Hire

Hiring someone in Florida

Three checks prevent almost every bad outcome, and all three take under an hour. Verify the licence is current and in the right class. Confirm the permit will be pulled in their name. And do not hand over a deposit above more than 10% of the contract price^† without knowing what that obliges them to do.

Start here, whoever you are hiring

The licence class matters more than the licence. Florida regulates trades narrowly — a general contractor is not automatically a pool contractor, a home inspector may not perform the termite report, and a mould assessor may not also do the remediation. Asking "which class are you licensed in for this work?" is a better question than "are you licensed?", and it is the one that separates the professionals from the people who will tell you yes either way.

The three checks, in order

Verify the licence yourself, on the regulator’s own site, using the number they gave you. Confirm the name on the licence matches the name on the contract — not the salesperson, not the company trading name.
Confirm who pulls the permit. A licensed contractor pulls it in their own name. Being asked to pull it yourself as owner-builder means either they cannot, or they want the liability on you.
Watch the deposit. Taking more than 10% of the contract price^† obliges them to apply for permits within 30 days^† and start within 90 days^†, and a violation is prosecutable as theft, not merely a breach of contract^†.

A licence is required for work over $2,500^† or anything requiring a permit. Below that, and with no permit needed, an unlicensed handyman is perfectly legal — and for painting, fixture swaps and minor repair, entirely appropriate.

Buying and selling a house

Real estate agentWritten agreements, and what "transaction broker" means for you.Home inspectorScope, limitations, and what to ask on the day.AppraiserWho orders it, and what you can and cannot influence.SurveyorBoundaries, encroachments and the title exception it removes.Title company or closing agentWho chooses, and where custom reverses.Mortgage lenderComparing offers on the same day, on the same terms.Real estate attorneyWhen Florida practice genuinely calls for one.Pest control and WDOThe report a home inspector may not give you.

The building itself

General contractorLicence class, permit, deposit — the master checklist.RooferStorm chasers, the 25% rule, and paperwork that should never appear.ElectricianPanels, permits, and the ones insurers refuse.PlumberRe-pipes, cast iron and what a sewer scope actually shows.HVAC contractorSizing, which prevents the failure entirely.Pool contractorThe safety barrier is part of the job, not an upgrade.Structural engineerWhen an inspector’s "movement" needs a real answer.ArchitectWhat drawings you need, and when you do not need any.HandymanWhere the legal line sits, and how to stay the right side of it.

Living in it

Insurance agentWho can tell you which policy form you should be on.Public adjusterWhat they charge, and when it is worth it.Property managerLicensing, trust accounts and what the fee covers.MoverThe estimate type that decides what you actually pay.Interior designerWhere design ends and permitted work begins.

Where the licence boundaries actually fall

If you want	You need	Regulated by
A condition report before buying	A licensed home inspector	DBPR
A termite report	A separate WDO licensee	FDACS
Mould assessed	A mould assessor — not the remediator	DBPR
A roof replaced	A roofing contractor	DBPR
A pool built	A pool and spa contractor	DBPR
A boundary settled	A licensed surveyor and mapper	DBPR
A claim negotiated for you	A licensed public adjuster	DFS

These separations are not bureaucratic. home inspectors are licensed by DBPR, with a state exam, fingerprinting and an insurance requirement^† while WDO inspectors are licensed by FDACS under Chapter 482, not by DBPR^†, and Florida issues two separate licences — mold assessor and mold remediator — and the assessor may not remediate what they assessed^† — the last of which exists specifically so the person telling you there is a problem is not the person selling you the solution.

The paperwork that protects you afterwards

Releases of lien from every subcontractor and supplier before the final payment. A claim of lien can be recorded up to 90 days^† after work ends.
The closed permit, confirmed on the building department portal rather than taken on trust.
Certificates of insurance obtained from the insurer, not forwarded by the contractor.
The written scope you agreed, kept with the invoices, so a warranty conversation years later has something to stand on.

The single most useful sentence

"Send me your licence number and I will verify it before we go further." Anyone legitimate replies within the hour and thinks better of you for asking. Anyone who deflects, argues, or offers a photograph of a card instead has answered the question.

Do I need a permit?The call that settles it.Construction liensWhy paying the contractor is not the end.If the deposit is goneWhat is actually enforceable.Building and renovatingThe wider process.

Close-up of various hand tools including pliers and a wrench placed on a wooden board.Photograph: svetlana photographer / Pexels

Common questions

How do I check a contractor’s licence in Florida?

Verify it yourself on the regulator’s site using the number they gave you, and confirm the name on the licence matches the name on the contract rather than the salesperson or a trading name. Check the class covers the specific work.

When does Florida require a licensed contractor?

For work over $2,500 or anything requiring a permit. Below that, with no permit needed, an unlicensed handyman is legal — and for painting, fixture swaps and minor repair, appropriate.

How much deposit is too much in Florida?

More than 10% of the contract price triggers statutory obligations: applying for permits within 30 days and starting within 90. A violation is prosecutable as theft rather than merely a breach of contract.

Can my home inspector also do the termite inspection?

No. Home inspectors are licensed by DBPR and wood-destroying organism reports require a separate FDACS licence. A package covering both is being performed by two people whether or not you were told.

Should I pull the permit myself to save money?

No. A licensed contractor pulls permits in their own name. Being asked to pull it as owner-builder means either they are not licensed for the work or the liability is being moved to you — and it restricts selling or renting for a year.

Construction licensing sits in Chapter 489 and is administered by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; wood-destroying organism inspections by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under Chapter 482; public adjusters by the Department of Financial Services. Verify any licence directly with the regulator.