Describe the work and the price. In a few seconds you get whether Florida's handyman exemption covers it, which trades need a license at any price, what the penalty is — including during a declared storm emergency — and how a license is actually obtained. No account. Nothing stored.
Free — 30 seconds
What you'd do, for whom, for how much. Be honest about what's behind the wall.
Why this exists
Thousands of skilled people in Florida do small jobs for cash and never know where the exemption ends. A few shingles is roofing. A $2,600 bathroom is contracting. After a storm the first offense is a felony. This puts your job and your price against the statute and shows the path to doing it licensed.
How it works
The work, the trade, the price. Nothing is saved.
Exempt, over the line, or a licensed trade — with the statute and the penalty.
A scope sheet for the customer and your personal license path — in the full version.
Plans
The free check tells you whether the job is exempt. The full version writes the customer-facing scope sheet and your license plan — which license, which steps, which office.
Every Florida small-business tool in one membership — the compliance calendar with email reminders, permits, DBPR inspection responses, licence checks, hurricane plan.
The full check, a one-page scope-and-price sheet for the customer, and your license plan in order. Printable.
For a trade school, a day-labor center or a building-supply counter that gets this question every day.
All prices in USD, handled by Stripe. The free check never goes behind a paywall.
Common questions
Under Fla. Stat. 489.103(9), Florida's handyman exemption can cover work that's minor, non-structural and under $2,500 total for labor and materials. But splitting one larger job into smaller pieces to stay under $2,500 doesn't work, and the exemption doesn't apply if you advertise as a contractor or if the work needs a license regardless of price. This tool is not legal advice — confirm with DBPR or your county before starting.
Yes — under Fla. Stat. 489.105, roofing, structural work, pools, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and gas work require a licensed contractor no matter how small the price is. "Just a few shingles" still counts as roofing. Confirm with DBPR or your county contractor licensing office before taking the job.
Under Fla. Stat. 489.127, unlicensed contracting is normally a first-degree misdemeanor, becoming a third-degree felony for a repeat offense — and during a declared state of emergency it's a felony on the first offense. DBPR can also fine you and issue a cease-and-desist order, and Fla. Stat. 489.128 says an unlicensed contractor generally can't enforce the contract or a lien in court. This is general information, not legal advice — check with DBPR or a lawyer about your specific situation.
Yes, describing the job and price is free — that's the first look. Nothing you enter is stored, and there's no account needed. If you want a written scope sheet and license plan, that's a separate $9 one-time product, or $49/month for the trade-school and worker-center directory.
Florida has two paths: a certified contractor's license (statewide, through DBPR's Construction Industry Licensing Board, involving an exam and experience) and a registered contractor's license (a local competency card tied to one jurisdiction). Electrical contractors are licensed separately by the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board. Start at the DBPR application page (myfloridalicense.com) and your county contractor licensing office — this tool doesn't quote fees or timelines, so confirm current requirements directly with DBPR.
Según el Fla. Stat. 489.103(9), la exención de "handyman" de la Florida puede cubrir trabajos menores, no estructurales y por menos de $2,500 en total entre mano de obra y materiales. Pero dividir un trabajo más grande en partes más pequeñas para quedar bajo los $2,500 no funciona, y la exención no aplica si usted se anuncia como contratista o si el trabajo requiere licencia sin importar el precio. Esta herramienta no es asesoría legal — confirme con el DBPR o con su condado antes de comenzar.
Sí — según el Fla. Stat. 489.105, el trabajo de techos, estructural, piscinas, HVAC, eléctrico, plomería y gas requiere un contratista con licencia sin importar cuán pequeño sea el precio. "Solo unas tejas" todavía se considera trabajo de techado. Confirme con el DBPR o con la oficina de licencias de contratistas de su condado antes de aceptar el trabajo.
Según el Fla. Stat. 489.127, contratar sin licencia normalmente es un delito menor de primer grado, y se convierte en un delito grave de tercer grado si es una segunda ofensa — y durante un estado de emergencia declarado, es un delito grave desde la primera ofensa. El DBPR también puede multarlo y emitir una orden de cese y desista, y el Fla. Stat. 489.128 indica que un contratista sin licencia generalmente no puede hacer valer el contrato ni un gravamen (lien) en la corte. Esto es información general, no asesoría legal — consulte con el DBPR o con un abogado sobre su situación específica.
Sí, describir el trabajo y el precio es gratis — esa es la primera revisión. No se guarda nada de lo que usted escribe, y no se necesita cuenta. Si desea una hoja de alcance del trabajo y un plan de licencia por escrito, eso es un producto aparte de $9 por trabajo, o $49 al mes para el directorio de escuelas técnicas y centros de trabajadores.
La Florida tiene dos caminos: una licencia de contratista certificado (válida en todo el estado, a través de la Junta de Licencias de la Industria de la Construcción del DBPR, que incluye examen y experiencia) y una licencia de contratista registrado (una tarjeta de competencia local válida solo en esa jurisdicción). Los contratistas eléctricos se licencian por separado a través de la Junta de Licencias de Contratistas Eléctricos. Comience en la página de solicitud del DBPR (myfloridalicense.com) y en la oficina de licencias de contratistas de su condado — esta herramienta no menciona tarifas ni plazos, así que confirme los requisitos actuales directamente con el DBPR.
Built by the same team, free to try.