Reciprocity - Certified General Contractor (CILB 32)

DEFINITIONS: Section 489.115 (3)(c), Florida Statutes, provides for certification by reciprocity for any applicant who holds a valid, current, license to practice contracting issued by another state, if the state has entered into a reciprocal agreement with the Board, and subject to the terms of that agreement. Please visit this link to view the list of states which have entered into a reciprocity agreement with Florida.

EXAM: All applicants for certification by reciprocity MUST pass the Florida Business and Finance exam and must attest that they have passed an exam covering the Florida Building Code.

LICENSURE VERIFICATION: All applicants are required to submit a verification of licensure from the state in which they are licensed indicating the following information:

• That the license has not been revoked, suspended, or placed on probation during the previous 5 years.
• That the license is not subject to any pending disciplinary action.
• That the license was obtained via examination.

EXPERIENCE: Depending on the state you are coming from, you may be required to provide proof of experience. Proof of experience is demonstrated by uploading experience page(s) specific to the category of the license the applicant is applying for. Print and complete as many copies of the pages as necessary to demonstrate your experience.

FINANCIAL/CREDIT: Applicants will need to provide proof of financial stability and responsibility by submitting credit reports for themselves and the business entity (if applying to qualify a business). Credit reports for individuals must include a FICO derived credit score and all credit reports must indicate that local, state and federal records have been searched.

• Please click here for a list of agencies that provide Board approved credit reports.
• You may find additional information regarding the Board''s financial requirements by visiting the Department''s Financial Responsibility and Stability website.

FINGERPRINTS: An applicant must have a background check as part of the licensing process. You must submit your fingerprints using a Livescan Service Provider registered with FDLE immediately after submitting your application for licensure. It may take up to five days for your fingerprint results to be received by the Department after they are submitted to the Florida Department of Law enforcement (FDLE). Please note that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement requires that an application for licensure should precede the submission of your fingerprints. To learn more about fingerprinting, please visit our Fingerprinting webpage.

INSURANCE: Applicants are required to attest that they have obtained public liability and property damage insurance in the amounts determined by Board rule. Applicants are also required to obtain workers compensation insurance or obtain an exemption from workers compensation insurance within 30 days of issuance of their license.

FEE: Pay the required fee as provided in the application. If applying online, you can pay with a credit card or electronic check. If mailing your application, please include a check payable to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Military veterans, their spouses and Florida National Guard members may be eligible for a fee waiver, fee reimbursement, and/or fee discount. Please visit our DBPR Military Services page for more information.

AGE: An individual applying for certification must be at least 18 years of age.

APPLICATION: Complete the application by clicking on the "Online Services" link or the "Printable Application" link at the bottom of the page.