A Florida Commercial Pool Contractor's scope of work involves, but is not limited to, the construction, repair, and servicing of any swimming pool, hot tub, or spa — whether public, private, or otherwise, regardless of use. It's a Certified license issued by the DBPR's Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). That means it's valid across the entire state, not just one city or county — unlike a locally-issued Registered license.

To submit your Commercial Pool Contractor application to the DBPR, you need to document one of these five combinations of education and on-the-job experience:

• A 4-year construction-related degree from an accredited college, plus 1 year of on-the-job experience.
• 1 year of experience as a foreman, plus at least 3 years of credit from accredited college-level courses.
• 1 year as a worker, 1 year as a foreman, plus 2 years of college-level course credit.
• 2 years as a worker, 1 year as a foreman, plus 1 year of college-level course credit.
• 4 years as a worker or foreman, with at least 1 of those years spent as a foreman.

Beyond the education and experience combinations above, you must provide experience in the following areas of commercial pool construction to be eligible for the license:

Review Every Application Type & Purchase Initial Issuance

See every Florida contractor license application type side by side, and purchase the Initial Issuance application service directly, on our Florida Contractor License Information page.

Every Commercial Pool Contractor applicant must pass two exams: the Florida Business and Finance exam, and the Commercial Pool/Spa trade exam. Both are open-book and administered through Professional Testing, Inc. via Pearson VUE computer-based testing, with a passing score of 70% required on each.

Unlike Florida's Building and General Contractor classifications, the Commercial Pool/Spa Contractor license does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination in place of the state trade exam. Every applicant — regardless of out-of-state licensure — sits Florida's own two-part exam.

The CILB checks financial responsibility as part of every certified application. It looks for a 660 FICO-derived credit score or higher, along with no unsatisfied liens or judgments against you or your company. Both your personal and business credit are pulled from nationally recognized agencies.

If your score comes in under 660, you're not automatically disqualified. A surety bond or a board-approved 14-hour Financial Responsibility course satisfies the requirement in place of the credit threshold.

Every Certified Commercial Pool Contractor must carry general liability insurance before the DBPR will issue a license. Workers' compensation coverage is also required, unless you qualify for a state exemption.

We work closely with our sister company, Artisan Insurance Inc., to provide these coverages. Both businesses are family owned and operated, so your license paperwork and your insurance move together instead of stalling on each other.

Certified licenses renew every two years, due by August 31 of even-numbered years. Renewal requires 14 hours of continuing education, covering topics like workplace safety, workers' compensation, business practices, laws & rules, and the Florida Building Code.

Unlike Florida's General, Building, and Residential contractor classifications — which have direct reciprocity agreements with Louisiana, North Carolina, and Mississippi — the Commercial Pool/Spa Contractor classification is not part of those published reciprocity agreements. If you're licensed in another state, plan on sitting Florida's own Business and Finance and Commercial Pool/Spa trade exams rather than relying on reciprocity or NASCLA.

Licensing rules vary widely by state and by trade. Our national contractor licensing guide breaks down general, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC reciprocity state by state.

Whether you're applying for a new license, changing from one business to another, or wanting to qualify an additional business, we're here to help. Every step of the way.

Don't have someone to qualify your business yet? Our Contractor Qualifier Connect network can match you with a qualified individual.