General Contractor or Individual Trades? Florida License Types Explained

"Contractor" covers a lot of different licenses in Florida. Knowing which one fits your project helps you hire the right company and spot one that's working outside its license.

The three main building licenses

Florida's contractor law, section 489.105, defines:

• General contractor. The broadest license. A general contractor's services are "unlimited as to the type of work", subject to the subcontracting rules below.
• Building contractor. Limited to commercial buildings and residential buildings up to three stories, plus remodeling, repair or improvement of any size building as long as the structural members aren't affected.
• Residential contractor. Limited to construction, remodeling, repair and improvement of one-, two- and three-family homes, within the statute's height limits (two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story), and their accessory structures.

For a typical single-family remodel, all three can do the work. For a high-rise condo unit with structural changes, the limits matter.

Trades that must be subcontracted

Section 489.113 requires contractors to subcontract electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool and air conditioning work unless they hold the license for that trade, with narrow exceptions, such as shingle roofing on a new building the contractor is constructing. A general contractor managing your kitchen remodel will use a licensed plumber and electrician, and one managing an addition will use a licensed roofer for the roof.

Specialty contractors

Florida also licenses specialty contractors for specific work. One example is the specialty structure contractor, whose scope includes screened porches, screen and pool enclosures, glass room enclosures, sunrooms, siding, soffit, fascia and gutters, and certain window and door installations in residential buildings. Roofing, pool, solar and other trades have their own licenses.

Work that doesn't need a state license

Painting, flooring, cabinetry, interior finishing, tile, marble and granite installation, plastering and stucco, and handyman services aren't licensed by the state, and a 2021 law generally stops local governments from requiring licenses for these job scopes; existing local licenses were phased out by July 1, 2025. Small jobs under $2,500 that are casual or minor are also exempt from contractor licensing, but not if they require a licensed trade or a building permit.

Need a contractor for this project?Find a Contractor

When to hire a general contractor

A general, building or residential contractor makes sense when:

• the project involves several trades (kitchens, bathrooms, additions, conversions)
• there's structural work, such as removing a wall or adding openings
• permits and inspections need to be coordinated
• you want one company responsible for schedule, quality and warranty

When hiring trades directly can work

You might hire trades directly for:

• a single-trade job: a roof, a new air conditioner, a fence, a paint job
• a simple project you can coordinate yourself
• finish work after a contractor has completed the licensed parts

If you coordinate several trades on one project, you're effectively the general contractor. For permitted work, that may mean acting as an owner-builder, with the responsibilities that come with it.

Checking the license

Whatever you choose, look up each license and make sure its type covers the work; see how to check a contractor's license. For the full process, read how to choose a contractor in Florida.