(1) Any person who desires to be certified shall apply to the department in writing.
(2) A person shall be eligible for licensure by examination if the person:

(a) Is 18 years of age;

Terms Used In Florida Statutes 489.111

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Board: means the Construction Industry Licensing Board. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • Building contractor: means a contractor whose services are limited to construction of commercial buildings and single-dwelling or multiple-dwelling residential buildings, which do not exceed three stories in height, and accessory use structures in connection therewith or 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. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • Certificate: means a certificate of competency issued by the department as provided in this part. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • Certified contractor: means any contractor who possesses a certificate of competency issued by the department and who shall be allowed to contract in any jurisdiction in the state without being required to fulfill the competency requirements of that jurisdiction. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • Contractor: means the person who is qualified for, and is only responsible for, the project contracted for and means, except as exempted in this part, the person who, for compensation, undertakes to, submits a bid to, or does himself or herself or by others construct, repair, alter, remodel, add to, demolish, subtract from, or improve any building or structure, including related improvements to real estate, for others or for resale to others; and whose job scope is substantially similar to the job scope described in one of the paragraphs of this subsection. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • Department: means the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • General contractor: means a contractor whose services are unlimited as to the type of work which he or she may do, who may contract for any activity requiring licensure under this part, and who may perform any work requiring licensure under this part, except as otherwise expressly provided in…. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Residential contractor: means 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. See Florida Statutes 489.105
  • writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01
(b) Is of good moral character; and
(c) Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria:

1. Has received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in the appropriate field of engineering, architecture, or building construction and has 1 year of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify. For the purpose of this part, a minimum of 2,000 person-hours shall be used in determining full-time equivalency. An applicant who is exempt from passing an examination under s. 489.113(1) is eligible for a license under this section.
2. Has a total of at least 4 years of active experience as a worker who has learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship as a skilled worker who is able to command the rate of a mechanic in the particular trade or as a foreman who is in charge of a group of workers and usually is responsible to a superintendent or a contractor or his or her equivalent; provided, however, that at least 1 year of active experience shall be as a foreman.
3. Has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a foreman and not less than 3 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not less than 2 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; or has a combination of not less than 2 years of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not less than 1 year of credits for any accredited college-level courses. All junior college or community college-level courses shall be considered accredited college-level courses.
4.a. An active certified residential contractor is eligible to receive a certified building contractor license after passing or having previously passed the building contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 3 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
b. An active certified residential contractor is eligible to receive a certified general contractor license after passing or having previously passed the general contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
c. An active certified building contractor is eligible to receive a certified general contractor license after passing or having previously passed the general contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
5.a. An active certified air-conditioning Class C contractor is eligible to receive a certified air-conditioning Class B contractor license after passing or having previously passed the air-conditioning Class B contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 3 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
b. An active certified air-conditioning Class C contractor is eligible to receive a certified air-conditioning Class A contractor license after passing or having previously passed the air-conditioning Class A contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
c. An active certified air-conditioning Class B contractor is eligible to receive a certified air-conditioning Class A contractor license after passing or having previously passed the air-conditioning Class A contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 1 year of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
6.a. An active certified swimming pool servicing contractor is eligible to receive a certified residential swimming pool contractor license after passing or having previously passed the residential swimming pool contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 3 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
b. An active certified swimming pool servicing contractor is eligible to receive a certified commercial swimming pool contractor license after passing or having previously passed the swimming pool commercial contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
c. An active certified residential swimming pool contractor is eligible to receive a certified commercial swimming pool contractor license after passing or having previously passed the commercial swimming pool contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 1 year of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
d. An applicant is eligible to receive a certified swimming pool/spa servicing contractor license after passing or having previously passed the swimming pool/spa servicing contractors’ examination if he or she has satisfactorily completed 60 hours of instruction in courses related to the scope of work covered by that license and approved by the Construction Industry Licensing Board by rule and has at least 1 year of proven experience related to the scope of work of such a contractor.
(3)(a) The board may refuse to certify an applicant for failure to satisfy the requirement of good moral character only if:

1. There is a substantial connection between the lack of good moral character of the applicant and the professional responsibilities of a certified contractor; and
2. The finding by the board of lack of good moral character is supported by clear and convincing evidence.
(b) When an applicant is found to be unqualified for a certificate because of a lack of good moral character, the board shall furnish the applicant a statement containing the findings of the board, a complete record of the evidence upon which the determination was based, and a notice of the rights of the applicant to a rehearing and appeal.
(4) The department shall ensure that a sensitivity review committee has been established including representatives of various ethnic/minority groups. No question found by this committee to be discriminatory against any ethnic/minority group shall be included in the examination.
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