How to check a Florida contractor's license and insurance before you sign

Look up the license on the state's search

Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) runs a free public license search. You can look a contractor up by name, by license number, by city or county, or by license type. Ask the contractor for their license number, then search it yourself rather than trusting a number printed on a business card, a truck, or the estimate.

Check that the license is active and not expired. The state's records list both the business and the licensed individual who qualifies it, so make sure one of them matches the company named on your contract. A name that does not match is a question to ask before you sign, not after.

Make sure it is the right kind of license for your job

Florida issues different contractor licenses. A certified contractor can work anywhere in the state; a registered contractor can only work in the local area where the registration was issued. A roofing contractor license covers roofing work. General, building, and residential contractor licenses cover building work, and Florida law says a contractor must subcontract roofing, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sheet metal, swimming pool, and air-conditioning work unless they hold a state certificate or registration in that trade.

So if a general contractor quotes your re-roof, ask which licensed roofing contractor will actually do the roofing, and check that license too. A general, building, or residential contractor also may not present or advertise themselves as a roofing contractor unless they are certified or registered as one. There is a narrow exception for shingle work on a new building the contractor built themselves; it does not cover re-roofing the home you already own.

Check insurance, including workers' compensation

Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability coverage, and call the insurance company listed on it to confirm the policy is still in force. A certificate shows coverage on the day it was printed; the insurer can tell you whether it is active now.

For workers' compensation, Florida requires construction employers with one or more employees, including owners who are corporate officers or LLC members, to carry coverage. Some business owners opt out of coverage for themselves with an exemption. You can check both on the state Division of Workers' Compensation's free Proof of Coverage and Exemption Search. If neither coverage nor a valid exemption shows up, ask why before anyone starts work on your home.

Why the license matters if something goes wrong

Florida's Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund can help homeowners who lose money because of certain violations of Florida's contractor laws by a licensed contractor. It is not quick or automatic: you generally need a court judgment, an arbitration award, or a restitution order first, you must use up any available bond or insurance, and the claim has to be made within one year after that case ends.

The detail that matters most at signing: a claim is not eligible if it is based on a contract where the contractor did not hold a valid and current license at the time of the contract. Checking the license before you sign keeps that protection within reach.

How ScopeCheck helps

A ScopeCheck audit looks up Florida contractor licenses in the state's license records and shows what it finds next to each estimate, so you can see a contractor's license status while you compare their scope and price. It does not check insurance, and it does not recommend or endorse any contractor.