Building and renovating in Florida
Two checks protect you from almost every bad outcome: the licence and the permit. A licence is required for work over $2,500† or anything needing a permit, and both are verifiable in minutes. Nearly every renovation horror story in Florida traces back to skipping one of them.
Do you actually need a licensed contractor?
Not for everything, and it is worth being clear about where the line falls. Below $2,500† and with no permit required, a handyman is perfectly legal. Painting, minor repairs, fixture swaps, assembly and general maintenance sit comfortably there.
| Work | Licensed contractor? |
|---|---|
| Painting, minor repair, fixture replacement under $2,500 | No |
| Anything requiring a building permit | Yes, always |
| Structural changes, moving or removing walls | Yes |
| Roofing | Yes — specialty licence |
| Electrical, plumbing, HVAC | Yes — specialty licence each |
| Pools, seawalls, docks | Yes — specialty licence |
| Additions, enclosures, converting a garage | Yes |
If the work needs a permit, it needs a licensed contractor — the permit office will not issue to an unlicensed person. So rather than arguing about thresholds, ask the building department whether your specific job is permittable. That one call settles it.
Check the licence before anything else
Florida licences are public and checkable by name or licence number through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. It takes two minutes and it is the highest-value two minutes in the whole project.
- Confirm the licence is active, not expired or on a different person’s name.
- Confirm the category matches the work. A roofing licence does not cover an addition.
- Confirm the name on the licence matches the name on the contract and the name on your cheque. Borrowed licences are a recurring problem, and if the licence is not really theirs you are dealing with an unlicensed contractor whatever the paperwork says.
- Ask for insurance certificates — general liability and workers’ compensation — sent by the insurer, not forwarded by the contractor.
A contract with an unlicensed contractor is unenforceable in law or in equity by the unlicensed contractor — while the other party keeps its rights†. That asymmetry protects you on paper. In practice he is also uninsured, pulls no permits, and leaves you with unpermitted work that resurfaces when you try to sell. Treat it as a backstop, never a plan.
Permits, and why unpermitted work follows you
Unpermitted work does not quietly disappear. It surfaces at three predictable moments: when you sell and must disclose it, when an insurer inspects and finds an enclosure that is not on the record, and when a future permit application triggers a review of what came before. Each of those is more expensive than the permit would have been.
- The permit is pulled by the contractor. If they ask you to pull it as an owner-builder to save time, that is a signal, not a favour — it moves the liability to you.
- Keep the final inspection sign-off. It is the document that proves the work was permitted and closed.
- An open permit that was never closed is its own problem at closing, and it is common.
Liens — the part homeowners underestimate
A subcontractor or supplier you never hired can lien your home even after you have paid your contractor in full. They must be served notice within 45 days† of first furnishing, and record any claim within 90 days† of their last work. Your protection is lien releases collected with every payment.
Before you sign anything
- Verify the licence and that it matches the work and the name on the contract.
- Get insurance certificates direct from the insurer.
- Get a written scope with a payment schedule tied to milestones. Never a large deposit against no work.
- Agree in writing that lien releases accompany every payment.
- Confirm who is pulling the permit — and that it is not you.
- Keep the final payment until the final inspection has passed and the final releases are in hand.
Common questions
When do I need a licensed contractor in Florida?
For work over $2,500 or anything requiring a building permit. Below that and with no permit needed, a handyman is legal for painting, minor repairs and maintenance. If the job is permittable, it needs a licensed contractor.
How do I check a Florida contractor’s licence?
Licences are public and searchable through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation by name or number. Confirm it is active, that the category matches the work, and that the name matches both the contract and your cheque.
What happens if I hire an unlicensed contractor in Florida?
Their contract is unenforceable by them and they cannot lien your property, which protects you legally. But they are typically uninsured, cannot pull permits, and leave unpermitted work that you must disclose when selling.
Can a supplier lien my house if I paid my contractor?
Yes. The claim attaches to the property rather than the contractor. Collecting lien releases with every payment — from the contractor and from everyone who served a Notice to Owner — is the only reliable protection.
Does unpermitted work matter if nobody notices?
It surfaces when you sell and must disclose it, when an insurer inspects, or when a future permit triggers review of earlier work. Each of those costs more than the original permit would have.
Contractor licensing is governed by Chapter 489 and liens by Chapter 713 of the Florida Statutes. Permit requirements and thresholds are administered locally — confirm with your own building department before starting work.