Please note that the Florida Business and Finance exam as well as the Pool Service exam is required to be passed to obtain your contractor’s license. The course we offer for the Pool Service contractor includes Business and Finance so you DO NOT have to register for the courses separately.
Minimum amounts required for General Liability insurance for Pool Service contractors are $100,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Worker’s Compensation Insurance is required also.
All contractors must be at least 18 years of age and be of good moral character.
Beginning November 1, 2007, all applicants for initial licensure or changed of status will be required to have a criminal background check performed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigation. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT YOUR FINGERPRINTS HAVE BEEN SCANNED BY THE DEPARTMENT’S VENDOR, PROMISSOR/PEARSON VUE, PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.
If an applicant has a FICO credit score lower than 660, he/she will be requested to provide a licensing bond or letter of credit to obtain licensure. Please review the Department’s Financial Responsibility and Stability website for additional information on the Board’s requirements. The amount of the licensing bond or letter of credit is based on the type of license requested: $20,000 for Division I contractors and $10,000 for Division II contractors.
Experience Required:
4-years of experience in the trade with at least 1-year having been supervisory work OR
A 4-year construction-related degree from an accredited college and 1-year proven experience applicable to the category for which you are applying OR
1-year as a foreman and not less than 3-years of credits from any accredited college level courses OR
1-year as a workman, 1-year proven experience as a foreman, and 2-years of credits from any accredited college level courses OR
2-years of experience as a workman, 1-year of experience as a foreman, and 1-year of credits from any accredited college level courses OR
Have an active Certified Florida contractor’s license (This option only applies to Certified Building, Residential, Air Conditioning, and Swimming Pool contractors as provided in Section 489.111 (2)(c)4-6, Florida Statutes).
*You can substitute up to 3-years of college credit for experience*
A Pool Service contractor is a contractor whose work involves but is not limited to the repair, and service of any swimming pool, hot tub, or spa, public or private. This includes the repair and replacement of existing equipment, any cleaning or equipment sanitizing which requires at least partial disassembling, excluding filter changes.
This also includes the installation of new pool/spa equipment, interior refinishing, the reinstallation or addition of pool heaters, the repair or replacement of all perimeter piping and filter piping, the repair of equipment rooms or housing for pool/spa equipment, and the substantial or complete draining of a swimming pool, hot tub, or spa for the purpose of any repair or renovation.
A Pool Service contractor cannot perform direct connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water lines.
The installation, construction, modification, substantial or complete disassembly, or replacement of equipment permanently attached to or associated with the pool or spa for water treatment or cleaning of the pool or spa requires a license but the use of such equipment for the purposes of water treatment or cleaning does not require licensure unless the usage involves the construction, modification, substantial or complete disassembly, or replacement of such equipment. Water treatment not requiring such equipment will not require a license. Also, a license will not be required for the cleaning of the pool or spa in any way that does not affect the structural integrity of the pool or spa or its associated equipment.
To apply, contact State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 1-850-487-1395.
If applying for initial licensure from May 1st of an Even numbered year through August 31st of an Odd numbered year the fee is $249.
If applying for initial licensure from September 1st of an Odd numbered year through April 30th of an Even numbered year the fee is $149.
You must pay a fee of $56.25 to Promissor/Pearson VUE for the processing of your electronic fingerprints.
Candidates will receive an unofficial grade report on the day they pass the exam. However, test scores and license approval do not become official until ratified by the Contractors Licensing Board at their next meeting. Licenses are typically received within 14 days of the exam.
Important Contacts
Florida has no reciprocal agreements with any states at this time.
Effective November 15, 2008 examination fees are being restructured . When applying to schedule for the examination with Professional Testing Inc. (PTI) , the following fee structure will apply:
All parts of the examination:
Pay $135.00 examination development fee payable to PTI, $80.00 examination administration fee payable to DBPR, but mailed to PTI. An $80.00 examination administration fee payable to Pearson Vue (formerly Promissor), the CBT (Computer Based Testing) contracted vendor, is due at the time of scheduling.
- A score of at least 70% is required to pass the exams.
- There are 2 parts to the exam, the business finance part and trade knowledge. The time limit for each exam portion is 4 hours and 45 minutes.
You must complete all portions of the examination within 4 years of the first attempt. After four years, all previous test scores become invalid and you will be required to take all parts of the examination again
- The Florida Pool Service general trade knowledge exam portion has 80 questions, weighted equally, and is held during the morning of the 2nd day.
- The Florida Business and Finance exam has a morning session of 60 equally weighted questions and an afternoon session of 60 equally weighted questions.
- Applicants must submit an application and exam fee to become registered to take the exam. The testing company must receive completed applications and appropriate fees no later than 30 days prior to the next scheduled exam date.
Topics covered on the trade knowledge exam portion are plumbing work, deck work, tile, coping, trim work, accessory work, interior surface preparation and finishing, start up, service and maintenance, and safety
To schedule your exam you must contact Professional Testing, Inc (PTI) at 1-407-264-0562.
American Contractors offers a 5 day seminar to prepare for the Florida Pool Service Contractor license exam and includes preparation for the Business and Finance exam. Please contact us for additional information, 1-800-992-1910.
