An Overview of the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board’s New Streamlined Application Process

Some major changes are now in effect for new applicants for contractor licenses in Florida, and the submission process has become simpler and less time consuming as a result. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Construction Industry Licensing Board have revised their application process in an effort to avoid confusion and reduce the amount of time it takes to approve a license.

One of the most significant changes is that applicants are no longer required to include a third-party verification of their experience and qualifications. Instead, they are now required to attest to their experience under penalty of perjury, and they may be subject to disciplinary action for including false information on their application.

The new application does, however, maintain the requirement for applicants to submit a credit report that includes a FICO or Beacon score, which the board requires to be more than 660. If the score is under 660, applicants must obtain a licensing bond or letter of credit for $20,000 for Division I contractors and $10,000 for Division II contractors. The amount of the required bond or letter of credit may be reduced to $10,000 for Division I contractors and $5,000 for Division II contractors by taking a board approved financial responsibility course, and information on these requirements and courses can be found by clicking here.

The new application package and procedures, which took effect on July 16, should effectively streamline the licensure process and reduce the number of deficient applications. The new application forms feature clearer instructions, significantly diminish the amount of paperwork that is required, and provide clear criteria to establish financial stability/responsibility and work experience. Click here to access the different categories of applications from the Construction Industry Licensing Board.