State Info

State Info

Commercial, residential & public works construction is regulated at the local/municipal level AND at the state level. A statewide certified license is granted by the construction or electrical licensing boards for most categories of licensure.

Applications for contractor licenses (other than electrical) are filed with:
            Department of Business & Professional Regulation
            The Construction Industry Licensing Board
            1940 North Monroe Street
            Tallahassee, FL 32399
            phone: (850) 487-1395
            www.myflorida.com

      Professional Testing Inc.
            PO Box 691226
            Orlando, FL 32869-1226
            phone: 407-264-0562
            fax: 407-264-2977
            www.proftesting.com

Testing is administered by PTI (407) 264-0562 , every other month (six times per year) in February, April, June, August, October, and December. Test Fee: $135.00/exam.

A-Plus Construction School offers an extensive Exam Preparation Course to prepare you for the Florida Contractor license exam. Sign up today for the Florida Exam Preparation Course. Below is a detailed description of the qualifications.

Yes. The state of Florida requires that persons who want to perform General, Building, or Residential; Underground Utilities; Commercial, Residential or Service Pool construction to become licensed. According to the State of Florida code, a licensed “certified contractor” is a contractor who holds a certificate issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and who is allowed to contract in any jurisdiction in the State of Florida without fulfilling additional certification requirements. The code states a “registered contractor” is one who has registered with DBPR pursuant to fulfilling the competency requirements in the jurisdiction for which the registration is issued and may contract only in such jurisdictions.

How to Prepare and Register for the Construction Industry Licensing Board Examination:

The first step in obtaining a Florida contractor’s license is to prepare to take the test by enrolling in an A-Plus Construction School exam preparation class.

The next step is registering to take the exam. The state of Florida uses Professional Testing Inc. (PTI) to administer the exam. PTI recommends that once you select a date to take the exam that you send your completed application and accompanying fee to PTI 30 days prior to the test date so that PTI will have time to verify that you meet the requirements and to give you the best advantage for taking the test on the date that you choose. Please register early. Do not wait until the deadline to apply! Sites fill up quickly and once all test sites are full, candidates will automatically be moved to the next examination date.

1. Online application (Internet) – From your browser go to http://www.proftesting.com/ and select the ‘Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board Examinations’ in the Examination Program’s column. In the next browser window, click on Login, which is located on the left-side in the navigation menu; if this is your first time registering with PTI you will need to create a new account. You may register and schedule for an examination 24 hours a day online. Also, when you register online there is no wait to schedule your examination date.

2. Standard Mail - Completely fill out the application and mail to PTI with the appropriate examination fee. PTI accepts money orders, cashiers checks, or checks.

Professional Testing Inc.
State of Florida Construction Program
P.O. Box 691226
Orlando, Florida 32869-1226

3. Fax - Completely fill out the application and fax to PTI at (407) 264-2977 . You may only use credit card information when applying by fax. Please make sure to fax both pages of the application.

3. Examination at a Glance; you may need to view multiple exams for your contractor type.

6. Examination Reference Book Lists; you may need books from more than one list.

Most exams consist of three (3) separate sections administered over two (2) days. Each day consists of a 4 hour and 45 minute AM session and a 4 hour and 45 minute PM session. The service pool exam consists of two sections administered on one day.

The exam will go smoothly if you study diligently and follow the tips and strategies provided in your A-Plus Construction School exam preparation class. You will be able to arrive with confidence knowing that you are prepared for any combination of questions that may appear on the test. It is highly recommended that you arrive at the examination site fifteen (15) minutes before the exam reporting time and no later than the time indicated on your admission slip. Bring your admission slip to the test site. You will be required to show it to gain entry to an examination room. If you have NOT received your admission slip within seven (7) business days of your scheduled examination, contact PTI by phone at (407) 264-0562or by fax at (407) 264-2977. You will be required to show one photo I.D. to be admitted at the testing center. The following identification is acceptable:

Student I.D. cards are not accepted. Once you sign in you will be given an overview of the test.

In addition, PTI recommends that you bring the following supplies into the exam:

* See Reference List section below for a list of approved reference materials to bring to the exams.

Note: Any personal items or supplies needed during the examination must be encased in a clear plastic bag, no larger than 8" X 11" in size.

You will be given a grade report on-site after you complete the last section of the examination. The minimum passing score is seventy percent (70%) on each of the examinations. The on-site grade report is "unofficial." Your score will become official once the board reviews and approves the score. Grades are typically reviewed and approved at the board meeting following the examination. Your official score and additional instructions for applying for licensure will be mailed to you approximately 30 days after the exam.

Effective November 3, 2006, the Board revised rule 61G4-16.009, Florida Administrative Code. The revised rule provides that a candidate who has failed to achieve a passing score on one or more of the required examinations has up to two years from the date of the first attempt to achieve a passing score on all required parts. If a passing score is not achieved within the two year period, all past test scores shall be considered invalid and the candidate will be required to retake all portions of the examination. Each candidate will only be allowed six attempts to pass each part of the exam during the two year period.

Don’t be fooled! This is an open book exam, but it will still take some effort to pass it successfully. By preparing in our A-Plus Construction School exam prep class you will be able to organize your materials and index particular passages in the books. Knowing how to use the books and references is critical to passing the exam.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) offers some very rigid guidelines as to what reference materials you may bring to the exam and how you may mark the pages in the books. The reference materials must be listed on the reference list. * Your materials may be underlined and/or highlighted. Photocopies of the material are not allowed unless you receive permission by the appropriate authorities before the exam. The books MAY NOT contain post-it notes, hand-written notes, pull-off labels, or removable tabs. All of the approved books allowed into the exam are offered on the order page in our Bookstore.

For further information on what information you may or may not bring to the exam see the Candidate Information Booklet.

All of the books recommended by the Contractor Licensing Board for the Florida Contractor Exam are essential to passing the test. This is an OPEN BOOK exam. The Florida contractor licensing exams are open book. You are allowed to tab and highlight the books for easy access. Order the approved reference books and many additional titles for the construction industry at our bookstore.

After you pass all the required parts of the exam you are allowed to apply for certification. To apply for certification you will need to provide the appropriate licensing fee, proof of insurance, a financial statement and credit report, and any required information about business organizations that will serve as references.

According to Florida code, licenses may be granted to individuals or businesses. However, no matter what type of license you seek you must:

1. Successfully pass all parts of the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) exam, be at least 18 years of age,

meet the educational/experience requirements, be of good moral character, pay all applicable fees, obtain worker’s

compensation coverage, and demonstrate financial responsibility. You must also include a credit report with your application

             State Of Florida
             Department of Business and Professional Regulation
             1940 North Monroe Street
             Tallahassee, FL 32399–0783
             Customer Contact Center (850) 487-1395

	Applying May 1st of an even year through August 31st of an odd year:	Applying September 1st of an odd year through April 30th of an even year
Application is for an individual:	$409	$309
Application is for a business:	$468 / new business $459 /existing business changing status	$386 / new business $359 / existing business changing status

Note - You may also pay by credit card online.

To Renew the Contractor License:

Each contractor is required to take 14 hours of continuing education during each biennium prior to the renewal period. Licenses are set for renewal in November 2010. A-Plus Construction School is a state approved provider of continuing education. We offer an extensive listing of approved courses. Check our schedule for continuing education courses. You won’t want to miss our exciting March cruise for “CE’s at SEA”