How To Get A Residential Contractor License In Florida Step By Step
Learn about Florida DBPR licensing requirements, the three required contractor exams, approved reference books, qualifying residential construction experience, application fees, and the licensing process.
Do you even need a Residential Contractor License?
Any work that is casual or inconsequential under $2,500 you don’t need a license for. But if the scope of work falls under a specific trade license, like plumbing, you would need that specific license regardless of the price. For example, if you’re putting new cabinets in a kitchen, you don’t need a license to do that, but if the job goes over $2,500 you will need a license. Any structural work will also require a license.
Also, without having a license you do not have any lien rights on the project, which is putting you in jeopardy of not getting paid.
What are the consequences of doing unlicensed work?
Doing contracting work without the required Residential Contractor license can result in a first-degree misdemeanor for a first offense and a third-degree felony for a second offense. DBPR or a local licensing board may also issue a cease-and-desist order, the unlicensed contractor’s contract may be legally unenforceable, and a building department cannot issue a permit for work requiring a state license. In certain cases involving negligence, malfeasance, or misfeasance, the consumer may also be entitled to three times the actual compensatory damages, plus costs and attorney’s fees.
What scope of work can you do with a Residential Contractor License?
Construction, remodeling, repair, or improvement of one-family, two-family, or three-family residences that are not more than two stories, along with the accessory use structures connected with these buildings. An accessory use structure would be a garage, guest house, garden shed, or other outbuilding.
What are the requirements?
Obtain a passing score of 70% or higher on the Business and Finance Exam, Contract Administration Exam, and Project Management Exam.
Be at least 18 years of age.
Meet the educational/experience requirements.
Be of good moral character.
Pay all applicable fees.
Obtain workers’ compensation coverage.
Demonstrate financial responsibility.
What is the Business and Finance Exam?
125 Questions
6 hrs 30 min
70% to Pass (84/120)
Open Book
The Business and Finance Exam is a 6-hour and 30-minute exam with 125 questions. Five of those questions are pilot questions. The pilot questions don’t count toward your score, so they don’t hurt or help you. Only 120 questions are actually scored, meaning you need to get 84 questions right out of the 120 to get the minimum passing score of 70% or higher.
The exam is open book, meaning you can bring the books into the exam, and you’re allowed to highlight and tab the books as well.
Here are the 5 books you need for the exam:
2025 Contractor Manual
Builder’s Guide to Accounting
AIA A201 2017
AIA A401 2017
AIA A701 2018
These are all the current editions DBPR is currently testing. The next time the Contractor Manual will change is in 2029. For the other books, currently there is no news on when they will change, but it looks like it won’t be anytime soon.
For this exam, don’t think of it as a construction exam. I’ve seen guys with 30 years of experience in construction fail this exam because they go in with the mindset of, “Hey, I have all this experience. There’s no way I can fail this exam.” They realize quickly that this exam has almost nothing to do with construction and is more of a law and accounting exam.
For these exams, you don’t need to retain and learn all of this information. It’s more about knowing how the books work and how they are outlined. You need to be strong at using the index and table of contents. It’s not knowing the information, it’s knowing how to find the information in the books.
It’s important for you to highlight and tab your books yourself so you understand what you’re highlighting and tabbing. This is what gets you familiar with the books. I don’t recommend purchasing books that are already highlighted and tabbed because you don’t know why things were highlighted or tabbed. It’s important for you to go through this process yourself. Most of the time when I see people failing the exam, this is one of the reasons. In the course, I’ll show you how to highlight and tab each book in video so you understand everything.
What is the Contract Administration Exam?
50 Questions
4 hrs 30 min
70% to Pass (32/45)
Open Book
After passing Business and Finance, your Contract Administration Exam is next. I recommend studying for one exam at a time and starting with Business and Finance since it’s only five books.
Business and Finance will really help prepare you for Contract Administration because there is a lot of overlap between the two exams. That’s why it’s very important to do Business and Finance first. Business and Finance is really the stepping stone for your Residential Contractor license. Contract Administration will be a lot harder if you haven’t already passed Business and Finance and learned how to navigate those books.
The Contract Administration Exam is 50 questions, with 5 of them being pilot questions. Again, you will need to get a minimum score of 70% or higher, which means you need to get at least 32 of the 45 scored questions correct to pass.
It’s also an open-book exam. You have 4 hours and 30 minutes to take the exam, and you’re allowed to highlight and tab the books. The exam is testing on 13 books you can bring into the exam and 5 books you can’t bring into the exam.
Here are the 13 books you can bring into the exam:
2025 Contractor Manual
AIA A201 2017
AIA A401 2017
AIA A701 2018
OSHA 29 Part 1926, July 1, 2025
Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th Edition, 2024
Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida, 2024
Building Component Safety Information: BCSI-ED2-D, “Guide to Good Practices for Handling, Installing and Bracing of Metal Connected Wood Trusses,” 2025
Florida Building Code – Building, 2023
Florida Building Code – Accessibility, 2023
Florida Building Code – Residential, 2023
Florida Building Code – Existing Building, 2023
Florida Building Code – Energy Conservation, 2023
Here are the 5 books you can’t bring into the exam:
Walker’s Estimating Guide, 33rd Edition
Builder’s Guide to Accounting
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition, 2021
Placing Reinforcing Bars, 10th Edition, 2019
Application and Finishing of Gypsum Panel Products, GA-216, 2018 Edition
These are all the current editions DBPR is currently testing. You already have the 2025 Contractor Manual and the three AIA documents from the Business and Finance Exam, so you will just need to get the 9 other books.
OSHA is updated every year. Principles and Practices will be updated in 2029. The Energy Efficient book will be updated in 2027. The BCSI book will be updated in 2030. The Florida Building Code will be updated in 2027.
The 5 books you can’t bring into the exam, don’t even worry about purchasing them. There’s really no point in buying them if you can’t bring them into the exam. In the course, I’ll tell you what you need to know from these books, and you will need to remember that information since the books can’t be brought into the exam. Save the roughly $400 instead of buying books you can’t even use on test day.
This exam is similar to Business and Finance because it’s not really going over a ton of construction. It’s mostly asking questions about laws regarding contracts. The Contractor Manual and AIA documents are very important for this exam.
They will also give you a set of plans and ask you questions based on those plans, along with a few math questions. Your field experience will help with this. If you don’t have much field experience, don’t worry. In the course, I’ll guide you through this and I’ll even teach you how to use the Construction Master Pro calculator.
What is the Project Management Exam?
50 Questions
4 hrs 30 min
70% to Pass (32/45)
Open Book
The Project Management Exam is going to have the exact same setup as the Contract Administration Exam.
The Project Management Exam is 50 questions, with 5 of them being pilot questions. Again, you will need to get a minimum score of 70% or higher, which means you need to get at least 32 of the 45 scored questions correct to pass.
It’s also an open-book exam. You have 4 hours and 30 minutes to take the exam, and you’re allowed to highlight and tab the books. The exam is testing on 13 books you can bring into the exam and 5 books you can’t bring into the exam.
Here are the 13 books you can bring into the exam:
2025 Contractor Manual
AIA A201 2017
AIA A401 2017
AIA A701 2018
OSHA 29 Part 1926, July 1, 2025
Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th Edition, 2024
Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida, 2024
Building Component Safety Information: BCSI-ED2-D, “Guide to Good Practices for Handling, Installing and Bracing of Metal Connected Wood Trusses,” 2025
Florida Building Code – Building, 2023
Florida Building Code – Accessibility, 2023
Florida Building Code – Residential, 2023
Florida Building Code – Existing Building, 2023
Florida Building Code – Energy Conservation, 2023
Here are the 5 books you can’t bring into the exam:
Walker’s Estimating Guide, 33rd Edition
Builder’s Guide to Accounting
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th Edition, 2021
Placing Reinforcing Bars, 10th Edition, 2019
Application and Finishing of Gypsum Panel Products, GA-216, 2018 Edition
These are all the current editions DBPR is currently testing. You already have the 2025 Contractor Manual and the three AIA documents from the Business and Finance Exam, so you will just need to get the 9 other books.
OSHA is updated every year. Principles and Practices will be updated in 2029. The Energy Efficient book will be updated in 2027. The BCSI book will be updated in 2030. The Florida Building Code will be updated in 2027.
The 5 books you can’t bring into the exam, don’t even worry about purchasing them. There’s really no point in buying them if you can’t bring them into the exam. In the course, I’ll tell you what you need to know from these books, and you will need to remember that information since the books can’t be brought into the exam. Save the roughly $400 instead of buying books you can’t even use on test day.
This exam is not going to be anything like the Business and Finance Exam or Contract Administration Exam. This is where your experience really counts, but one thing I will tell you is don’t try to answer the questions based on your experience. Answer them based on what the books are saying.
You may have been doing something for years and the book says something different. Remember, they’re testing you based on what’s in the book, not necessarily what’s happening in the real world.
A lot of the questions you see on this exam may be things you have never seen in the field or even heard of. Keep in mind the people making these exams aren’t contractors. The exam makers define themselves as psychometricians.
It’s very important to know how to navigate all of the books. You need to keep in mind that all the answers are in front of you inside the books; you just need to find them. In the course, that’s what I’m teaching you how to do. I’m breaking down each book and teaching you how to tackle each book the correct way.
Where do I take the exam?
After you’re done studying for the exam and you’re confident and ready to go, you will take the exam at Pearson VUE. Pearson VUE has testing centers all over the country. You can even take the exam in Hawaii if you want.
The first step is getting your Candidate ID. You can go to the Florida Exam website and register for the exams. It costs $135. One thing I recommend is choosing all three exams — Business and Finance, Contract Administration, and Project Management — at the same time so you only have to pay the $135 once.
If you only choose one now, you will have to pay the $135 again later. At this point, you are only getting your Candidate ID; you are not scheduling your exam yet.
Once you pay the $135, you will need to wait 10–14 business days for them to send you an approval email. Once you get the approval email, you can schedule the exams.
I recommend scheduling Business and Finance for about a month and a half out. It will cost $80 to take it at Pearson VUE.
For your Contract Administration Exam and Project Management Exam, I wouldn’t schedule them until you pass your Business and Finance Exam. The Contract Administration Exam and Project Management Exam will cost $45 each.
Should I buy a course to help me prepare for the exam?
A lot of people think, “Well, it’s just books. I’ll order the books, start reading them, and I’ll be good for the exam,” or, “I have 30 years of experience in the field. I probably don’t even need the books.”
These are always the people who call me afterward and say, “Man, I went to take the exam, sat there for an hour, and was like, what is this? What did I get myself into?” Then they give up, submit the exam, and get a 20%. This is a true story, by the way.
They realize quickly that this exam is not about what you know. It’s about whether you know how to find the information in the books. If you just order all of the books, you’re going to get a big box of books, look at it, and say, “This is impossible. I don’t know how people do this.”
That’s why I made the course. I wanted to make it an easy-to-follow process: one exam at a time, one book at a time, and even one chapter at a time.
In the course, I’ll guide you through each book chapter by chapter and point out the important information you need to know. You will learn how the exam is structured, and what first looks like an impossible task will start to feel feasible. You’ll start getting the hang of everything and learning along the way.
I’ve helped thousands of contractors pass their exams and get licensed, and many of them come from different schools that didn’t give them structure or a clear path to pass, or they were using outdated materials.
If you want to pass on your first try and never have to worry about the exam again, join us at Florida Exam Prep. I’m so invested in seeing you pass that I tell people to just buy Business and Finance to start. I’ll make sure you pass that exam so you can move on to your Contract Administration Exam and Project Management Exam.
No other school gives you this option because once they sell you the whole package, they have nothing else to sell you. They don’t care whether you fail or pass because you’ve already bought everything from them.
After I pass, how long are my exams good for?
All exams are valid for 4 years from the date you pass them. A good thing about Business and Finance is that after you get your license, that exam is good forever. If you ever want to get another license, you just need to take the trade exam for that license. You don’t have to take Business and Finance again.
What are the educational/experience requirements?
You don’t have to worry about this right now because now we’re getting into the application part. The application is the last part of the process, and you will start this once you pass your exams.
Don’t worry about it or stress about it until you pass your exams. If you’re trying to work on the application while also studying for the exams, it’s going to be a nightmare. Don’t do it.
When it comes to experience, you have a few options to choose from. If you have credits from accredited college-level courses, those credits don’t have to be from construction courses. They can be from any subject. They just have to be from an accredited college.
Even if you don’t have a degree and never finished college, you can still use the classes you took if the college gave you credits for them. Typically, 30 college credits equal one year. So if you have 90 credits, you can use that as 3 years of education toward the requirement.
Military service can also count toward the experience requirement. If you don’t have college or military service, you will just have to show four years of experience out in the field.
Here are the options you have on the application for your method of qualification. You will need to choose one:
Four-year construction-related degree from an accredited college, equivalent to three years of experience, and one year of proven experience applicable to the category for which you are applying.
One year of experience as a foreman and not less than three years of credits from accredited college-level courses.
One year of experience as a worker, one year of experience as a foreman, and two years of credits from accredited college-level courses.
Two years of experience as a worker, one year of experience as a foreman, and one year of credits from accredited college-level courses.
Four years of experience as a worker or foreman, of which at least one year must have been as a foreman.
Three years of military service and one year of experience as a foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying.
Two years of military service, one year of experience as a foreman, and one year of experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying.
One year of military service, one year of experience as a foreman, and two years of experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying.
Now you’re probably asking, what is a foreman and what is a worker? This is how the state defines both:
Foreman
A person who is in charge of a group of workers and usually is responsible to a superintendent, contractor, or his or her equivalent.
Worker
A person who, through active experience as a worker, has learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship as a skilled worker who is able to command the rate of a mechanic in the particular trade.
After you have chosen your option, it’s time to show your experience in the field. The state does this through your employment history. You only need to show the amount of experience required for the option you chose above.
Keep in mind that since you’re going for a Residential Contractor license, your experience should be in residential work.
You will need to provide the following information for each employer:
Employer Name and Address
Dates Employed
Employer Phone Number
Name of Qualifying Contractor for Employer
License Number of Qualifying Contractor
Contact Name
Email Address
Your Role — Worker or Foreman
Number of Years and Months as a Worker or Foreman
Project Dates
When it comes to the employer’s license number, if your experience is from Florida, you will need to provide the license number. But let’s say your experience is from another state or country where a license number for this type of work doesn’t exist; you would put N/A.
Keep in mind that your experience does not strictly have to be in Florida. You can use experience from other states and even other countries.
One thing people worry about is that they didn’t leave on good terms with their employer and they’re worried the employer might say something bad or say they didn’t work for them. The chance of DBPR calling the employer is very low, but if they do and this happens, you can provide DBPR with W-2s or 1099s.
After that is filled out, you need to show your areas of experience. The state is asking for experience in three or more of the following categories:
Foundation / Slabs / Structural Formwork
Masonry Walls
Structural Demolition
Column Erection
Structural Wood Framing, Including Trusses and Excluding Platform Framing
After choosing the boxes, you will also need to provide the following information:
Project Name
Project Address
Project Type — New Construction or Renovation
Your Job Title on the Project
Your Duties on the Project
Next, you will explain your job duties on the job site or job sites.
The last thing you will provide is the project specifics, such as the number of stories, square footage, materials used, and other important details about the project.
What does it mean that I need to be of good moral character?
It means the licensing board may review your criminal history to determine whether anything in your background relates to your ability to responsibly practice contracting. In general, a conviction or other adjudication for a crime that occurred more than five years before the application is received cannot by itself be grounds for denying the license, although certain serious crimes may still be considered if they relate to the profession.
The board also recognizes that many offenses, such as DUI, simple assault or battery, disorderly conduct, petit theft, marijuana possession, reckless driving, traffic offenses, and trespassing, do not necessarily relate to the practice of contracting.
What are all the applicable fees?
When the state says applicable fees, they are talking about the costs of taking the exams, which cost $295, and the application fee, which costs $245. You will also need to pay to have your fingerprints done for the state and for your background check.
How do I obtain workers’ compensation coverage?
You can purchase workers’ compensation coverage from an insurance broker, or if you’re a sole proprietor or partner, you can file to be exempt from workers’ compensation. You will also need liability and property damage insurance. For a Residential Contractor, you will need $100,000 in liability insurance and $25,000 in property damage coverage.
How do I demonstrate financial responsibility?
The state used to ask you to have a minimum net worth or purchase a bond. They have since gotten rid of this requirement, and now you need to provide a credit report with a credit score of 660 or higher and no unsatisfied judgments or liens against the applicant.
If you have a credit score lower than 660 with no unsatisfied judgments or liens, you can take a 14-hour financial responsibility course.
After I get the license, do I ever need to take these exams again?
No. You never have to take these exams again. You will just need to renew your license every two years and make sure you complete 14 hours of continuing education every two years as well.
Can I upgrade my Residential Contractor license later?
If you are looking to get a Building or General Contractor license later on, I recommend taking the Contract Administration and Project Management exams for the General Contractor license.
Both exams cover the same topics and books. The main difference is that each General Contractor exam has 65 questions instead of 50. This means you’ll answer 15 additional questions on each exam, giving yourself the option of obtaining a higher-level license later.
You can upgrade after holding your Residential Contractor license for 4 years. Once you have held the license for four years and have already passed the General Contractor exams, you can upgrade to the General Contractor license without providing separate project experience. Holding the license actively for those four years is considered sufficient experience.
Official sources: DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board, Florida Statutes, Chapter 489, Pearson VUE (Florida DBPR exams), and DBPR license lookup.
I wrote all of this myself — no AI. If it didn't answer all your questions, call me directly and I'll answer them.
Cruz Greico — Florida Exam Prep
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