Florida does not issue a dedicated demolition license. Instead, the authority to demolish a structure is folded into the state’s broader contractor licenses issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), and which Florida demolition license you need depends on the height and type of what you plan to tear down. For anything smaller than the state’s regulatory threshold, you work under a local certificate of competency rather than a state certification.
Which Contractor License Covers Demolition Work
Florida Statutes Section 489.105 defines “demolish” for licensing purposes as the teardown of steel tanks over 50 feet tall, towers over 50 feet tall, other structures over 50 feet tall, and all buildings or residences over three stories.1Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry – License Types Work that fits those categories requires a state-certified contractor license. Three license types carry that authority, and they differ by what you’re allowed to work on.
A certified general contractor has no restrictions on building type or size and can demolish any structure, which makes this the broadest license. A certified building contractor is limited to commercial buildings and residential buildings that do not exceed three stories, plus remodeling or repair of any size building when the work does not affect structural members. A certified residential contractor is limited to one-family, two-family, or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories above one uninhabitable story.2Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 489.105
Pick the narrowest license that still covers everything you intend to demolish. Taking a general contractor exam when a residential license fits your work is a lot of extra study for no added authority on your actual projects.
When Local Licensing Applies Instead
Smaller demolition work that falls outside the statutory definition of “demolish” is handled at the local level. Interior tearouts, non-structural selective demolition on low-rise buildings, and similar jobs are governed by county or municipal licensing rather than state certification.
Florida runs two parallel tracks. A certified contractor is licensed directly by the CILB and can work anywhere in the state. A registered contractor first obtains a local certificate of competency from a county or municipality, then registers that credential with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), and can only work in the jurisdictions that issued the local certificate.1Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry – License Types If you plan to work across county lines doing specialty demolition that doesn’t trip the state threshold, you need a separate local certificate in each county.
What You Need Before Applying
The CILB has four prerequisites you have to clear before you can even sit for the exam: field experience, financial responsibility, insurance, and a criminal background check.
Experience
You need four years of field experience in the license category you’re pursuing. At least one year must be in a supervisory role such as foreman. Up to three of the four years can be substituted with accredited college credit or military service, but the one year of hands-on supervisory experience is non-negotiable regardless of your education.3Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry – FAQs
General contractor applicants face an extra layer. At least one year of their experience must involve new construction of structures four stories or taller, and they need to show experience in at least four of six categories: foundations, masonry walls, steel erection, elevated slabs, column erection, and formwork for structural reinforced concrete.3Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry – FAQs
Financial Responsibility
Every applicant submits a personal credit report from a nationally recognized agency that includes a FICO score. A score of 660 or higher satisfies the financial responsibility requirement. Below 660, you must complete a board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course before the application can move forward.4Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Financial Responsibility and Stability Requirements for Contractor Applicants The report must also show no unsatisfied liens or judgments against you or your company at the federal, state, or local level.
The CILB can impose minimum net worth, cash, or bonding requirements as well. Bonding cannot exceed $20,000 for Division I certificateholders or $10,000 for Division II, and half of the financial requirement can be satisfied by taking the 14-hour course.5Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 489.115
Insurance
You must carry general liability and property damage insurance before the CILB will issue the license. General and building contractors need at least $300,000 in public liability coverage and $50,000 in property damage coverage. Other contractor categories need $100,000 in public liability and $25,000 in property damage.6Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Certified Contractor as an Individual – Residential
Workers’ compensation is required for any construction employer with one or more employees.7Florida Department of Financial Services. Important Workers Compensation Information for Contractors Officers of a Florida corporation or members of an LLC who own at least 10 percent may qualify for an exemption. You can submit an affidavit at the time of application and have 30 days after your license is issued to finalize it.5Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 489.115 Exemption holders cannot collect workers’ compensation benefits for on-the-job injuries, so weigh this carefully.
Background Check
All applicants undergo a statewide criminal history records check. You submit a full set of fingerprints electronically through a LiveScan service provider registered with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.8Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. About Fingerprinting Do this immediately after submitting your application. Any approved FDLE-registered LiveScan provider will work.9Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Current Registered LiveScan Submitters
The Exam and Application
Professional Testing, Inc. administers the CILB certification exam under contract with the state. The exam has two main parts: a business and finance section and a trade knowledge section. Some license categories add components such as contract administration or project management.10Professional Testing, Inc. Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board Examinations
You register and pay fees directly to the testing vendor, and completed applications must arrive at least 30 days before your chosen exam date. After passing both parts, you submit the full licensure application package to the DBPR with proof of insurance, your credit report, fingerprint confirmation, and experience verification. The CILB reviews the package and issues your certificate if everything checks out.
One deadline governs the whole exam process: you must pass all parts within four years of your first scheduled exam date. Attempts within that window are unlimited, but if the four years run out before you’ve passed every section, you start the entire exam over.11Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Examination Application Package
Keeping the License Active
Certified contractor licenses expire August 31 of every even-numbered year. Registered contractor licenses expire August 31 of every odd-numbered year. Renewal requires 14 hours of continuing education and a $205 fee, plus $50 for each additional business you qualify.12Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry – Renewal Requirements
The 14 hours aren’t all elective. Building, general, and residential contractors must complete at least one hour each in workplace safety, business practices, workers’ compensation, laws and rules, wind mitigation, and a specialized or advanced module. The rest can be any board-approved construction instruction.12Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry – Renewal Requirements You also submit an updated credit report at renewal to confirm continued financial stability.5Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 489.115
What the License Doesn’t Cover
Holding a Florida contractor license gives you the legal authority to perform demolition. It does not substitute for the project-level approvals and federal duties that attach to every job. Three show up on nearly every demolition.
You still need a demolition permit from the local building department before tearing anything down, under Florida Building Code Section 105.1. Permit documents, fees, and requirements vary by jurisdiction. Check with the local building official early.
Federal law requires written notice to the appropriate regulatory authority at least 10 working days before demolishing any regulated structure, whether or not asbestos has been found. This comes from the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants for asbestos under 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M.13eCFR. 40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M – National Emission Standard for Asbestos The EPA delegated enforcement in Florida to the Department of Environmental Protection in 1982, so you file the Notice of Renovation or Demolition with the DEP district office. As of March 2025, DEP charges a flat $200 for paper submissions or $100 for electronic submissions paid immediately through the DEP Business Portal.14Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Asbestos
OSHA’s demolition standards under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart T require a written engineering survey by a competent person before any employee enters the site, utility shutoffs and caps outside the building line, and top-down removal of exterior walls and floors.15Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 1926.850 – Preparatory Operations16eCFR. 29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart T – Demolition These apply regardless of what the state license says you can tear down.
Penalties for Working Without a License
Unlicensed contracting is a first-degree misdemeanor on a first offense. A second violation, or a first violation committed during a governor-declared state of emergency, is a third-degree felony. Local code enforcement boards can also impose civil penalties of up to $2,500 per day for each violation.17Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 489.127
The downstream problems are often worse than the fines. Contracts performed without a license may be unenforceable, which makes collecting payment difficult. Insurance carriers can deny claims arising from unlicensed work. And a criminal conviction makes a future licensing application substantially harder, because the CILB reviews the background check results as part of the application review.