§489.117(4)(a), Fla. Stat. (2025): "...job scopes for which a local government may not require a license include, but are not limited to, painting..."
1st Integrity Property Solutions is a family-owned property-maintenance and handyman business in Broward County — handyman, painting, flooring, and junk removal, under Florida HB 735. Insured with Liberty Mutual general liability. We do only license-exempt work; if a job crosses into licensed-trade territory, we'll tell you straight.
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.
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).