Where a Florida residential contractor license transfers
2 documented states waive the exam for Florida residentials. 7 review by endorsement, 9 credit your hours, 18 give no credit.
Florida residential contractor · “Certified Residential Contractor (CR)”
State license plus local requirements
Issued by Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (Department of Business and Professional Regulation)
Florida's homes-only tier is the Certified Residential Contractor (occupation code CR), issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board within DBPR. Section 489.105(3)(c), F.S. limits the class to construction, remodeling, repair or improvement of one-, two- or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story, plus accessory structures. Florida licenses the person: an individual qualifies by experience and examination, receives a certificate of competency, and then files a separate application to qualify a business organization, so a contractor moving to Florida applies in their own name first. Florida runs two tracks at every level: a certified contractor holds a department certificate of competency and may contract in any jurisdiction in the state, while a registered contractor (code RR) has satisfied a county or city competency board instead and may contract only in the jurisdictions that granted that competency. Out-of-state applicants almost always want the certified license, because it is statewide and is the only track the Board's reciprocity and endorsement applications lead to.
How local licensing works in Florida
Why this level is Hybrid. Under s. 489.105(8) and (10), F.S., DBPR both certifies contractors statewide and registers contractors who qualified through a local licensing board, and a registered contractor 'may contract only in such jurisdictions'. The board's own application list therefore carries paired occupation codes for every Division I class: CR and RR for residential, CB/RB for building, CG/RG for general. The local route exists in the larger counties, and a state certificate makes it unnecessary.
Miami-Dade County. The Construction Trades Qualifying Board licenses Building, Building Specialties, Electrical, Maintenance, Mechanical and Plumbing contractors under Chapter 10 of the county code. It reciprocates only with Broward and Palm Beach counties in specific trade categories, and requires at least 75 percent on journeyman exams and 70 percent on other reciprocal category exams. Separately, Miami-Dade offers state-certified contractors a voluntary registration that speeds up permit applications in unincorporated Miami-Dade by pre-verifying license status and insurance.
Broward County. The Building Code Division's Central Examining Boards issue county Certificates of Competency; the applications, examining board calendar and descriptions of mandatory and voluntary certifications are published in the county's contractor packet (954-765-4400 x9876).
Out-of-state applicants. No county program reviewed publishes a rule that recognizes an out-of-state contractor license. Reciprocity and endorsement are state routes on Forms CILB 32 and CILB 10, and the license they produce is valid in every Florida jurisdiction.
Exam waived
Every destination
| State | Mechanism | Note | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Alaska | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Arizona | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Arkansas | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| California | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Colorado | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Connecticut | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Delaware | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| District of Columbia | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Georgia | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Hawaii | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Idaho | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Illinois | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Indiana | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Iowa | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Kansas | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Kentucky | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Louisiana | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Maine | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Maryland | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Massachusetts | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Michigan | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Minnesota | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Mississippi | Reciprocity | explicit agreement | 2026-09-17 |
| Missouri | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Montana | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Nebraska | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Nevada | Experience credit | explicit agreement | 2026-09-17 |
| New Hampshire | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| New Jersey | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| New Mexico | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| New York | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| North Carolina | Reciprocity | explicit agreement | 2026-09-17 |
| North Dakota | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Ohio | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Oklahoma | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Oregon | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Pennsylvania | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Rhode Island | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| South Carolina | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| South Dakota | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Tennessee | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Texas | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |
| Utah | Endorsement | explicit agreement | 2026-09-17 |
| Vermont | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Virginia | Experience credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Washington | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| West Virginia | Endorsement | 2026-09-17 | |
| Wisconsin | No credit | 2026-09-17 | |
| Wyoming | Not applicable | no state license at this level | 2026-09-17 |