The Florida Business and Finance exam as well as the Residential Pool and Spa exam is required to be passed to obtain your contractor’s license.
Minimum amounts required for General Liability insurance for General, Residential, and Building contractors are $300,000 for bodily injury and $50,000 for property damage. All contractors are required to carry Worker’s Compensation Insurance OR Exemption Certificate.
All contractors must be at least 18 years of age and be of good moral character.
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 degree from an accredited college and 1year 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).
Building officials are no longer allowed to vouch for Florida Contractors’ experience. Only Florida State Certified Contractor, U.S. License Architects and U.S. Licensed Engineers
*You can substitute up to 3 years of college credit for experience*
A Residential Pool and Spa contractor can construct, repair, and service any residential swimming pool, hot tub, or spa including the repair or replacement of existing equipment or the installation of new equipment as necessary is a contractor whose work involves but is not limited to the construction, repair, and service of any swimming pool, hot tub, or spa.
This includes the repair and replacement of existing equipment or the installing of new equipment as necessary. This license also covers the layout, excavation, operation of construction pumps for dewatering purposes, steelwork, installation of light niches, construction of floors, gunitying, fiber-glassing, installation of tile and coping, installation of all perimeter and filter piping, installation of all filter equipment and chemical feeders of any type, plastering of the interior, construction of decks, installation of housing for pool equipment, and installation of package pool heaters. It also covers the scope of work of a Swimming Pool and Spa Servicing contractor.
A Residential Pool and Spa contractor CANNOT perform direct connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water lines. The installation, construction, modification, or replacement of equipment permanently attached to the pool or spa for the purpose of water treatment or cleaning of the pool or spa requires a license, however, the use of such equipment does not require licensure. Water treatment or pool or spa cleaning that does not affect the structural integrity in any way does not require a license.
To apply, contact State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (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 for this license.
As of this time Florida requires 14 hours of board approved continuing education each biennium prior to the renewal period for both certified and registered contractors. At least 1 hour must deal with workplace safety, 1 hour must be on the subject of worker’s compensation, 1 hour must cover the subject of business practices, 1 hour must cover the subject of laws and rules, 1 hour must cover wind mitigation methodologies, and 1 hour must cover the Florida Building Code advanced modules.
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.
- The exam is 2 days, open book, multiple-choice, and timed.
- 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 Residential Pool 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 pre-installation and site preparation, pool and spa excavation, plumbing work, electrical work, shell placement, deck work, tile, coping, trim work, accessory work, interior surface preparation and finishing, start up, service and maintenance, and equipment.
- 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 Residential Pool and Spa contractor license exam and includes preparation for the Business and Finance exam. Please contact us for additional information, 1-800-992-1910.
