The verdicts
Plumbing changes (moving/adding/replacing pipes, drains, water heater, gas)
Licensed contractor required
Plumbing Contractor required for the plumbing portion.
Any plumbing scope — moving/adding/replacing water supply lines, drains, vents, water heater install, gas line work — requires a Plumbing Contractor license. The cosmetic portion of the remodel (paint, finishes) remains preempted, but the plumbing tasks must be performed by a licensed plumbing contractor under §489.105(3)(m).
Statutory citation:
§489.105(3)(m) — Plumbing Contractor scope. §489.113(3) — required subcontracting.
§489.105(3)(m) — Plumbing Contractor scope. §489.113(3) — required subcontracting.
General information about this type of work — not legal advice, and possibly not current or specific to your locality. Confirm with the Florida DBPR and your local building department (or a licensed Florida attorney) before acting; provided as-is, at your own risk.
Electrical changes (new circuits, panel work, wiring beyond fixture swaps)
Licensed contractor required
Electrical Contractor required (separate licensing chapter).
Electrical work requiring licensure falls under §489.501–489.538 (Part II, Electrical and Alarm System Contracting) — a separate licensing chapter from general construction. New circuits, panel work, wiring beyond simple fixture swap → licensed electrical contractor required.
Statutory citation:
§489.501–489.538 (Part II) — Electrical Contractor licensing.
§489.501–489.538 (Part II) — Electrical Contractor licensing.
General information about this type of work; your specific situation may differ. Confirm with DBPR or a Florida attorney before acting.
HVAC changes (new ductwork, refrigerant, system install)
Licensed contractor required
Air-Conditioning or Mechanical Contractor required.
New HVAC work — ductwork, refrigerant lines, system installation — requires Class A, Class B, or Mechanical Contractor licensure per §489.105(3)(f)–(i). Limits vary by class (Class B caps at 25 tons / 500K Btu).
Statutory citation:
§489.105(3)(f)–(i) — Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Contractor categories.
§489.105(3)(f)–(i) — Air-Conditioning and Mechanical Contractor categories.
General information about this type of work; your specific situation may differ. Confirm with DBPR or a Florida attorney before acting.
Structural changes (load-bearing walls, beams, framing)
Licensed contractor required
General, Building, or Residential Contractor required.
Removal, modification, or replacement of any load-bearing wall, beam, column, or framing member is structural work. §489.113(3)(a) makes the General, Building, or Residential Contractor responsible for "any construction or alteration of a structural component of a building or structure." This is not preempted.
Statutory citation:
§489.105(3)(a)–(c) — General/Building/Residential Contractor. §489.113(3)(a) — structural-component responsibility. §489.105(15) — definition of "structural component".
§489.105(3)(a)–(c) — General/Building/Residential Contractor. §489.113(3)(a) — structural-component responsibility. §489.105(15) — definition of "structural component".
General information about this type of work; your specific situation may differ. Confirm with DBPR or a Florida attorney before acting.
NONE of the above — paint, flooring, cabinetry, finishes, fixtures (existing wiring/plumbing)
No license required
Preempted — no state OR local license required.
When an interior remodel is limited to paint, flooring, cabinetry, fixture swaps on existing wiring/plumbing, drywall, finishes — and does NOT touch any state-licensed trade — it falls squarely within the §489.117(4)(a) preemption for "interior remodeling when the scope of the project does not include a task for which a state license is required."
Statutory citation:
§489.117(4)(a) — "interior remodeling when the scope of the project does not include a task for which a state license is required" — named explicitly.
§489.117(4)(a) — "interior remodeling when the scope of the project does not include a task for which a state license is required" — named explicitly.
General information about this type of work; your specific situation may differ. Confirm with DBPR or a Florida attorney before acting.
Law last reviewed: June 14, 2026, against the 2025 Florida Statutes. This is general legal information, not legal advice.
Some versions of this are ours — some aren't.
Part of this work can be license-exempt (handyman / painting / flooring) — exactly what 1st Integrity does. The parts that touch a licensed trade are outside what we do; for those you'd engage a Florida-licensed contractor directly and verify their license. We'll always tell you which side a job falls on.
Doing the work yourself? Operating lawfully in this scope
- Registered Florida entity (LLC, corp, or fictitious name via sunbiz.org).
- Local business tax receipt — a tax registration, not a license.
- General liability insurance appropriate to the scope.
- Workers' compensation if you have employees (or a §440.05 exemption).
- Never advertise a state contractor license you don't hold — §489.127 makes that independently actionable.
With those in place and only preempted-scope work, you're operating lawfully without a state contractor license — insured and operating under statutory preemption, not "licensed." Advertise accordingly.
Common questions
What is Florida HB 735?
HB 735 (2021) began preempting local occupational licensing for many job scopes. It's codified mainly at §163.211 and §489.117(4)(a). Follow-up laws extended it, and the changes fully took effect in July 2025.
How do I check if a Florida contractor is licensed?
Search the name or license number at myfloridalicense.com, confirm it's active and in the right category, and request insurance certificates directly from the carrier.
Is a business tax receipt the same as a contractor license?
No. A business tax receipt is a local tax registration. It is not a contractor's license and does not authorize licensed-trade work (§489.127).