How to Verify a Contractor's License in Florida

Why Verifying a Contractor's License Matters

Florida law requires most contractors to hold a valid state license before performing construction, renovation, or repair work on your home or business. Yet every year, thousands of Floridians hire unlicensed individuals — often without realizing it — and end up with shoddy work, failed inspections, voided insurance claims, and no legal recourse.

The good news: verifying a contractor's license takes less than five minutes. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it using the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) database, and what to look for once you have the results.

Who Needs a License in Florida?

Under Florida Statutes §489.105 and §489.113, any contractor performing work valued over $2,500 on a structural component of a building must hold a valid state or county license. This includes:

General contractors and building contractors
Roofing contractors
Electrical contractors
Plumbing contractors
HVAC/mechanical contractors
Pool/spa contractors
Solar contractors

Some specialty trades (painting, flooring, cabinets) may only require a local county license rather than a state license — but even then, they must be registered with the county.

Step-by-Step: How to Verify a Contractor's License Through DBPR

Step 1: Get the Contractor's License Number

Always ask any contractor for their license number before getting a quote. A legitimate, licensed professional will have this memorized or printed on their business card, vehicle, and proposal documents. If they hesitate or can't provide one immediately, that's your first red flag.

Florida contractor license numbers typically follow these formats:

CGC — Certified General Contractor
CBC — Certified Building Contractor
CRC — Certified Roofing Contractor
EC — Electrical Contractor
CPC — Certified Plumbing Contractor
CAC — Certified Air Conditioning Contractor
CPC — Certified Pool Contractor

Step 2: Visit the DBPR License Search Portal

Go to the official Florida DBPR license verification website at myfloridalicense.com. Under "Verify a License," select "Contractor" from the profession dropdown. You can search by:

License number (most accurate)
Contractor's full name
Business/company name

Alternatively, use the FloridaContractorCheck search tool to instantly verify any contractor's credentials and see their full license history in one place.

Step 3: Review the License Details

Once you have the results, check the following carefully:

License Status

The status should read "Current, Active". Any other status — Null and Void, Delinquent, Suspended, Revoked, or Expired — means the contractor is not legally authorized to work in Florida. Do not hire someone with a non-active license status, no matter how convincing their pitch.

License Type and Scope

Confirm that the license type matches the work you need done. A Certified Roofing Contractor (CRC) is not licensed to do plumbing work. Hiring someone outside their licensed scope is the same as hiring an unlicensed contractor for that work.

Expiration Date

Florida contractor licenses must be renewed biennially (every two years). Check that the expiration date is in the future. Some contractors work with an expired license, hoping homeowners won't check.

Business Name and Address

The name and business address on the DBPR record should match what the contractor told you. Mismatches could indicate fraud — someone using another person's license number.

Disciplinary History

The DBPR record will show any complaints, citations, fines, or disciplinary actions taken against the license. A contractor with multiple disciplinary actions is a significant warning sign, even if their license is currently active.

Common Red Flags During the Verification Process

Can't provide a license number — Any legitimate contractor has this readily available
License belongs to a different person — License lending is illegal in Florida (§489.127)
License covers a different trade — Scope mismatch is a serious compliance issue
Multiple disciplinary actions — Pattern of complaints warrants extra scrutiny
License expired within the past year — May indicate a business in decline or disorganized operations

Verify Insurance Too

A valid license alone isn't enough. Ask for a Certificate of Insurance showing:

General Liability — Minimum $300,000 (higher is better)
Workers' Compensation — Required if they have employees (Florida §440.10)

Call the insurance company directly to confirm the policy is active. Fraudulent certificates are surprisingly common.

The Easy Way: Use FloridaContractorCheck

Rather than navigating multiple government websites, you can search our database of Florida-licensed contractors to instantly verify credentials, view license history, and find top-rated licensed professionals in your area. Our database is updated regularly from DBPR records, making it the fastest way to confirm you're hiring a legitimate contractor.

Don't skip this step. Five minutes of verification can save you from months of legal battles, costly repairs, and the heartbreak of discovering your home improvement project created more problems than it solved.