A Florida General Contractor’s License allows a contractor to build, repair, or remodel any type of building, regardless of use or number of stories. General Contractors in Florida can directly engage in the construction of every component of the building structure (i.e. Concrete, Structural Steel, Framing, Painting, Tile, etc.) except the major specialty trades like Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Roofing. A General Contractor must subcontract this type of work to licensed contractors in those trades. A General Contractor can remodel or build any structure in Florida, whether it is used for residential or commercial purposes. When a General Contractor submits a permit application for the construction of a new building, he/she must include the license information of the Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical (A/C), and other specialty contractors who will be involved in the project as Sub-Contractors. These specialty contractors are typically paid by and report to the General Contractor (Prime Contractor).

Age

Must be at least 18 years of age.

Examination

Must take and pass the state certification examinations (Contract Administration, Project Management, and Business). Please note that the application process cannot be started until the exams are taken and passing scores are obtained.

Experience / Education

A person will qualify for a Certified General Contractor’s license by meeting one of the following requirements:

Four-year construction-related degree from an accredited college (equivalent to three years’ experience) and one year proven experience applicable to the category for which you are applying.

One year experience as a foreman and not less than three years of credits from accredited college-level courses.

One year experience as a worker, one-year experience as a foreman, and two years of credits from accredited college-level courses.

Two years’ experience as a worker, one year experience as a foreman, and one year of credits from accredited college-level courses.

Four years’ experience as a worker or foreman of which at least one year must have been as a foreman.

Be a certified residential or building contractor holding an active current license for a minimum of 4 years.

Military Veterans

A veteran will qualify for a certified license by meeting on of the following:

Three years of military service and one year experience as a foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying.

Two years of military service, one year experience as a foreman, and one year experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying.

One year of military service, one year experience as a foreman, and two years experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying.

Applicants for the Certified General Contractor License must have experience in four or more of the experience areas listed below AND must provide at least one year of experience in the construction of structures at least four stories in height:

-Foundation/Slabs greater than 20,000 sqft.

-Masonry walls

-Steel erection

-Precast concrete structures

-Column erection

-Formwork for structural reinforced concrete

-Elevated slabs

Financial / Credit

Applicants will need to provide proof of financial stability and responsibility by submitting personal credit reports. Credit reports must include a FICO derived credit score and indicate that local, state and federal records have been searched. Credit report containing a credit score (FICO derived) on applicant from a nationally recognized credit reporting agency, which includes a public records statement that records have been checked at local, state, and federal levels. If credit score is below 660 (FICO derived) applicant must submit a bond or irrevocable letter of credit. Note that Fifty percent (50%) of the bond or letter of credit requirement may be met by completion of a 14-hour financial responsibility course.

Fingerprints

An applicant must have a background check as part of the licensing process.

Insurance

Applicants are required to attest that they have obtained public liability and property damage insurance in the amounts determined by Board rule. Applicants are also required to obtain workers compensation insurance or obtain an exemption from worker’s compensation insurance within 30 days of issuance of their license.

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To download the different application forms related to the General Contractor’s License, you may visit the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board’s site.

As an exam prep school, Contractor Prep School does not have any enrollment requirements, we will provide anyone with the books and the classes needed. It is your responsibility to make sure you can meet the requirements once you pass the exams! Remember that you must pass the exams first, and then you apply for the actual license.

We offer no formal review of your experience history and cannot give you a guarantee regarding whether the board will approve or deny your application once you pass the exams. For questions directly related to whether you meet the licensing criteria or not, please contact the DBPR’s Construction Industry Licensing Board directly.

Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Division of Professions
Construction Industry Licensing Board
2601 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783
Customer Contact Center: 850-487-1395

Below are the three exams you must pass in order to become a GC in FL. The first two make up the trade portion of your testing requirements. The third exam (Business and Finance) is the business part.

General Contract Administration Exam

This is the morning test of the trade portion of the exam. This test lasts 4.5 hours, and contains 60 questions. Some of the subjects included in this test are: Pre-construction Activities, Project Contracts, Obtaining Licenses, Permits and Approvals, and Construction Procedures and Operations.

General Project Management Exam

This is the afternoon test of the trade portion of the exam. This test lasts 4.5 hours, and contains 60 questions. Some of the subjects included in this test are: Construction Methods, Materials, Tools, and Equipment; Safety; and Reading Plans and Specifications.

Business and Finance Exam

This business test is not taken on the same day as the trade exams listed above. This is a separate test which lasts 6.5 hours, and contains 120 questions. Some of the subjects included in this test are: Establishing the Contracting Business, Managing Administrative Duties, Managing Trade Operations, Conducting Accounting Functions, Managing Human Resources, and complying with Government Regulations.

ENROLL TO TAKE YOUR EXAM:WWW.FLORIDAEXA.COM