Required Books
The references listed below are permitted to be taken into the examination. These references may be tabbed (with permanent index tabs) and highlighted. They are available for purchase from our online contractor’s bookstore or by calling our office at 1-800-992-1910.
*There are additional downloadable documents for the Underground Utilities exam* The name and web address of these documents are listed below, however American Contractors has combined these documents into an organized and convenient booklet and offers them for purchase, at cost.
Excavation Guide (Includes Florida Statute Chapter 556, Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act), July 2007.
Document 555 Directional Bore, 2007, Florida Dept. of Transportation.
Document 556 Jack and Bore, 2007, Florida Dept. of Transportation.
Utility Accommodation Manual, 2007.
Add All Required Books to Cart ($1,043.10)
Additional Services
An underground utility and excavation contractor is one whose services are limited to the construction, installation, and repair, on public or private property, whether accomplished through open excavations or through other means.
This includes, but is not limited to, directional drilling, auger boring, jacking and boring, trenchless technologies, wet and dry taps, grouting, and slip lining, of main sanitary sewer collection systems, main water distribution systems, storm sewer collection systems, and the continuation of utility lines from the main systems to a point of termination up to and including the meter location for the individual occupancy, sewer collection systems at property line on residential or single occupancy commercial properties, or on multi occupancy properties at manhole or wye lateral extended to an invert elevation as engineered to accommodate future building sewers, water distribution systems, or storm sewer collection systems at storm sewer structures.
However, an underground utility and excavation contractor may install empty underground conduits in rights-of-way, easements, platted rights-of-way in new site development, and sleeves for parking lot crossings no smaller than 2 inches in diameter, provided that each conduit system installed is designed by a licensed professional engineer or an authorized employee of a municipality, county, or public utility and that the installation of any such conduit does not include installation of any conductor wiring or connection to an energized electrical system. An underground utility and excavation contractor shall not install any piping that is an integral part of a fire protection system beginning at the point where the piping is used exclusively for such system.
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 does not have a reciprocal agreement with any other states 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, 1hour 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.
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 the trade exam is 4 hours and 45 minutes. The Business Finance portion is 6.5 hrs.
- Exams are held 6 times per year in February, April, June, August, October, and December. Test locations are in Orlando, Tallahassee, and Miami.
- 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.
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The Florida Underground Utilities exam consists of 80 equally weighted questions and is held on the morning of the 2nd day.
- The Florida Business and Finance exam is a 6.5 hr exam consisting of 125 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.
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Topics covered on the trade knowledge exam portion are pre-installation, traffic control, excavation, backfill and compaction, pipe installation and repairs, piping, valves and fittings, testing and disinfecting, drainage systems, and equipment.
- To schedule your exam, you must contact Professional Testing, Inc (PTI) at 1-407-264-0562.
American Contractors offers an extensive 5-day seminar to prepare for the Florida Underground Utilities contractor license exam and includes preparation for the Business and Finance exam. Please contact us for additional information, 1-800-992-1910.