Florida Contractor License Reciprocity
Florida has reciprocity agreements with 3 states. These agreements may allow you to skip certain trade exams when applying for a license in those states, or when applying for a Florida license with credentials from those states.
States That Accept a Florida License
Trade exam waiver for holders of Florida Construction Industries Licensing Board license for General Building Construction or Residential Building Construction. Mississippi Business and Law exam still required.
Exam waiver; must pass NC Business & Law exam
States Whose Licenses Florida Accepts
Trade exam waived under specific conditions; must pass business/finance and code exams
Trade exam waived under specific conditions; must pass business/finance and code exams
Trade exam waived under specific conditions; must pass business/finance and code exams
Reciprocity vs. endorsement: what Florida actually accepts
Florida's reciprocity is narrow: it waives the trade portion of the licensing exam for contractors holding equivalent licenses in Louisiana, North Carolina, and Mississippi — but applicants still have to pass Florida's Business & Finance exam and the relevant code exam. This is closer to an 'endorsement-with-conditions' than the full license transfer most contractors expect when they hear 'reciprocity.'
Practically, that means a Louisiana general contractor moving to Florida skips one exam (the trade exam) but still pays Florida's $149 application fee, $295 exam fee, $267 initial license fee, and goes through DBPR's 4–8 week review. License classifications must map closely: a Louisiana commercial residential license aligns with Florida's CGC, but specialty endorsements may not carry over.
Real-world example: moving a Louisiana CGC to Florida
A Louisiana-licensed general contractor with 7 years of experience applying for a Florida CGC under reciprocity submits a license verification from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, pays Florida's $149 application + $267 initial license fee, schedules the Business & Finance exam at Pearson VUE (~$295, 6.5 hours, 120 questions on Florida law, accounting, and contracts), and provides a personal credit report and insurance certificate. Trade exam: waived. Total out-of-pocket is typically $750–$900 before insurance and bond.
What Florida's reciprocity does NOT cover
Common situations where reciprocity does not apply:
- Contractors licensed in states other than LA, NC, or MS — no exam waivers available
- License classifications that don't map cleanly (specialty endorsements vary by state)
- Florida's Registered (county-level) license — reciprocity applies only to the Certified (statewide) tier
- Bond, insurance, and credit report requirements — these are not waived for any reciprocal applicant
Need full licensing details? View Floridacontractor license requirements →