The DBPR license check is the single most important thing you can do before hiring any contractor in Florida — and it takes two minutes. Florida regulates contractors more heavily than most states because we have so much storm-related repair work that attracts opportunistic operators. Florida also has the highest unlicensed-contractor complaint rate in the country, per FL DBPR's own annual reports. Verifying a license is the single best defense.
Unlicensed contracting in Florida is a third-degree felony under FS 489.127 (becomes a second-degree felony during a declared state of emergency, like after a hurricane). The state takes this seriously because the downstream harm to homeowners is significant: unlicensed work voids your homeowner's insurance, creates lien-risk from material suppliers, and gives you no recourse with the FL Construction Industries Recovery Fund if the job goes wrong.
How to verify a license — step by step
- Go to myfloridalicense.com. This is the official Florida DBPR portal.
- Click "Verify a License" at the top.
- You have three search options:
- License number if you have it (fastest, most reliable).
- Name — first + last of the individual qualifier.
- Business / DBA name if you only know the business.
- Click the result to open the license detail.
- Verify the four checks below.
The four checks that matter
1. Status
The license record has a status field. The only acceptable values are:
- Current,Active — fully legitimate, can perform work.
- Current,Active (Conditional) — also OK, may have a probationary item but is performing work legally.
Any other status is a stop sign:
- Null and Void — license has been revoked. Contractor cannot legally do any work.
- Delinquent — expired without renewal. Can legally do work for a grace period, but is operating in a gray zone you should avoid.
- Suspended — under disciplinary action. Do not hire.
- Inactive — voluntarily withdrawn. Cannot do work.
2. License type matches the work
A general contractor with a CGC license can manage a kitchen remodel, but cannot personally do major plumbing work — that needs a CFC. Quick reference:
| Code | License type | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| CGC | Certified General Contractor | Anything residential / commercial, no story limit |
| CBC | Certified Building Contractor | Residential + commercial up to 3 stories |
| CRC | Certified Residential Contractor | Single-family / duplex only |
| CCC | Certified Roofing Contractor | Roofing work |
| CFC | Certified Plumbing Contractor | Plumbing work |
| EC | Certified Electrical Contractor | Electrical work |
| CAC | Class A Air Conditioning Contractor | HVAC, all sizes |
| CBC (HVAC) | Class B Air Conditioning Contractor | HVAC up to 25 tons cooling |
| CCC (HVAC) | Class C Air Conditioning Contractor | HVAC repair only (no install) |
| CPC | Certified Pool/Spa Contractor | Pool construction + service |
| CUC | Certified Underground Utility & Excavation | Irrigation, sewer, utilities |
| MRSR / MRSA | Mold Remediator / Assessor | Mold work; should be separate companies |
| HI | Home Inspector | Inspections (wind mit, four-point, pre-purchase) |
| IM | Intrastate Mover Registration | Local / intrastate moving (under FS 507) |
Codes that start with R (RG, RB, RC, RR, RF, ER, RA, RP) are county-level Registered equivalents of the same letter codes. Both Certified and Registered are legitimate; Registered is restricted to specific counties. The license record shows which counties are covered.
3. Expiration date
Florida contractor licenses renew on a 2-year cycle (August 31 of even years for most types). If the expiration is within 60 days, ask when the renewal will be filed. If it's already past, the contractor is technically operating delinquent — which is a red flag even if it's just paperwork lag.
4. Disciplinary history
The license detail page has a "View Discipline" link that shows any prior actions: probation, fines, suspension, revocation. One small fine from years ago is usually not disqualifying. Multiple actions, repeated patterns, or anything recent should make you reconsider. A clean record is the norm in NCF, not the exception.
The "qualifier" trap (license rental)
Florida's license rental scam works like this: an unlicensed operator pays a licensed contractor (the "qualifier") to attach their license to the unlicensed operator's business. The qualifier doesn't supervise the work, doesn't visit the job site, doesn't see the contracts — they just collect a fee for use of their license number. This is illegal under FL Statute 489.129, but it's common.
How to catch it: the qualifier's name on the DBPR record should match the name on your proposal / contract. If your quote is signed by "Bob Smith of Bob's Construction" but the DBPR record shows the qualifier as "Pat Jones," ask. If Bob Smith isn't an employee directly supervised by Pat Jones, the license isn't really covering your job — and you're hiring unlicensed labor regardless of the impressive-looking license number on the proposal.
Don't forget insurance verification
License is necessary but not sufficient. A real contractor carries:
- General liability insurance — $300K minimum, $1M typical for larger trades. Protects you if their work damages your property.
- Workers' comp insurance — protects you if a worker is injured on your job site. Florida law requires this for any contractor with 1+ employees in construction trades.
Ask for a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from the insurer directly. The insurer will email or mail the COI to you on request — that's how you confirm it's not a doctored PDF. If a contractor offers a "we'll send our certificate" PDF only, ask for the agent's name + phone and verify directly. Insurance fraud is rampant in Florida construction.
The Construction Industries Recovery Fund
One reason a Florida license matters: licensed contractors fund the Construction Industries Recovery Fund (CIRF), which can reimburse homeowners up to $50,000 per claim (lifetime cap $500K) for losses caused by a licensed contractor's misconduct — abandoning a job, taking deposits and not performing, etc.
If you hire an UNLICENSED contractor, you have no access to this fund. You're on your own with civil litigation, and you may face exposure under Florida's mechanic's lien laws if the unlicensed contractor's suppliers come after your house. The CIRF alone is reason enough to verify the license.
Quick reference: where to verify what
- State contractor licenses: myfloridalicense.com → Verify a License
- Interstate movers: safer.fmcsa.dot.gov (federal SAFER system) — look up by DOT number or company name
- Local Business Tax Receipts: your county tax collector's website (Marion, Alachua, Sumter, etc.)
- BBB business profile: bbb.org — not a license, but shows complaint history
- Sunbiz corporate registration: search.sunbiz.org — confirms the business entity is a legitimate FL LLC or corporation
Every legitimate NCF contractor we list on this directory has verifiable Florida DBPR licensing. Browse Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Roofing, or General Contractor to see who's listed in each. Or read our city pages — Ocala, Gainesville, The Villages — for everything in a specific market.
FAQ
- How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Florida?
- Go to myfloridalicense.com, click 'Verify a License,' then search by license number, name, or business name. The result shows license type, license number, status (Current / Null and Void / Delinquent), expiration date, and any disciplinary actions. Always confirm the license is CURRENT before signing — Delinquent or Null and Void licenses cannot legally perform work in Florida.
- What does each Florida contractor license code mean?
- Common ones: CGC = Certified General Contractor (anything, statewide), CBC = Certified Building Contractor (residential + commercial up to 3 stories), CRC = Certified Residential Contractor (single-family / duplex only), CCC = Certified Roofing Contractor, CFC = Certified Plumbing Contractor, EC = Certified Electrical Contractor, CAC = Certified Air Conditioning Contractor (Class A), CPC = Certified Pool/Spa Contractor. Codes starting with 'R' (RG, RB, RC, RR, RF, ER, RA, RP) are county-level Registered equivalents — also legitimate but restricted to specific counties.
- Is a Florida contractor license required for every job?
- No — Florida requires a state contractor license for jobs over $2,500 total labor + materials, OR any work requiring a building permit (which includes most structural, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and roofing work regardless of cost). Cosmetic work like painting, landscaping, or handyman tasks under $2,500 don't require state licensing, though many municipalities require local Business Tax Receipts (BTRs) for any in-business operator.
- What's the difference between Certified and Registered in Florida?
- Certified contractors (license codes starting with C: CGC, CFC, EC, etc.) are licensed statewide by the Florida DBPR. Registered contractors (codes starting with R: RG, RF, ER, etc.) are licensed in specific counties or municipalities after passing local competency exams. Both are fully legitimate for work in their respective jurisdictions — but a Registered electrician in Marion County, for example, cannot legally perform work in Alachua County without registering there too. Check the 'Counties' field in DBPR records.
- What are the red flags I should look for on a DBPR license lookup?
- (1) Status anything other than 'Current,' 'Active,' or 'Current/Active' — especially 'Null and Void' or 'Delinquent.' (2) Any history of disciplinary action — listed under 'View Discipline' on the license record. (3) Expiration date past or within 60 days. (4) License type that doesn't match the work (a CGC trying to do major plumbing without a CFC, for example). (5) The contractor's name on the proposal doesn't match the qualifier name on the license record — fairly common 'license rental' scam pattern.
- What if a contractor refuses to give me their license number?
- Walk away. Florida law (FS 489.119) requires every licensed contractor to include their license number on EVERY document — bid, contract, invoice, advertisement, vehicle signage. A contractor who hesitates or refuses is almost certainly unlicensed. Don't accept 'I'll text it to you later' — get it before any further conversation. Same logic for insurance certificates: a real licensed contractor produces them on demand.