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Guide
Florida keeps a public record of every state-licensed contractor at MyFloridaLicense.com. Look for the "Verify a License" search. It is run by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which most people just call the DBPR.
You need one of three things to search: the license number, the contractor's name, or their business name. The license number is the fastest way. Florida law says contractors have to put their license number on their ads, contracts, and written quotes. So it should already be printed on the paperwork they gave you. If you cannot find it anywhere, that is your first warning sign.
One tip: the search does not fix spelling for you. If you type a name and get nothing back, check the spelling or try just the last name. If you have the license number, type the whole thing, including the letters at the front, like CGC1541042.
When the record comes up, look at the letters at the start of the license number.
A "certified" license starts with a C. That contractor passed a state exam and can work anywhere in Florida. A general contractor's license reads CGC, which stands for Certified General Contractor. That class covers the widest range of work.
A "registered" license is different. It only lets the contractor work in the one city or county that issued it. If someone holds a registered license and your home is somewhere else, they may not be cleared to work on your project.
Florida is moving toward one statewide certified license for all new contractors, which makes this simpler going forward. For now, it still pays to check.
The database shows the contractor's name, their trade, their address, and their license status. The status word is the one that matters most. "Active" means they are allowed to work right now. Words like "inactive," "delinquent," or "null and void" mean they are not in good standing. If you see any of those, stop and ask questions before you go further.
While you are there, make sure the license class fits your job. A license that is active but built for a different kind of work is not the right one for you.
A clean license record is a good start. It is not proof of everything. Two things the database will not tell you are worth checking on your own.
First, insurance. The state record does not show whether a contractor's insurance is paid up today. Ask for a current certificate of insurance. If the job is large, call the insurance company yourself and confirm the policy is still active. A missing or vague certificate is a problem on its own.
Second, permits. A licensed contractor pulls permits in their own name and handles the inspections. If someone asks you to pull the permit yourself, as the owner, they are asking you to take on the risk and the liability. That is a common move by people who cannot or will not pull it themselves.
Only a licensed contractor can legally pull permits. If you hire someone without a license and the work goes wrong, you also lose access to a state fund that helps homeowners recover money when a licensed contractor fails them. Hiring unlicensed can feel cheaper on day one and cost a lot more later.
If a contractor has no license, or will not show you one, you can report it to the state's Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1-866-532-1440.
Go to MyFloridaLicense.com. Search the name or license number. Confirm the license is certified, active, and built for your kind of work. Then check insurance and make sure they pull the permits. Five minutes now can save you a very expensive year later.
Worth Properties is a licensed general contractor in Palm Beach County, license CGC 1541042. If you want a straight answer about your project, call 561-806-8987.