Florida Electrician License Requirements
Official classification: Electrical Contractor (Certified / Registered) · Issued by the Florida Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board (ECLB), under DBPR.
⚡ ElectricianFL ✔ Verified 2026-06-16
License types
- Certified Electrical Contractor (EC) — Statewide license; the qualifying agent may pull permits in any Florida jurisdiction without additional local registration.
- Registered Electrical Contractor (ER) — Valid only in the county/municipality where registered. Each additional county registration costs $25.
Requirements at a glance
| Experience required | 6 years of electrical experience (alternatives: licensed Professional Engineer 3 of last 12 years; management/supervisory role 3 of last 6; foreman/supervisor/contractor 4 of last 8). At least 40% of the experience must be in the specific category applied for. |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $263.25 certification exam application (plus $123.75 Pearson VUE vendor fee) |
| License fee | $296 initial certified license (active) / $151 initial registered license (active); $51 inactive |
| Renewal fee | $296 biennial (certified, active) / $121 biennial (registered, active); $51 inactive; $25 delinquent |
| Renewal period | Every 2 years (Certified licenses expire Aug 31 of even years) |
| Continuing education | 11 hours per biennium for electrical contractors: 1 hr workers' comp, 1 hr workplace safety, 1 hr business practices, 1 hr Florida laws & rules, 1 hr Building Code advanced module, 6 hrs technical. |
| Bond required | No fixed surety bond. Financial responsibility is shown via personal and business credit reports (no unsatisfied liens/judgments). The ECLB does not publish a specific FICO floor; the DBPR construction trades use a 660+ standard with a 14-hour financial-responsibility course as the alternative. |
| Liability insurance | $300,000 per occurrence public liability (incl. completed operations & products) |
| Property damage | $500,000 property damage (incl. completed operations & products) |
| Workers' comp | Required; up to 3 corporate officers may claim an exemption under Ch. 440, F.S. |
| Background check | Electronic fingerprints via an FDLE-approved Livescan provider. |
| Credit requirement | Personal and business credit reports required, with no unsatisfied liens or judgments. (No published FICO floor specific to the ECLB.) |
| Reciprocity | Endorsement pathway for holders of an active equivalent license in another U.S. state/territory within the last 2 years; Substantially-equivalent-exam pathway |
| Processing time | Variable via the DBPR online portal |
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Exams
| Certified Electrical Contractor Exam (open-book, CBT) | Provider: Pearson VUE (for ECLB) Passing: Not publicly disclosed Fee: $123.75 vendor fee + ECLB application/scheduling fee |
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Local / municipal notes
Registered (vs Certified) electricians are limited to the local jurisdiction that registered them. HB 869 (eff. July 1, 2023) created a pathway for registered contractors to move to Certified status.
Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-06-16 — always confirm current requirements directly with the Florida Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board (ECLB), under DBPR before applying. This is not legal advice.
Official sources
https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/electrical-contractors/
https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/electrical-contractors/faqs/