Under Florida law, "General contractor" means a contractor whose services are unlimited as to the type of work which he or she may do, who may contract for any activity requiring licensure under this part, and who may perform any work requiring licensure under this part, except as otherwise expressly provided in s. 489.113.

In other words, a Certified General Contractor license is the broadest contractor license Florida offers — it isn't limited to a single building type or height, unlike more specialized Certified licenses.

You must be able to prove one of the following options in order to submit your Florida General Contractor License application to the DBPR:

• 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 not less than 3 years of credit from accredited college-level courses.
• 1 year as a worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, plus 2 years of credit from accredited college-level courses.
• 2 years as a worker, 1 year as a foreman, plus 1 year of credit from accredited college-level courses.
• 4 years as a worker or foreman, of which at least 1 year must have been as a foreman.

You must also provide experience in the following areas of construction in order to be eligible for this 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.

The CILB checks financial responsibility as part of every certified application, including General Contractor applications. 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. Completing a board-approved 14-hour Financial Responsibility course satisfies the requirement in place of the credit threshold.

Every Certified General 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, and business practices. At least 1 hour of that must be wind mitigation coursework.

Florida's CILB has direct reciprocity agreements covering General, Building, and Residential contractor licenses with three states: Louisiana, North Carolina, and Mississippi. Contractors licensed in one of those states can apply through a reciprocal path rather than starting from scratch. Outside of those three, out-of-state applicants typically qualify through Certification by Endorsement using a NASCLA exam score instead.

Licensing rules vary widely by state. If you're weighing Florida against another market, our national contractor licensing guide breaks down requirements state by state.

Whether you're applying for a new General Contractor license, changing from one business to another, qualifying an additional business entity, or designating a Financial Responsible Officer, we're here to help every step of the way. With 20 years in business, we've built an efficient system that takes the guesswork out of the process.

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