§489.113(6)(b)1 — voluntary specialty.
Borderline scopes come down to the specifics. Check the exact tasks against the rule above, or verify with DBPR. If the work lands on the license-exempt side — handyman, painting, flooring — that part is ours. If it needs a licensed trade, you'd hire that contractor directly.
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).