navigate the red tape of becoming licensed, so you can focus on the next chapter in your life – a career as a general contractor.
Over the years, we have had several questions continually asked to our staff. We would like to take a moment to walk you through some of the most frequently asked questions about how to become a general contractor and what it means to have your contractor’s license.
Passing the Exam
Before you can become a general contractor, you must pass two exams: a business and finance exam and a trade exam. Please note that electrical contractors have a separate exam from general contractors in Florida.
If you are concerned about your test-taking ability, rest assured that there are several exam study courses available online. You can study from the convenience of your own home, on your own schedule, so you can Ace the general contractor exam and obtain your license. Check out one of the great study guides here.
Initial Applications
We can’t take the general contractor exam for you, but we can help you become a licensed general contractor after you pass the examination. This is where our years of experience start to show. After you pass the general contractor exam, we take care of filling out the paperwork and the application to obtain your general contractor license. We will handle all of the bureaucrat paperwork and deadlines so you can focus on starting your first licensed project.
This is what you gain when you let us take over your general contractor license application process:
Application service helps you obtain this license in a timely manner and avoid costly delays. If time is money, this service saves you BOTH.
Requirements to Obtain your General Contractors License
Becoming a licensed general contractor is not as simple as passing an exam – and, trust us, that exam is NOT simple. There are several steps to becoming a licensed contractor, and we aim to walk you through the process. In addition to passing the contractor exam, you must also have at least four years of documented experience. You must produce a credit report and have a net worth between $2,500 – $20,000, depending on your desired classification.
In addition to these requirements on how to become contractor, each general contractor must carry a MINIMUM of $300,000 general liability insurance for bodily injury and at least $50,000 insurance for property damage.
DO NOT FORGET that each general contractor is required to take at least 14 hours of continued education courses during each two-year period to maintain an active license.
Let’s recap those requirements for you:
- Pass the general contractor exam (first things first)
- Four years of documented experience
- Provide a credit report
- Have a net worth of $2,500 – $20,000
- Carry MINIMUM $300,000 bodily injury insurance and $50,000 property damage insurance
- At least 14 hours of general education courses every two year period to maintain license
At Contractors Reporting Services, we understand the importance of making sure that your license application is filed correctly and all of the requirements to obtain a general contractors license are met. We walk each of our clients through the steps of how to become a general contractor, and we make sure that your process to becoming a licensed general contractor is both cost and time effective.
If you have any questions about how to become contractor, please feel free to contact our office.
Contractors Reporting Services
13795 N Nebraska Ave.
Tampa, FL 33613
1-800-487-2084
