Building Contractor Licenses

If you conduct business as a general contractor, building contractor or residential contractor, you must meet the minimum requirements per Chapter 10 of the Miami-Dade County Code.

General requirements:

One to four years of proven field experience in the trade. The number of years experience is dependent on the license you are applying for
Submittal of an application to include proof of experience through letters from employers stating the dates of employment and description of work performed, or submittal of W2 tax documents covering the employment period
Successfully passing an examination with a grade of 70 percent or above. The exam is open book and a list of books is provided at the time of the application request
Payment of $315

After completing the application to obtain your personal license, you must complete a business application to obtain your business license. You will be required to pay an additional $315 for the business portion of the license. Proof of liability insurance and worker's compensation insurance is required after Board approval.

Examinations are required for each license listed below.

Important: Contractor License Category Preemption

A General Contractor is a contractor whose services are unlimited as to the type of work, height, area or complexity of construction. A general contractor may do, contract for and obtain permits for the work of any specialty building contractor subject to the limitations contained herein, and must satisfactorily pass a general contractors' examination.

General contractors must have a qualifying agent with the experience, knowledge and skill gained by at least one of the following requirements:
- Not less than four years of experience as a State of Florida certified or registered general contractor with at least one year as either a superintendent or foreman, or
- Four years of experience as a State of Florida certified or registered building contractor or sub-general contractor, or
- Has an accredited college-level education in a construction-related field equivalent thereto, or any combination thereof, with at least one year of proven experience as a superintendent or foreman.
A Building Contractor is a contractor whose services are limited to construction of commercial buildings and single dwelling or multiple dwelling residential buildings, which commercial or residential buildings do not exceed three stories in height, and accessory use structures in connection therewith, and must satisfactorily pass a building contractors' examination.

Or, a building contractor is a contractor whose services are limited to remodeling, repair or improvement of any size building if the services do not affect the structural members of the building.

A building contractor must have a qualifying agent with the experience, knowledge and skill gained by at least one of the following requirements:
- Not less than four years of experience as a State of Florida certified or registered general, general building, building or sub-general contractor with at least one year as either a superintendent or foreman, or
- Has an accredited college-level education in a construction related field equivalent thereto, or any combination thereof, with at least one year of proven experience as a superintendent or foreman.
A building contractor may construct, contract for, and obtain permits for the work of any specialty building contractor subject to the limitations contained herein.
A Residential Contractor is a contractor whose services are limited to construction, remodeling, repair or improvement of one-family, two-family, or three-family residences, not exceeding two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story and accessory use structures in connection therewith, and must satisfactorily pass a building contractors' examination.

A residential contractor must have a qualifying agent with the experience, knowledge and skill gained by at least one of the following requirements:
- Not less than four years of experience as a State of Florida certified or registered general, general building, building, sub-general, residential or sub-building contractor with at least one year as either a superintendent or foreman, or
- Has an accredited college-level education in a construction-related field equivalent thereto, or any combination thereof, with at least one year of proven experience as a superintendent or foreman.
A residential building contractor may do, contract for, and obtain permits for the work of any specialty contractor subject to the limitations contained herein.