Florida plumbing license: what your CFC or RF license lets you do, and your first 30 days

Published November 8, 2026 · Law checked November 8, 2026

• Free to read. The 30-day checklist is also a free printable (Google Docs, Word or PDF). The files come by email.
• Deepsel is our product: free estimate, invoice and scheduling software for contractors (scheduling, quotes, invoicing, card payments). The section before the FAQ says where it fits and where it doesn't.
• Not legal advice. Every rule here links to the statute, rule or official page it comes from. Ask DBPR, your building department, your water utility or a Florida attorney before you bet a job on my reading.

A Florida plumbing license lets your business contract for plumbing: water and drain piping, fixtures, water heaters, natural gas and propane piping, septic tanks, wells, irrigation, pool piping and solar water heating.¹ A certified license (CFC) works anywhere in the state. A registered license (RF) rests on a county or city certificate of competency and works only where you hold that local license.^1,5 Florida has no state master or journeyman plumber license: the state licenses the contractor, counties and cities license journeymen, and your business gets its standing by naming you as its qualifying agent.^5,6

Five things catch new Florida plumbing shops before the next job. Every water heater swap needs a permit, because the code's plumbing exemptions stop at clearing stoppages and fixing leaks.^18,25 Your license number has to be on every bid, proposal, contract and ad, and on your truck if the truck carries your business name.⁶ The gas piping is yours, propane included, but setting the propane tank is work for an LP gas company licensed by the state's agriculture department.^1,15 Backflow testing has no state license at all: each water utility sets its own tester rules and its own reporting portal.^22,23 And the 9th edition of the Florida Building Code, Plumbing is scheduled to take effect on December 31, 2026.²⁰

Not every reader here is new to the trade. Some just passed the state exam or registered a county card. Others have held a CFC for years and just put it behind a new company, which makes them a new business owner with an old license. Both get the same questions. Below: what CFC and RF mean, who qualifies the company, what your license covers, the second licenses Florida adds for propane, septic, fire sprinklers and medical gas, permits, backflow and the utilities, a "can I take this job?" table, a 30-day checklist, and what crossing the line costs, each with the rule behind it. What your residential contracts must say, and how much deposit you can take, is in Florida construction contract requirements. The construction board rules every trade shares (qualifying a business, insurance, workers' comp, the $2,500 handyman line) are covered in more depth in the Florida general contractor license guide, the electrician's side of a water heater circuit is in the Florida electrical contractor license guide, and getting paid when a customer won't pay is in the Florida mechanics lien guide.

The 30-day checklist is also a printable: make your own copy in Google Docs (lands in your Drive), download the Word version (.docx), or download the PDF. Pick a format, enter your email and I'll send the links. It's the same list as on this page, with tick boxes and blanks for your license numbers, policy numbers, utility logins and renewal dates.

Florida plumbing license basics: CFC, RF, and no state master or journeyman license

Florida's Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), licenses plumbing contractors. DBPR's own page lists the category as "CF and RF," and your license number starts with CFC or RF.⁹ The difference is where you may work. A certified contractor "shall be allowed to contract in any jurisdiction in the state without being required to fulfill the competency requirements of that jurisdiction." A registered contractor has registered a local competency license with DBPR, and "Registered contractors may contract only in such jurisdictions."¹

Sources for the table: certified and registered,^1,5 renewal dates and the end of the business license,⁹ CE,^4,8 journeymen and county licenses.^5,24

How each license is earned

• CFC. Four years of experience as a skilled worker or foreman, at least one of them as a foreman (or a degree and experience mix the statute lists), then the state's business and finance exam and the plumbing trade knowledge exam.³ DBPR says every certification exam is computer-based and available any time "except for the Plumbing Trade Knowledge."⁹ An active license also needs a credit score of 660 or a 14-hour financial responsibility course, the insurance below and fingerprints. The application fee is $245, or $145 between September 1 of an odd year and April 30 of an even year.^7,9
• RF. Pass your county or city's competency exam, then register it with DBPR. "An examination is not required for registration." Report each local jurisdiction where you hold a license within 30 days of getting it.⁵
• From RF to CFC. A registered contractor with 5 years in the category, a substantially similar written exam behind the local license, and a clean record can apply for certification under s. 489.118.⁵

Journeymen and masters: the county side

The state lets counties and cities "issue journeyman licenses in the plumbing, pipe fitting, mechanical, or HVAC trades," based on a proctored exam and either a registered apprenticeship or 12,000 hours of on-the-job training. Since July 1, 2024 they "must recognize a person as a journeyman" if any Florida county or city issued that person a journeyman license.⁵ Two big examples of local licensing:

• Miami-Dade County. The Construction Trades Qualifying Board examines and certifies trades under Chapter 10 of the county code. Its plumbing categories include Journeyman Plumber (3 years of experience), Master Plumber (2 years as a journeyman) and Plumbing Maintenance.²⁴
• Palm Beach County. A 1967 special act requires a certificate of competency "to advertise, bid, or contract." Plumbing contractors there "qualify as a master plumber with a minimum of 7 years experience, 4 of which shall be as a journeyman plumber," and the county's notice says "Journeyman are not allowed to contract, must perform work under a Master Electrician or/a Master Plumber." A journeyman application costs $100.²⁴

Before you hire in a new county, ask its licensing office whether it issues journeyman cards and expects one on your plumbers.

Who qualifies the business, and being someone else's qualifier

If you contract in your own legal name, the license is yours alone. For an LLC, corporation, partnership or any other name, you apply as the business's qualifying agent.⁶ DBPR stopped issuing a separate "qualified business license" in 2009, but "contractors will still be required to qualify a construction business with their individual license," and the business name then shows on your license.⁹ What qualifying commits you to:

• Authority. You sign an affidavit that you have "final approval authority for all construction work performed by the business organization" and on business matters, "including contracts, specifications, checks, drafts, or payments," unless the board approves a financially responsible officer to take the money side.⁶ That officer posts a $100,000 bond or letter of credit.⁷
• Responsibility. "All primary qualifying agents for a business organization are jointly and equally responsible for supervision of all operations of the business organization; for all field work at all sites; and for financial matters."⁶ The board can fine you up to $10,000 per violation for the company's acts, and the company up to $5,000 more.¹³ The general contractor license guide covers the financially responsible officer and the qualifier's duties in more depth.
• Ownership. DBPR's FAQ: "Does a contractor have to own the business he or she is applying to qualify? No," but you must have supervisory and final approval authority.⁹

One license, more than one company

Florida allows it, with the board's say. "After the licensee qualifies one business organization, any request to qualify another business organization is subject to approval by the Board," and you must show you can supervise each one.^6,7 You skip the board appearance if you own at least 20% of the new business or are its W-2 employee. Qualifying a third business means appearing before the board unless you own at least 20% of all three.^7,9

If you leave, or your qualifier leaves

Tell the board within 30 days after you stop being affiliated with a company.⁷ If you were its only licensed contractor, the business has 60 days to employ a new qualifying agent, and it "may not engage in contracting" in the meantime unless the board grants a temporary, nonrenewable license to an officer or partner, which covers only contracts already signed.⁶ DBPR says that temporary license "is good for 60 days and cannot be extended."⁹ Running the business past the 60 days without a new qualifier is a crime.¹¹

Being someone else's qualifier

Florida has an open market for this. A plumbing department manager on r/Contractor in January 2025 said his employer wanted him "to qualify 2 locations for less than 2k total monthly," and another commenter answered: "My friend get 2k a month cash to qualify a very small company. I don't think he's ever been to their place or one of their jobs." (Reddit) That friend's version doesn't fit the law. You swear to final approval authority over the company's work and its checks, you answer for "all field work at all sites," and a licensee who lets a company use his number without being properly qualified commits a first-degree misdemeanor.^6,11 What to charge for qualifying a company, and what it can cost you, is in Asked to be the master of record or plumbing qualifier.

What a Florida plumbing contractor license covers

The statute's definition runs long. A plumbing contractor may "install, maintain, repair, alter, extend, or, if not prohibited by law, design" sanitary and storm drainage, water and sewer plants, venting, water supply systems, "septic tanks, drainage and supply wells, swimming pool piping, irrigation systems, and solar heating water systems," "including boilers and pressure process piping and including the installation of water, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and related venting, and storm and sanitary sewer lines." It adds air and vacuum piping, "oxygen line piping, nitrous oxide piping, and all related medical gas systems," "fire line standpipes and fire sprinklers if authorized by law," fuel oil and gasoline piping and tanks, and any digging the work needs.¹ On the jobs that raise questions:

• Water heaters, gas and electric. Plumbing work, including the gas piping and venting. Two outsiders may also reconnect the water lines on a water heater swap without a CILB license: an LP gas dealer or installer licensed by FDACS, and a natural gas utility's own employee.¹
• Gas lines. Natural gas and propane piping are in your scope, and Florida has no state gas fitter license. The propane tank is another matter (next section).^1,15 Mechanical contractors share the gas lines inside a building, while air conditioning contractors may only disconnect and reconnect a gas appliance they're changing out; the Florida HVAC license guide has their side.¹
• Drain cleaning. In your scope, but "a mandatory licensing requirement is not established" for it, so anyone may clear drains.¹
• Water softeners and filters. In your scope. The state also exempts "operators of water conditioning services" and bars counties and cities from making them hold a plumbing license.²
• Septic tanks, wells, irrigation, pool piping, solar water heating, boilers. All on the list. Septic still needs a state permit (next section).^1,16 Pool/spa contractors share the pool piping: their scope covers the perimeter and filter piping, but not "direct connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water lines," so an autofill on the house water line or a backwash line into the sewer comes to you.¹ The Florida pool contractor license page has their side.
• Medical gas and fire sprinklers. On the list, each with an extra requirement (next section).¹

For everything else on a job, the definition says you "shall subcontract, with a qualified contractor in the field concerned, all other work incidental to the work but which is specified as being the work of a trade other than that of a plumbing contractor."¹

Where Florida adds a second license or permit

Propane: the LP gas license from FDACS

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) licenses propane businesses under chapter 527. A Category V LP gas installer covers "Installing, servicing, designing, modifying, altering or repairing apparatus, piping, tubing, appliances, equipment and LP gas storage tanks," and a Category I dealer covers installing as well as selling gas.¹⁵ Doing that work without the license is unlawful, and "a felony of the third degree" if done intentionally or willfully. A Category V license costs $200 a year, and since July 1, 2024 its qualifier needs a year of LP gas experience or a manufacturer's certification.¹⁵

The two laws overlap. Your plumbing definition includes LP gas piping, and chapter 527 licensees are exempt from contractor licensing for the work their own license covers.^1,2 I found no line in chapter 527, the FDACS rules (5J-20) or the plumbing statute that says whether a plumbing contractor also needs an FDACS license to run propane piping inside a house. Tanks are clearer: setting or servicing an LP gas storage tank is in FDACS's description and not in yours. My reading: pipe the house, let a licensed propane company set and connect the tank, and if propane jobs will be a big share of your work, get FDACS's answer in writing.

Septic: your license covers it, DEP permits it

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) registers septic tank contractors, but that law says "nothing in this part prohibits any person licensed pursuant to s. 489.105(3)(m) in this state from engaging in the profession for which he or she is licensed," and the plumbing definition lists septic tanks.^16,1 A certified plumbing contractor with 3 years of septic work can even become a master septic tank contractor.¹⁶ What you can't skip is the permit: "A person may not construct, repair, modify, abandon, or operate an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system without first obtaining a permit approved by the department."¹⁶ Don't call yourself a septic tank contractor unless you're registered as one.¹⁶

Fire sprinklers: the State Fire Marshal's certificate

Your definition includes fire sprinklers only "if authorized by law," and chapter 633 makes it unlawful to install or service a fire protection system without a fire protection contractor certificate.^1,17 Two classes are built for plumbers. Contractor IV covers sprinkler systems in detached one- and two-family homes and mobile homes under NFPA 13D, and to sit its exam you must "be licensed as a certified plumbing contractor" and finish a 40-hour course. Contractor V covers the underground fire main up to one foot above the floor, open to certified plumbing and underground utility contractors.¹⁷ An RF can't use the Contractor IV route, because it requires a certified license.

Medical gas: training before the first job

Oxygen, nitrous oxide and vacuum piping in a dental office or clinic are plumbing work, with a training rule on top. The contractor takes a board-approved medical gas course once while holding the license, the employees doing the work take a course with a practical brazing exam, and "a person qualified under paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph (1)(b) must be present" on every medical gas job site.¹⁰ The statute sets the minimums at 6 hours for the contractor and 8 for employees; the board's rule requires a 32-hour course for both, so plan on 32.^10,7

Supervision: who can do plumbing under your license

• Your employees. An employee "acting within the scope of the license held by that certificateholder or registrant and with the knowledge and permission of the licenseholder" is exempt from licensing. The statute defines an employee as someone whose employer "regularly deducts the F.I.C.A. and withholding tax and provides workers' compensation."² A helper you pay on a 1099 isn't one.
• Unlicensed subcontractors. Florida lets an unlicensed sub work under a licensed contractor's supervision, except on work that needs a license in one of the trade categories, and plumbing is one of them.³ So a 1099 "plumber" without his own license can't do plumbing on your jobs, supervised or not.
• You. As primary qualifier you answer for "all field work at all sites."⁶

I found no apprentice-to-journeyman ratio in chapter 489 or the board's rules. Counties that license journeymen set their own rules, such as Palm Beach County's line that a journeyman "must perform work under a Master Plumber."²⁴

Where your license stops

• Electrical. The plumbing definition gives you no electrical work. Compare the air-conditioning contractor's, which says outright that it may "replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the line or load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch."¹ Florida's contractor law also says a contractor "shall subcontract all electrical" work unless it holds that license.³ A new circuit for a water heater or electric tankless unit, an upsized breaker, or a new outlet for a sump or ejector pump goes to an electrical contractor. I found no Florida rule on whether reconnecting the existing wiring on a like-for-like electric water heater counts as electrical contracting, and Orange County says a water heater swap needs "a plumbing permit and possibly an electrical permit."²⁵ Ask each building department and agree the split with your electrician in writing. The electrician's rules are in the Florida electrical contractor license guide.
• HVAC. Central air, heat pumps, furnaces, ductwork and refrigerant are air-conditioning or mechanical work. Boilers sit in both your definition and the mechanical contractor's. AC contractors may run a condensate drain "to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a sanitary system," and their scope excludes "potable water lines or connections thereto," so a new tie-in to the drain system is yours.¹
• Structure. Cutting or altering a structural member belongs to a general, building or residential contractor.³
• Propane tanks, fire sprinkler systems and medical gas without the training. See above.^15,17,10
• Lead paint in pre-1978 homes. Florida doesn't run its own lead renovation program, so EPA's rule applies directly. Disturbing more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room (20 outside) for pay needs an EPA-certified firm with certified renovators. "Jobs ... performed in the same room within the same 30 days must be considered the same job," and EPA's civil penalty is up to $49,772 per violation.³⁰
• Digging. Before a sewer or water line trench, notify Sunshine 811 "Not less than 2 full business days before beginning any excavation." Skipping it is a noncriminal infraction with a $500 civil penalty.²⁹

Florida plumbing permits and inspections

Florida has one statewide code. The Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th edition (2023) has been in effect since December 31, 2023. The 9th edition (2026), which "updates the Eighth Edition 2023 Florida Building Code: Plumbing using the latest changes to the 2024 International Plumbing Code," is scheduled to take effect December 31, 2026. The Building Commission's August 2026 work plan still listed filing the final rule as pending, so check the date with your building department in December.²⁰ The statute ties a permit to the code that was in force on the date you applied, for the life of the permit, so a job permitted on December 30 stays on the 8th edition.²⁰ Counties and cities enforce the code and may adopt stricter local amendments.²⁰

When you need a permit

Anyone who intends to "erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any ... plumbing system" needs a permit first.¹⁸ The building code's plumbing exemptions are short:

• "The stopping of leaks in drains, water, soil, waste or vent pipe." Replacing a defective concealed pipe "shall be considered as new work."
• "The clearing of stoppages or the repairing of leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures and the removal and reinstallation of water closets, provided such repairs do not involve or require the replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures."

The "minor repairs" exemption excludes replacing or relocating water supply, sewer, drainage, gas, waste or vent piping.¹⁸ Florida's new rule exempting single-family work under $7,500 from permits (in effect since July 1, 2026) doesn't help either: it excludes "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work."²¹

Water heater swaps

Replacing a water heater isn't on the exempt list, so it needs a permit, gas or electric. Orange County puts it in one line: "Water heater? Yes, you need a plumbing permit and possibly an electrical permit," and it issues stand-alone permits for "water heater change-outs."^25,18 Two things help on a no-hot-water call. The code skips plan review for "Replacing existing equipment such as mechanical units, water heaters," and in an emergency you may do the work first and submit the permit application "within the next working business day."¹⁸ The code items on the swap itself are in the water heater replacement checklist.

Who pulls the permit

You do, in your license's name and number, which the building department must verify before it issues the permit.^6,26 Two limits matter:

• A contractor "may not apply for or obtain a building permit for construction work unless" the contractor or the business it qualifies "has entered into a contract" for that work, except on your own property or unpaid work.¹¹ So no pulling permits for a handyman's job.
• Homeowners may pull an owner-builder permit for their own home, but they must supervise the work themselves and may not hand that to anyone unlicensed. The disclosure they sign warns that unlicensed people often have the owner pull the permit.²

Proceeding without the permits and inspections a job needs is grounds for discipline, and since July 1, 2026 the rule reads "unless otherwise provided by law."¹³ If you take more than 10% of a residential contract price as the first payment, you must apply for the permits within 30 days.³¹

Inspections

The local building department inspects plumbing three times: underground "after trenches or ditches are excavated, piping installed, and before any backfill," rough-in after "all soil, waste and vent piping is complete, and prior to this installation of wall or ceiling membranes," and final.¹⁸ You run the tests in section 312 of the plumbing code and supply the equipment and labor for them.¹⁹ Florida also lets you hire a private provider for a single-trade plumbing inspection on a house, with notice to the building official.²¹ A single-family permit expires one year after it's issued, or when the next code edition takes effect, whichever is later.²¹

Local layers: Orange, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and the rest

• A certified contractor shows the license and pays the local fees; no county may make a certificate holder sit its exam.²⁶
• A county or city may require one bond per contractor of up to $5,000, tied to code compliance.²⁶
• You pay local business tax where your office is. Another county or city may not charge it for work "on a temporary or transitory basis" in its area.²⁶
• Orange County takes plumbing permits through Fast Track, and its page says "If value of work exceeds $5000, a Notice of Commencement is required."²⁵ The notice itself belongs to the lien law, covered in the mechanics lien guide.
• Miami-Dade and Palm Beach license trades locally (above). Ask every new county about journeyman cards, local amendments and its permit portal.²⁴

Water-conserving fixtures

The code caps flow on new fixtures: water closets at 1.6 gallons per flush, private lavatory faucets and sink faucets at 2.2 gallons per minute at 60 psi, and shower heads at 2.5 gallons per minute at 80 psi.¹⁹ I found no stricter statewide rule. Check the 9th edition's table before you stock up for 2027.

Florida backflow certification: no state license, your water utility decides

The plumbing code requires backflow assemblies to be "tested at the time of installation and immediately after repairs or relocation," to set ASSE or CSA procedures with calibrated gauges.¹⁹ Who may test is left to the utility. DEP's cross-connection rule makes each community water system's program "specify qualifications for persons testing such assemblies," with assemblies on non-residential connections tested at least annually and residential ones at least every two years.²² Three of the big ones:

• Miami-Dade Water and Sewer. "A certified tester must complete a 40-hour training course in backflow prevention assembly testing and pass a proficiency test." To join its list of testing companies, send the Certified Tester Information form with your license, liability insurance certificate, test kit calibration and tester certificates. Test reports go in online. WASD's backflow page.²³
• JEA (Jacksonville). "Backflow preventers must be installed by certified plumbers and tested by properly certified JEA Qualified Vendors," who submit results for the customer; "No test reports can be accepted from customers." Residential testing is at least every two years. JEA's residential backflow page.²³
• Hillsborough County. "Only a registered Hillsborough County certified tester can test your backflow assemblies." Testers enrol with their certifications and test kit calibration, submit results on the Backflow BMP portal, and must report a failed assembly within 48 hours. New installations, replacements and relocations on a county water connection need a permit. Hillsborough's backflow page.²³

Installing or replacing an assembly is plumbing work under your license, with a permit. The annual test is the small part of the money; the repair or replacement after a failed test is yours to quote.

Can I take this job? A table for Florida plumbing contractors

The verdicts assume you hold an active CFC, or an RF where the job is, and that a W-2 employee or you does the work.

Sources for the table: scope,¹ exemptions,² subcontracting,³ registration area,^5,12 medical gas,¹⁰ LP gas,¹⁵ septic,¹⁶ sprinklers,¹⁷ permits and inspections,^18,19 backflow,^22,23 Orange County,²⁵ business tax,²⁶ Sunshine 811,²⁹ lead.³⁰

What changed in 2025 and 2026

I checked the history of every statute section on this page and read the session laws behind the recent changes. None of them changed the plumbing contractor's definition. The ones that touch you:

• Pay your subs and suppliers on time (SB 290, in effect July 1, 2026). A licensed contractor must pay a subcontractor or supplier, absent a bona fide dispute, "Within 45 days after receiving payment" for their work or on the contract's terms. Knowing or willful violations are grounds for discipline.¹⁴ That covers your supply house and the electrician you sub to.
• Permits (HB 803, in effect July 1, 2026). The new $7,500 single-family exemption excludes plumbing and gas work, single-family permits now expire after one year or at the next code edition, and the board's permit-violation ground gained "unless otherwise provided by law."^21,13
• Permit paperwork (HB 683, in effect July 1, 2025). A county or city may not require a copy of your contract to issue a permit, and private providers may do single-trade inspections.²¹
• The code. The 9th edition is scheduled to take effect December 31, 2026.²⁰
• Journeymen (HB 917, in effect July 1, 2024). Counties and cities must recognize a journeyman license from any other Florida county or city.⁵

Your first 30 days: a checklist for a new Florida plumbing contractor

This is the same list as the printable. Week 1 keeps you legal on the next job. The rest keeps a water heater swap or a backflow test from stalling on a permit portal or a utility's tester list.

Week 1: license and business paperwork

1. Look yourself up on DBPR's Verify a License. Write down your CFC or RF number, its status, its expiration date and the business it qualifies.⁹
2. If you work through an LLC or corporation, or under any name other than your own, make sure the business is qualified on your license with DBPR (on your first application, or later through a change-of-status or additional-business application), not only filed with the state.^6,9
3. Register any trade name with the Division of Corporations before you use it: "A person may not engage in business under a fictitious name unless the person first registers the name."²⁷
4. RF holders: report each county or city where you hold a competency license to DBPR within 30 days of getting it, and keep each local license current.⁵
5. Get the local business tax receipt where your office is. A certified qualifier applies in the business's name and his own, with the state license number noted on it.^6,26
6. Put your license number on every quote, proposal, bid, contract and ad, "regardless of medium." If a truck shows your business name, the number goes on it, conspicuous and legible.⁶ Residential contracts over $2,500 also need the Recovery Fund notice; the rest of what a contract must say is in Florida construction contract requirements.³¹
7. Decide on propane: line up an FDACS-licensed LP gas company for tank work, and ask FDACS in writing about piping if propane jobs will be common.¹⁵
8. If you'll touch fire sprinklers or medical gas, book the State Fire Marshal exam or the medical gas course before you bid one.^17,10

Week 2: insurance and people

9. General liability: at least $100,000 public liability and $25,000 property damage, in the licensee's name, kept in force the whole time the license is active. When the board asks, the certificate names CILB as holder and shows your license number.⁷ Ask the agent, in writing, whether the policy covers gas piping and work outside your license.
10. Workers' comp: required at one employee in construction, and a sole proprietor or partner counts as an employee. Up to three corporate officers or LLC members who each own at least 10% may file an exemption ($50, good for 2 years). Going without means a stop-work order, $1,000 a day for working through it, and a penalty of twice the premium you should have paid.²⁸
11. Subcontractors: get a comp certificate from each one, because their workers' comp lands on you if they have none, and check each license on Verify a License.^28,9 No unlicensed 1099 plumbers.³
12. Helpers: put them on payroll with comp, so they count as your employees under the exemption, and check whether the county wants journeyman cards on the job.^2,24

Weeks 3 and 4: permits, water utilities and digging

13. Open a permit portal account with each building department you'll work in (Orange County uses Fast Track). Ask each one about water heater change-out permits, whether a swap also needs an electrical permit, and its Notice of Commencement threshold.²⁵
14. Plan for the 9th edition, scheduled for December 31, 2026: get the code, and submit applications for jobs you want under the 8th edition before that date.²⁰
15. If you'll test backflow: take the tester course, calibrate the test kit, and sign up with each utility (Miami-Dade's tester list and online reports, JEA's Qualified Vendors, Hillsborough's registration and Backflow BMP). Any other utility: find its cross-connection program first.^23,22
16. If you'll touch septic systems, learn DEP's permit process before you quote one.¹⁶
17. Before any trench, notify Sunshine 811 at least 2 full business days ahead.²⁹
18. If you'll cut into painted walls in pre-1978 homes, get the firm EPA-certified and take the certified renovator course.³⁰

On the calendar

19. License renewal: certified by August 31 of even-numbered years (next August 31, 2028), registered by August 31 of odd-numbered years (next August 31, 2027).⁹
20. CE: 14 hours each cycle, with one hour each on a building code advanced module, workplace safety, business practices, workers' comp, and laws and rules. Nothing is due for the year your license was first issued; if you got it more than 12 months before the cycle ends, the first renewal needs 7 hours.⁸ On my reading, a CFC issued this fall owes 7 hours by August 31, 2028, and an RF issued this fall owes none by August 31, 2027.
21. Your county competency license and business tax receipt: each county sets its own renewal date.^24,26
22. General liability renewal, and the comp exemption every 2 years.^7,28
23. Within 30 days: tell the board about a change of name or address, or about leaving a company you qualify.⁷
24. Backflow customers: the utility's schedule decides the month (annual for non-residential, at least every two years for residential).^22,23

What happens if you cross the line

No license, or outside your registration's area

• It's a crime. Contracting or advertising without a license is a first-degree misdemeanor, up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. A repeat, or any unlicensed contracting "during the existence of a state of emergency declared by executive order of the Governor," is a third-degree felony: up to 5 years and $5,000.¹¹ After a hurricane, that's the rule that bites.
• An RF counts too. "Persons working outside the geographical scope of their registration are guilty of unlicensed activity," and holding a local license doesn't help.¹²
• Fines. DBPR can fine an unlicensed contractor up to $10,000, and a county's code enforcement citation can reach $2,000, or up to $2,500 a day after a hearing.^12,11 DBPR can also issue a stop-work order.¹¹
• No pay through the courts. A contract made by an unlicensed contractor is "unenforceable in law or in equity by the unlicensed contractor," and "no lien or bond claim shall exist" for the work. A business without a qualifying agent for the work counts as unlicensed.¹²

Licensed, but no permit, a lent license, or unlicensed help

• The board can fine you up to $10,000 per violation, put you on probation, suspend or revoke your license, and fine the business up to $5,000 more. The grounds include working without required permits and inspections, helping an unlicensed person contract, and letting your license be used by one.¹³
• Letting your number be used by someone unlicensed, or by a business you haven't properly qualified, is also a first-degree misdemeanor, a felony on a repeat. So is pulling a permit for a job you haven't contracted.¹¹
• Leaving your license number off an ad gets a notice of noncompliance first, then a fine if you don't fix it within 30 days.⁶
• Late payment to subs and suppliers, knowingly or willfully, is now grounds for discipline too.¹⁴

The second licenses

• LP gas work that needs an FDACS license, done intentionally without one, is a third-degree felony.¹⁵
• Installing or servicing fire sprinkler systems without a certificate is unlawful under chapter 633.¹⁷
• Calling yourself a septic tank contractor without DEP registration is a first-degree misdemeanor, even though your plumbing license lets you do the work.¹⁶
• Medical gas work without the trained person on site is a ground for board discipline, and the contractor answers for the crew.¹⁰

Insurance

Letting your liability coverage lapse while the license is active breaks the board's rule, and a building department may refuse or suspend permits for a contractor who can't show liability and comp coverage.^7,3 I found no Florida rule on what unlicensed or out-of-scope work does to your policy. That's in the policy. Ask your agent in writing and keep the reply.

More for new plumbing contractors

• How much to charge per hour: service call minimum, first hour and flat prices, with a free rate sheet.
• Water heater replacement checklist: the code items, the permit and what to charge, with a free printable.
• You got your master plumber license. Now what? Stay for a raise or start your own plumbing business, with the numbers for each.
• Asked to be the master of record: what being a company's plumbing qualifier pays, and what it can cost you.

Where Deepsel fits

Deepsel is the field service software I build, and it doesn't know Florida licensing. It won't pull a permit, file a backflow report with Miami-Dade or Backflow BMP, or tell you whether a propane job needs an FDACS license, and its built-in state contract templates don't include Florida yet. Two parts of it help with what's above. The shop-wide terms text you set once is copied onto every new quote and shows under "Terms" on the customer's quote page, and the invoice footer is copied onto every invoice, so your CFC or RF number goes on each one without retyping. And you can build a checklist template once (permit number, gas connection, vent check, inspection passed, backflow test filed) and add it to the quote for each water heater swap. Your office and techs tick items off, each answer is stamped with who did it and when, and the customer never sees it. Quotes can carry options, the customer approves and signs on screen, and an optional card deposit is credited on the final invoice. Free covers 30 estimates and 30 invoices a month for your whole team; Pro is $29 a month with unlimited estimates and invoices (pricing).

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Florida master plumber or journeyman plumber license?

Not from the state. Florida licenses the plumbing contractor: a certified plumbing contractor (CFC) by state exam, or a registered plumbing contractor (RF) based on a local certificate of competency. Counties and cities issue journeyman licenses under s. 489.1455, and since July 1, 2024 every county and city must recognize a journeyman license issued by any other one in Florida. Some counties also issue master plumber certificates of competency: Miami-Dade's board lists Journeyman Plumber (3 years of experience) and Master Plumber (2 years as a journeyman), and Palm Beach County's plumbing contractors qualify as master plumbers with 7 years of experience, 4 of them as a journeyman.

What is the difference between a CFC and an RF plumbing license in Florida?

A CFC is a certified plumbing contractor license. You get it by passing the state exam, and it lets you contract anywhere in Florida without meeting a county's competency rules. An RF is a registered plumbing contractor license. You get it by registering a county or city certificate of competency with DBPR, with no state exam, and you may contract only where that local license is held. The exception: after a declared natural emergency, a registered contractor may work in the emergency area until 24 months after the declaration expires. Certified licenses renew August 31 of even-numbered years, registered ones August 31 of odd-numbered years.

How do I look up a Florida plumbing license?

Use DBPR's Verify a License search at myfloridalicense.com. Search by name or license number. Plumbing contractor numbers start with CFC (certified) or RF (registered), and the record shows the license status, its expiration date and the business it qualifies. Run your own record and every sub's before a job.

Can a handyman replace a toilet in Florida?

Only inside the state's handyman exemption: work of a casual, minor or inconsequential nature under $2,500 in total, not part of a bigger job and not done by someone who advertises as a contractor. DBPR adds that work needing a permit typically isn't minor. The building code lets anyone clear a stoppage, fix a leak, or pull and reset the same toilet without a permit, as long as no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced. On my reading, a new toilet is a replaced fixture, so it falls outside that exemption. Ask your building department before you count on it either way.

Do I need a separate license for gas lines or propane in Florida?

Not for the piping. A Florida plumbing contractor's scope includes the installation of water, natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas piping and related venting, and there is no separate state gas fitter license. Propane businesses are licensed separately by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) under chapter 527: a Category I dealer or Category V LP gas installer covers piping, appliances and LP gas storage tanks. Setting or servicing a propane tank is FDACS-licensed work. I found no text that says whether a plumbing contractor also needs an FDACS license to run LP gas piping, so ask FDACS in writing if propane is a big part of your work.

How do I get backflow certified in Florida?

There is no state backflow tester license. Florida's cross-connection rule leaves tester qualifications to each community water system, so the utility decides. Miami-Dade Water and Sewer wants a 40-hour backflow tester course and a proficiency test, then your company on its tester list. JEA in Jacksonville accepts tests only from its Qualified Vendors. Hillsborough County accepts tests only from testers registered with the county, through its Backflow BMP portal. Installing or replacing an assembly is plumbing work under your license and needs a permit.

Which plumbing code does Florida use?

The Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th edition (2023), in effect since December 31, 2023. The 9th edition (2026), built on the 2024 International Plumbing Code, is scheduled to take effect December 31, 2026. Florida's statute says a permit applied for before a new code takes effect stays under the code that was in force on the application date. Counties and cities enforce the code and can adopt stricter local amendments.

What insurance does a Florida plumbing contractor need?

At least $100,000 of public liability and $25,000 of property damage insurance, carried in the licensee's name and kept in force for as long as the license is active. Workers' comp starts at one employee in construction, and a sole proprietor or partner counts as an employee. Up to three corporate officers or LLC members who each own at least 10% can take an exemption. The state sets no bond for a plumbing license, except a $100,000 bond or letter of credit from a financially responsible officer. A county or city may require one bond of up to $5,000.

Can one Florida plumbing license qualify more than one company?

Yes, with the board's approval. The first business is routine. For each one after that you must show you can supervise its work: the board waives the appearance if you own at least 20% of the new business or are its W-2 employee, but qualifying three or more businesses means appearing before the board unless you own 20% of all three. Every primary qualifier is responsible for all of the company's field work and its finances.

Sources

1. Florida Statutes § 489.105 (2026), definitions: (3)(m) plumbing contractor (scope list; LP gas and natural gas piping; septic tanks; "all related medical gas systems"; "fire line standpipes and fire sprinklers if authorized by law"; subcontract other trades' work; FDACS licensees and gas utility employees may reconnect water lines on a water heater swap; drain cleaning "a mandatory licensing requirement is not established"), (3)(f) and (i) air-conditioning and mechanical contractors (power wiring at an existing disconnect; condensate drains; no potable water or sanitary sewer lines), (3)(j)-(l) pool/spa contractors ("the repair or replacement of all perimeter piping and filter piping"; no "direct connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water lines"; read November 9, 2026), (4)-(5) qualifying agents, (8) certified contractor, (10) registered contractor. History through ch. 2026-3. leg.state.fl.us, read November 8, 2026.
2. Fla. Stat. § 489.103, exemptions: (2) employees acting within the licensee's scope with permission, "employee" defined by F.I.C.A., withholding and workers' comp; (7) owner-builders and the disclosure statement; (9) casual, minor or inconsequential work under $2,500; (13) chapter 527 licensees doing their licensed work; (15) water conditioning operators. leg.state.fl.us, read November 8, 2026.
3. Fla. Stat. § 489.111(2)(c) (4 years of experience, 1 as foreman, or degree combinations) and § 489.113 (1) certified by exam, otherwise registered; (2) unlicensed subcontractors may not do work in the categories of § 489.105(3)(d)-(o) even under supervision; (3) "A contractor shall subcontract all electrical, mechanical, plumbing ... work, unless such contractor holds a state certificate or registration in the respective trade category"; (3)(a) structural work by general, building or residential contractors; (4)(c) permits may be denied without proof of insurance and comp. 489.111, 489.113, read November 8, 2026.
4. Fla. Stat. § 489.114 (proof of workers' comp at issue and renewal) and § 489.115 (license required "in the proper classification"; renewal every 2 years; at least 14 hours of CE, less for those licensed under a full biennium; insurance affidavit "in amounts determined by rule of the board"; comp exemption within 30 days of issue; credit report). 489.114, 489.115, read November 8, 2026.
5. Fla. Stat. § 489.117 ((1)(a) registration on local competency, "An examination is not required for registration"; (1)(b) only where local requirements are met; (1)(c) report each local jurisdiction within 30 days; (5) declared natural-emergency areas until 24 months after the declaration expires), § 489.118 (registered to certified after 5 years, a substantially similar exam and a clean record) and § 489.1455 (counties and cities "are authorized to issue journeyman licenses in the plumbing, pipe fitting, mechanical, or HVAC trades"; 12,000 hours or a registered apprenticeship; "must recognize" any Florida county or city's journeyman license, from ch. 2024-125, HB 917, effective July 1, 2024). 489.117, 489.118, 489.1455, ch. 2024-125, read November 8, 2026.
6. Fla. Stat. § 489.119 ((1)-(2) individual or qualifying agent; (2)(b) "final approval authority" affidavit, financially responsible officer; (2)(d) fictitious name; (3)(a) 60 days to replace the only qualifier, temporary license for incomplete contracts; (4) business tax receipt in the business's name with the license numbers; (5)(a) license number on permit applications; (5)(b) number "in each offer of services, business proposal, bid, contract, or advertisement, regardless of medium"; (5)(c) vehicles; (5)(e) notice of noncompliance, then a fine after 30 days; (6) qualifying additional businesses is "discretionary with the board") and § 489.1195 (primary qualifiers "jointly and equally responsible ... for all field work at all sites; and for financial matters"; financially responsible officer; secondary qualifiers). 489.119, 489.1195, read November 8, 2026.
7. Florida Administrative Code chapter 61G4-15: 61G4-15.0021 (additional businesses subject to board approval; financially responsible officer's $100,000 bond or letter of credit; 20% ownership or W-2 employment; three or more businesses; amended December 23, 2025), 61G4-15.0024 (showing ability to supervise), 61G4-15.003 (plumbing contractor $100,000 public liability and $25,000 property damage; insurance "carried in the name of the licensee"; failing to maintain it is a violation; certificate requirements), 61G4-15.006 (credit score 660 or a 14-hour course), 61G4-15.007 (notify within 30 days of a name or address change or leaving a qualified business), 61G4-15.031 (medical gas: 32-hour course; a certified person present on every medical gas job). flrules.org, chapter file read November 8, 2026.
8. Fla. Admin. Code 61G4-18.001 (14 hours each renewal; one hour each on a Florida Building Commission advanced module, workplace safety, business practices, workers' compensation, and laws and rules; no CE "for the year in which a certificate or a registration is initially issued"; 7 hours at the first renewal if licensed more than 12 months before the biennium ends). flrules.org, read November 8, 2026.
9. DBPR, Construction Industry Licensing Board: FAQs (certified renew August 31 of even years, registered of odd years; insurance amounts; comp or exemption; registered applicants submit the local license; exams computer-based "except for the Plumbing Trade Knowledge"; qualified business licenses ended October 1, 2009; qualifying more than one business; a qualifier need not own the business; replacing a qualifier within 60 days and the temporary license "good for 60 days and cannot be extended"; handyman jobs under $2,500, "Typically, work requiring a permit is not of a casual, minor, or inconsequential nature"); Construction Industry page ("CF and RF"; applications including CILB 6-M); Hot Topics (SB 290 effective July 1, 2026); DBPR CILB 5-M, Application for Certified Plumbing Contractor as an Individual, eff. July 2024 (fees $245 or $145; credit score 660 or a 14-hour course; experience areas; insurance), myfloridalicense.com; Verify a License. All read November 8, 2026.
10. Fla. Stat. § 489.1136, medical gas certification ((1)(a) contractor course of at least 6 hours, once while licensed; (1)(b) employees at least 8 hours with a practical exam; (1)(c) brazers; (2)(a) "a person qualified under paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph (1)(b) must be present"; contractor responsible and subject to discipline). leg.state.fl.us, read November 8, 2026.
11. Fla. Stat. § 489.127 ((1)(f) contracting or advertising unlicensed; (1)(g) operating 60 days after losing the only qualifier; (2)(a) first-degree misdemeanor; (2)(b) third-degree felony on a repeat; (2)(c) third-degree felony "during the existence of a state of emergency declared by executive order of the Governor"; (3) stop-work orders; (4)(a)-(b) letting a license number be used; (4)(c) no permit without a contract for the work; (4)(d) misdemeanor, felony on a repeat; (5)(c) local citations up to $2,000; (5)(f) up to $2,500 a day after a hearing); § 775.082(3)(e) and (4)(a) and § 775.083(1)(c)-(d) (third-degree felony up to 5 years and $5,000; first-degree misdemeanor up to 1 year and $1,000). 489.127, 775.082, 775.083, read November 8, 2026.
12. Fla. Stat. § 489.128 (unlicensed contractor's contract "unenforceable in law or in equity"; business without a qualifying agent for the scope is unlicensed; "no lien or bond claim shall exist"), § 489.13 ((1) working outside a registration's area is unlicensed activity; (3) DBPR fine up to $10,000; (5) no permit without a state certificate or registration) and § 455.228 (cease and desist; civil penalty $500 to $5,000). 489.128, 489.13, 455.228, read November 8, 2026.
13. Fla. Stat. § 489.129 ((1) fine "not to exceed $10,000 per violation," probation, suspension, revocation, restitution; (1)(d)-(e) assisting or conspiring with unlicensed persons; (1)(o) "Proceeding on any job without obtaining applicable local building department permits and inspections, unless otherwise provided by law"; (2) up to $5,000 more against the business). Amended by ch. 2026-63 (CS/CS/HB 803), effective July 1, 2026. 489.129, ch. 2026-63, read November 8, 2026.
14. Fla. Stat. § 489.1295, created by ch. 2026-3 (CS/CS/CS/SB 290), effective July 1, 2026: a licensed contractor must pay a subcontractor or supplier "Within 45 days after receiving payment" or on the contract's terms, unless there is a bona fide dispute; knowing or willful violations are subject to § 489.129. 489.1295, ch. 2026-3, read November 8, 2026.
15. Fla. Stat. § 527.01 (Category I dealer includes installing piping and equipment for LP or natural gas; Category V LP gas installer) and § 527.02 ((1) license required; intentional or willful unlicensed activity "a felony of the third degree"; Category V $200 a year), 527.01, 527.02; FDACS, "Liquefied Petroleum Gas Licenses" (Category V scope including "LP gas storage tanks"; qualifier experience from July 1, 2024), fdacs.gov; Fla. Admin. Code chapter 5J-20 (no plumbing contractor provision), flrules.org. All read November 8, 2026.
16. Fla. Stat. §§ 489.551 (Department of Environmental Protection; master septic tank contractor includes a certified plumbing contractor with 3 years of septic work), 489.552 (registration; "nothing in this part prohibits any person licensed pursuant to s. 489.105(3)(m)"), 489.558 (first-degree misdemeanor) and § 381.0065(2)(d) and (4) (DEP permit before any onsite sewage system work). 489.552, 381.0065, read November 8, 2026.
17. Fla. Stat. § 633.102(3)(d)-(e) (Contractor IV, NFPA 13D one- and two-family dwellings and mobile homes; Contractor V, underground fire piping), § 633.318(2)(e)-(f) (Contractor IV applicants must "be licensed as a certified plumbing contractor" and complete 40 contact hours; Contractor V open to certified plumbing contractors) and § 633.336(1) (unlawful to install or service a fire protection system without a certificate). 633.318, 633.336, read November 8, 2026.
18. Florida Building Code, Building, 8th edition (2023), chapter 1: 105.1 (permit to "erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any ... plumbing system"), 105.2 (plumbing exemptions 1 and 2), 105.2.1 (emergency application "within the next working business day"), 105.2.2 (minor repairs exclude piping), plan review exemption for "Replacing existing equipment such as mechanical units, water heaters," 110.3 (plumbing underground, rough-in and final inspections). codes.iccsafe.org, read November 8, 2026.
19. Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th edition (2023): 312.1 (permit holder makes the tests), 312.10.2 (backflow assemblies "tested at the time of installation and immediately after repairs or relocation"; ASSE and CSA procedures; ASSE 1064 gauges), chapter 3; Table 604.4 (water closet 1.6 gallons per flush; private lavatory and sink faucet 2.2 gpm at 60 psi; shower head 2.5 gpm at 80 psi), chapter 6. Read November 8, 2026.
20. Florida Building Commission, Building Codes page ("The Effective Date for the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), is December 31, 2023") and 2026 FBC workplan, August 2026 ("2026 FBC (9 th edition) effective date ... 12/31/2026"; the rule's filing with the Secretary of State still "TBD"); ICC, 2026 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, Ninth Edition (2024 IPC base; "Effective Date: December 31, 2026"); Fla. Stat. § 553.73(4)(b) (local technical amendments) and (6) (the code in force on the application date "governs the permitted work for the life of the permit"), leg.state.fl.us. All read November 8, 2026.
21. Fla. Stat. § 553.79 ((1)(a) permit required; (1)(c) single-family permits expire 1 year after issue or at the next code edition; (1)(f) no contract copies required for a permit; (1)(g) $7,500 single-family exemption, not for "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work") and § 553.791 (private providers, including single-trade inspections), 553.79, 553.791; ch. 2026-63 (CS/CS/HB 803, effective July 1, 2026), laws.flrules.org; ch. 2025-140 (CS/CS/CS/HB 683, effective July 1, 2025), laws.flrules.org. All read November 8, 2026.
22. Fla. Admin. Code 62-555.360, Cross-Connection Control for Public Water Systems (each community water system's policy "shall specify qualifications for persons testing such assemblies"; non-residential assemblies tested at least annually, residential at least biennially). flrules.org, read November 8, 2026.
23. Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention (40-hour course and proficiency test; tester list documents; online test reports; "A licensed plumber or contractor may install a backflow prevention assembly") and its Certified Tester Information form; JEA, Residential Cross Connection Control and Backflow Prevention (JEA Qualified Vendors; "No test reports can be accepted from customers"; residential at least every two years); Hillsborough County, Backflow & Cross Connection Service Testing (registered county testers; Backflow BMP; failed tests reported within 48 hours; permits for new installations, replacements and relocations). All read November 8, 2026.
24. Miami-Dade County, Construction Trades Qualifying Board and List of Certification Categories (Journeyman Plumber, 3 years; Master Plumber, 2 years as journeyman; Plumbing Maintenance); Palm Beach County, Regulated Trades (Rev. 7/1/25; Chapter 67-1876 certificate of competency; journeyman plumber; "Journeyman are not allowed to contract"; plumbing contractors qualify as master plumbers with 7 years, 4 as journeyman), Journeyman Application ($100) and Contractors Certification FAQ. All read November 8, 2026.
25. Orange County, Do I Need a Permit ("Water heater? Yes, you need a plumbing permit and possibly an electrical permit"; contractors apply "within the scope of their trade/license") and Plumbing Permit (Fast Track; stand-alone permits for "water heater change-outs"; Notice of Commencement over $5,000). Read November 8, 2026.
26. Fla. Stat. § 489.131 ((3)(a) local permits and inspections; (3)(c) business taxes; (3)(e) one bond up to $5,000; (5) permit officials check the license; (6)(a) no local exam for certificate holders) and § 205.065 (no second business tax for temporary work elsewhere). 489.131, 205.065, read November 8, 2026.
27. Fla. Stat. § 865.09(3)(a), Fictitious Name Act (register with the Division of Corporations before doing business under the name). leg.state.fl.us, read November 8, 2026.
28. Florida Workers' Compensation Law: Fla. Stat. § 440.02(11) (an "officer of a corporation" includes an LLC member owning at least 10%), (18)(b)2 (no more than three corporate officers, each owning at least 10%, may elect exemption), (18)(c)4 (a sole proprietor or partner in construction is an employee), (20)(b)2 (construction: "one or more employees"); § 440.05(6) and (8) (exemption certificate valid 2 years; $50); § 440.10(1)(b) (contractor liable for subcontractors' employees); § 440.107(7) (stop-work order; $1,000 a day; penalty of 2 times the unpaid premium). 440.02, 440.05, 440.10, 440.107, read November 8, 2026.
29. Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act: Fla. Stat. § 556.105(1)(a) (notice "Not less than 2 full business days before beginning any excavation") and § 556.107(1)(c)1 ($500 civil penalty per noncriminal infraction). 556.105, 556.107, read November 8, 2026.
30. EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule: 40 CFR 745.83 (minor repair, plumbing included: 6 square feet per room inside, 20 outside; same room within 30 days is one job), law.cornell.edu; EPA, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (Florida is not an authorized state); 40 CFR 19.4, Table 1 (TSCA civil penalty $49,772 for penalties assessed on or after January 8, 2025), law.cornell.edu. All read November 8, 2026.
31. Fla. Stat. § 489.126(2)(a) (more than 10% as initial payment on residential work: apply for permits within 30 days, start within 90 days of their issue) and § 489.1425 (Recovery Fund statement in residential contracts over $2,500). 489.126, 489.1425, read November 8, 2026.