Pass Your Florida Residential Contractor Contractor License Exam First Try

A Florida certified contractor license lets its holder contract in any jurisdiction of the state without meeting local competency requirements. Florida Statutes 489.105 defines three Division I licenses: general contractor, with services unlimited as to the type of work, building contractor, for buildings that do not exceed three stories, and residential contractor, for one-family to three-family residences.

DBPR, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, issues the license once the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) has qualified the applicant. Florida Statutes 489.115 also says that no person may engage in the business of contracting in Florida without first being certified or registered in the proper classification.

The statute gives exact scopes:

• General contractor: unlimited as to the type of work, subject to the subcontracting rules of section 489.113.
• Building contractor: commercial and residential buildings that do not exceed three stories in height, or remodeling, repair or improvement of any size building when the structural members are not affected.
• Residential contractor: one-family, two-family or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story.

Roofing, plumbing, mechanical, air conditioning and solar are separate Division II licenses, each with its own Trade Knowledge exam.

No contract-value threshold makes a license optional. The only dollar-based exemption in Florida Statutes 489.103 covers casual, minor or inconsequential work with an aggregate contract price under $2,500, and CILB Rule 61G4-12.011 excludes any work that requires a building permit or affects structural components. Unlicensed contracting is a first-degree misdemeanor for a first violation under section 489.127.

For every Florida license type, see our guide on Florida Contractor License Types Explained.

To get a Florida certified contractor license, a candidate first registers for the state exam with Professional Testing, Inc., schedules each exam with Pearson VUE and passes every required part. Only then does the candidate file the license application with DBPR, which is when experience, credit history, fingerprints and insurance are reviewed.

DBPR's checklist for certified contractor applicants says candidates "must first take and pass a state certification examination" and submit the license application after passing. The checklist also warns that a passing grade alone does not qualify anyone for a license, so confirm that you can meet the requirements before paying exam fees, which are non-refundable.

1. Check the license requirements. DBPR lists one requirement to apply for the exam, being at least 18, but the license requires experience. Under Florida Statutes 489.111, one route is four years of active experience with at least one year as a foreman; others combine a four-year degree or college credits with experience, and section 489.1131 credits up to three years of military service.
2. Register with Professional Testing, Inc. DBPR's Construction Examinations page says candidates apply directly with this vendor. Registration at floridaexam.com costs $135 and asks for your Social Security number, as its exam application package states.
3. Schedule each exam with Pearson VUE. After Professional Testing approves the registration, you book each exam with Pearson VUE and pay its fee: $80 for Business and Finance, $40 each for Contract Administration and Project Management.
4. Pass every required exam. Each one requires at least 70%. Under Rule 61G4-16.009, only failed exams are retaken, and all must be passed within four years of the first attempt.
5. File the license application with DBPR. Form DBPR CILB 5-A, or form CILB 6-A to qualify a business, goes in with the fee ($245 or $145 depending on the date), a credit report with a FICO-derived score, your employment history and an affidavit of insurance. Electronic fingerprints follow immediately. DBPR's CILB FAQ says to apply within four years of passing.
6. Receive your license. The CILB qualifies the applicant and DBPR issues the certificate.

Rule 61G4-15.006 asks for a FICO-derived credit score of 660 or higher, or a 14-hour financial responsibility course approved by the Board, and for no unsatisfied judgments or liens. Rule 61G4-15.003 sets minimum liability insurance at $300,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage for general and building contractors, and $100,000 and $25,000 for residential contractors. Rule 61G4-15.001 accepts experience lawfully acquired under the supervision of a contractor licensed in the category; a general contractor applicant needs commercial experience in four or more of six listed areas and one year on structures of four stories or more.

Board information, including renewal requirements, is on the Florida DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board page.

The Florida contractor exam for a general, building or residential license is three separate computer-based tests: Business and Finance, Contract Administration and Project Management. Every test is open book, uses multiple-choice questions with four answer options and requires at least 70% to pass. Division II trades take Business and Finance plus one Trade Knowledge exam.

DBPR's Examinations at a Glance gives the scored questions and time for each Division I exam:

Pearson VUE administers the exams daily. DBPR's Candidate Information Booklet adds that scores are not rounded, that basic mathematics is needed in every part, and that each candidate receives an official exam result report immediately after finishing. A first attempt at all three Division I exams costs $295 in exam fees by our arithmetic from the registration fee and DBPR's fee schedule: $135 + $80 + $40 + $40. DBPR's Examination Information page adds that its exams are available in English and Spanish at no additional cost.

Florida contractor exams are open book, but only the references on DBPR's approved reference list may be brought to the test center, and they must remain as published. The current lists are valid from January to December 2026, and general, building and residential candidates share one list for Contract Administration and Project Management.

The 2026 Business and Finance reference list allows these in the room:

• Contractors Manual (the 2025 edition has been used for this exam since February 1, 2026)
• Builder's Guide to Accounting, 2001
• Florida Statutes Chapter 455, 2025
• AIA documents A201 (2017), A401 (2017) and A701 (2018)

The 2026 general, building and residential reference list allows these for Contract Administration and Project Management:

• The same three AIA documents and the Contractors Manual (2025 edition used from July 1, 2026)
• Code of Federal Regulations (OSHA) 29 Part 1926, July 1, 2025
• Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, 11th Edition, 2024
• Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida, 2024
• Building Component Safety Information (BCSI), the truss handling and bracing guide (2025 edition used from July 1, 2026)
• Florida Building Code, 2023: Building, Accessibility, Residential, Existing Building and Energy Conservation

On the general, building and residential list, Builder's Guide to Accounting is a study-only reference that may not enter the room.

Under the Candidate Information Booklet, tabs must be permanently attached and carry only normal chapter or page headings; a tab that comes off without damaging the page is rejected. The reference lists allow underlining and highlighting, forbid handwritten or typewritten notes and admit only one copy of each reference. Open book does not mean easy: practice finding answers in your tabbed books against a timer.

License Fix Complete Course + Books + Tabs plans ship the books and tabs with the full exam prep course. Browse the full selection in the License Fix Bookstore.

License Fix prepares candidates with online courses that follow the actual DBPR exam blueprint and end with practice on timed simulators before exam day. Every License Fix course is available in English and Spanish, is self-paced with no live sessions or fixed schedule, and most students finish in 4 to 8 weeks, depending on weekly study hours.