Florida General Contractor License Requirements

Official classification: General / Building / Residential Contractor (CILB) · Issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), under DBPR.

🏗️ General ContractorFL ✔ Verified 2026-06-19

In Florida, general contractors must hold the General / Building / Residential Contractor (CILB), issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), under DBPR, and no state surety bond is required. Full requirements — experience, exams, fees, insurance, renewal and reciprocity — are detailed below.

How to become a licensed general contractor in Florida

Follow these steps to earn your General / Building / Residential Contractor (CILB). Every figure is verified against the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), under DBPR; full detail for each step is further down the page.

Build the required experience. 4 years of field experience, at least 1 of which must be supervisory (up to 3 years substitutable by military service or college credit). General/Building applicants must show experience in at least 4 of 6 structural categories; General Contractors also need 1 year on 4+ story new construction.
Pass the Certified Contractor Exam — Trade Knowledge + Business & Finance (open-book) exam. Providers, passing scores and fees are in the Exams section below.
Secure your surety bond. Florida requires No surety bond if the applicant meets the financial-responsibility rule (FICO 660+, Rule 61G4-15.006); applicants below 660 instead complete a Board-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course. Separately, a business that qualifies through a financially responsible officer must post a $100,000 bond or irrevocable letter of credit (Rule 61G4-15.0021(2)).
Line up insurance. You'll need liability insurance ($300,000 per occurrence public liability (General & Building) / $100,000 (Residential)), and workers' compensation coverage.
Clear the background check. Electronic fingerprints via an FDLE-approved Livescan provider.
Meet the credit / financial requirement. FICO-derived score of 660+ (or complete a board-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course).
Submit your application and fees. Apply through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), under DBPR — $149 (Sep 1 of an odd year – Apr 30 of an even year) / $249 (May 1 of an even year – Aug 31 of an odd year) application fee, plus a Included in the application/certification fee license fee. Processing time: Variable via the DBPR online portal.
Keep the license active. Renew every 2 years (Certified expire Aug 31 of even years; Registered Aug 31 of odd years), completing 14 hours per biennium (F.S. 489.115), including 1 hr Florida laws & rules and 2 hrs Florida Building Code. A building-construction bachelor's degree (3.0+ GPA) can exempt the trade-knowledge exam portion.

Florida general contractor license lookup

To confirm a general contractor is properly licensed in Florida — or to check the status of your own license — search the issuing agency's official license database. The record shows whether the license is active and in good standing.

Verify a license now: Search the official myfloridalicense.com database →

License types

Certified General Contractor (CGC) — Unlimited as to type; any building or structure, including those over 3 stories. Statewide. Requires at least 1 year of experience in new construction of structures of 4+ stories.
Certified Building Contractor (CBC) — Commercial buildings and single-/multi-family residential not exceeding 3 stories. Statewide.
Certified Residential Contractor (CRC) — Single-family and multi-family residential not exceeding 2 habitable stories. Statewide.
Registered (RG / RB / RR) — Same scope limits as the certified equivalents but valid only in the county/municipality of registration.

Requirements at a glance

Experience required	4 years of field experience, at least 1 of which must be supervisory (up to 3 years substitutable by military service or college credit). General/Building applicants must show experience in at least 4 of 6 structural categories; General Contractors also need 1 year on 4+ story new construction.
Application fee	$149 (Sep 1 of an odd year – Apr 30 of an even year) / $249 (May 1 of an even year – Aug 31 of an odd year)
License fee	Included in the application/certification fee
Renewal fee	$209 biennial (active), plus $50 per qualifying business entity
Renewal period	Every 2 years (Certified expire Aug 31 of even years; Registered Aug 31 of odd years)
Continuing education	14 hours per biennium (F.S. 489.115), including 1 hr Florida laws & rules and 2 hrs Florida Building Code. A building-construction bachelor's degree (3.0+ GPA) can exempt the trade-knowledge exam portion.
Bond required	No surety bond if the applicant meets the financial-responsibility rule (FICO 660+, Rule 61G4-15.006); applicants below 660 instead complete a Board-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course. Separately, a business that qualifies through a financially responsible officer must post a $100,000 bond or irrevocable letter of credit (Rule 61G4-15.0021(2)).
Liability insurance	$300,000 per occurrence public liability (General & Building) / $100,000 (Residential)
Property damage	$50,000 (General & Building) / $25,000 (Residential)
Workers' comp	Required, or file a statutory exemption within 30 days of license issuance (Ch. 440, F.S.).
Background check	Electronic fingerprints via an FDLE-approved Livescan provider.
Credit requirement	FICO-derived score of 660+ (or complete a board-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course).
Reciprocity	Endorsement (DBPR CILB 10) for active equivalent out-of-state license holders; Substantially-equivalent-exam pathway
Processing time	Variable via the DBPR online portal

Exams

Certified Contractor Exam — Trade Knowledge + Business & Finance (open-book)	Provider: Pearson VUE (for CILB) · Passing: Not publicly disclosed · Fee: $135 CILB fee + $80 per section + $40 post-pass processing; passing results valid 4 years

Preparing for the General Contractor exam? State-specific contractor exam-prep courses help you pass the first time. Start exam prep →

Local / municipal notes

Certified is statewide; Registered is county/municipality-specific. Division I (General/Building/Residential) contractors carry higher insurance minimums than Division II specialty contractors.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Florida general contractor license cost?

Application: $149 (Sep 1 of an odd year – Apr 30 of an even year) / $249 (May 1 of an even year – Aug 31 of an odd year). License: Included in the application/certification fee. Renewal: $209 biennial (active), plus $50 per qualifying business entity.

How do I look up a general contractor license in Florida?

Search the official license database at myfloridalicense.com. The record shows whether the license is active and in good standing.

Do general contractors in Florida need a surety bond?

No surety bond if the applicant meets the financial-responsibility rule (FICO 660+, Rule 61G4-15.006); applicants below 660 instead complete a Board-approved 14-hour financial-responsibility course. Separately, a business that qualifies through a financially responsible officer must post a $100,000 bond or irrevocable letter of credit (Rule 61G4-15.0021(2)).

What experience is required for a Florida general contractor license?

4 years of field experience, at least 1 of which must be supervisory (up to 3 years substitutable by military service or college credit). General/Building applicants must show experience in at least 4 of 6 structural categories; General Contractors also need 1 year on 4+ story new construction.

Is insurance required for general contractors in Florida?

Liability: $300,000 per occurrence public liability (General & Building) / $100,000 (Residential) Workers' compensation: Required, or file a statutory exemption within 30 days of license issuance (Ch. 440, F.S.).

How often must a Florida general contractor license be renewed?

Every 2 years (Certified expire Aug 31 of even years; Registered Aug 31 of odd years). Continuing education: 14 hours per biennium (F.S. 489.115), including 1 hr Florida laws & rules and 2 hrs Florida Building Code. A building-construction bachelor's degree (3.0+ GPA) can exempt the trade-knowledge exam portion.

Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-06-19 — always confirm current requirements directly with the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), under DBPR before applying. This is not legal advice.