CEI takes the guesswork out of applying and preparing for your General Contractor License exam. Our step-by-step guide outlines all the information needed, including eligibility requirements, exam structure, and the application process. 

License Scope

A licensed general contractor can perform structural construction without height restrictions on all types of buildings, including residential, condominium, apartment, commercial, industrial, and agricultural buildings.

This license offers the most flexibility in terms of the scope of work that can be undertaken. General contractors can take on any sort of building work from the ground up to be as broad as site and structural work or as limited as a bathroom remodel.   General contractors are responsible for coordinating with architects, subcontractors, and clients, ensuring that all facets of a project come together seamlessly. A Florida General Contractor license gives you a plethora of flexibility and exciting opportunities in the construction industry. 

State Regulations

Florida’s general contractor license requires you to:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Complete the contractor application form and pay the necessary application fee.
• Pass the state certification exam.
• Complete a background check via Livescan Service Provider registered with FDLE
• Submit credit reports for yourself and business entities, including FICO-derived credit scores. You must have a credit score of 660 or higher. If your credit score is below 660,  we recommend you add-on our approved 14-hour financial responsibility course to exempt the FICO score requirement. Obtain public liability, property damage, and workers' compensation insurance or exemptions.

Method of Qualification

In order to obtain your General Contractor License, you must meet one of the following criteria:

4 years as a worker or 1 year as a foreman

• 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 reports 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.

4-year degree in a construction-related field and 1 year of experience

• 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 you seek to qualify. For the purpose of this part, a minimum of 2,000 person-hours shall be used in determining full-time equivalency.

1 year as a foreman and 3 years of college credits

• Has a combination of no less than 1 year of experience as a foreman and not less than 3 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses. All junior college or community college-level courses shall be considered accredited college-level courses.

1 year as a worker, 1 year as a foreman, and 2 years of college credits

• Has a combination of no less than 1 year of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and no less than 2 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses. All junior college or community college-level courses shall be considered accredited college-level courses.

2 years as a worker, 1 year as a foreman, and 1 year of college credits

• Has a combination of no less than 2 years of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and no 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.

Is an active certified building contractor with 4 years of experience

• An active certified building contractor is eligible to take the general contractor examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.

Is an active certified residential contractor with 4 years of experience

• An active certified residential contractor is eligible to take the general contractor examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.

Additionally, if you served in the military, your experience may count toward the contractor license requirements, and fee waivers, reimbursements, or discounts may be available to you.

Licensing Steps

Application Process

Step 1. Register for one of our comprehensive exam preparation courses and select the exam-ready book purchase option. Please note: You are allowed to use the exam-ready approved books at the open-book Florida General Contractor State exam!

Step 2. Register for your Florida General Contractor State exam. Let us help you with your exam registration — call CEI at 800-423-7058. If you are confident about the required registration process and steps, you can register through Professional Testing Inc. at www.floridaexam.com.

Step 3.  Prepare for and pass your exam! 

Step 4. Submit your application to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. You will receive your license within 60-90 days after submitting the completed application. 

For detailed information, take a look at our Florida general contractor requirements blog.

Preparing for your general contractor license Florida exams includes knowing what to expect!  There are three exams to pass in order to apply for a Florida general contractor license . All Florida General Contractor License Exams are open-book, multiple-choice, and timed.  Approved reference books should be brought to all three open-book exams. Permanent book tabs and highlighting in books are allowed for the examinations.

What to Expect on the General Contractor License Florida Exam

You must pass each of the 3 exams with a score of at least 70%.

• Project Management and Contract Administration 
• Business & Finance Exam

You can take each exam at a state-approved testing facility and register directly with them. We recommend that you split the tests over three separate days, as each exam is quite lengthy; splitting them up likely gives you the best chances for success. You will be charged a $135 registration fee by Professional Testing and an $80 exam site admin fee per exam.

Contract Administration and Project Management Exams

The Contract Administration and Project Management examinations each contain 60 scored questions. Each computer-based exam must be completed within the 4.5-hour time limit.  

The Contract Administration examination will consist of 60 questions covering the management and operation activities of a construction company. 

The Project Management examination will consist of 60 questions covering managing, controlling, and conducting projects.

Business & Finance Exam

The Business & Finance Exam is a 6.5 hour computer-based exam and consists of 120 scored questions. It will be administered in one session via computer in the calm atmosphere of a convenient testing center at a time, date, and location of your choosing. Click here for detailed information about what questions and topics will be on the Business & Finance exam.

Preparing for Your General Contractor Exam

A quality exam preparation class is the best way to prepare for the exams.

An important step in preparing for your exams is getting familiar with all of your required exam reference books. You must know how to properly read the test questions and quickly locate the answers within your book. Since these exams are open-book and allow book tabs and highlighting, it is crucial to know which books to use for each content area.  

General contractor license Florida classes we recommend are either the Cram Package or the Online Package to prepare for your exams, depending on your preferred learning style and whether you would like an instructor-led course or a self-paced course.  

100% One Year Course Guarantee

Students receive access to their course for a full year from the date of their registration!

The Florida General Contractor License Exams are open-book exams. CEI's packages provide access to all the books required to prepare for and pass the general contractor license Florida exams. We take it one step further to ensure you're set up to learn more thoroughly and feel confident during exam day with our Exam Ready Books!

Exam Books

Cram and Full Service Packages

CEI’s Exam Ready Books make passing your general contractor license Florida exam easier. Our books are professionally highlighted and tabbed to indicate the answers to common Florida General Contractor License exam questions. This creates a more focused and simplified test prep and is a great way to ensure nervous test takers feel prepared during the exam. Book tabs will help you find the correct section of the books much more quickly when looking for the answer to an exam question and highlight detailed parts of the books from where questions are often asked. 

The Cram and Full Service Packages include all approved books already tabbed and highlighted. Suggested reference books (books not allowed into the testing center) are not included in the package price but are available for sale separately during checkout.

Online Package

While our Online Package also includes all approved books, the books do not come tabbed and highlighted. We do, however, provide Digital Highlighter Guides and printed tabs for you to apply yourself.  

Our Florida General Contractor license classes provide you with an exam book set that includes all references required for the Trade and Business & Finance exams:

• AIA Documents: (A-201, A-401, A-701) 
• Builder's Guide to Accounting 
• Florida Contractor's Manual 
• Florida Statutes Chapter 455                                
• Code of Federal Regulations. OSHA Title 29, Part 1926 
• Principles of Commercial Construction 
• Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida  
• Building Component Safety Information  
• Florida Building Code, Building 
• Florida Building Code, Residential 
• Florida Building Code, Existing Building      
• Florida Building Code, Accessibility      
• Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation

Each of the three exams required to obtain a General Contractor License focuses on different content areas that are crucial for your construction career. Your exams will focus on key topics such as how to establish a contracting business, business structure and construction laws, administrative requirements, managing trade operations, project management, safety protocols, and more. Knowing and understanding these topics will not only ensure you pass your exam but will help you succeed and grow as a General Contractor. 

CEI’s General Contractor license Florida classes give you direct interaction with experienced, licensed instructors. We have trained over 200,000 construction professionals over the last four decades and pride ourselves in helping professionals advance their careers through our comprehensive programs and dedicated instructors. 

General Contractor License Florida Class Near You

CEI makes it easy to get exam-ready on your own schedule! We offer multiple locations, dates, and times for your convenience. Once you select your package, you will see a drop-down menu that shows available dates and their associated locations for each class before you add them to your cart. 

General Contractor Class Details

Sarasota, FL 

Dates: August 19–22, 2024 | October 21–24, 2024 | November 18–21, 2024 

Location: CEI Office at 5016 Calle Minorga, Sarasota, FL 34242  

Orlando, FL 

Dates: September 10–13, 2024 | October 8–11, 2024 | December 3–6, 2024 

Location: Spring Hill Suites by Mariott at 5828 Hazeltine National Drive, Orlando, FL, 32822 

Fort Lauderdale, FL 

Dates: September 23–26, 2024 | November 4–7, 2024 | December 16–19, 2024 

Location: Tamarac Campus of GoldCoast at 5600 Hiatus Road, Tamarac, FL 33321

Am I required to take a class to get my contractor’s license?

No, you are not required to take a class to obtain a general contractor's license. A class is highly recommended to feel confident and increase your likelihood of success on the Florida general contractor license exams. By enrolling in a Florida general contractor license exam prep course, you are equipped with the information, strategies, and expertise needed to pass your exams and succeed in the field.  

Do I actually need a contractor’s license?

Yes. In order to legally work as a contractor in Florida, you need a contractor’s license. 

Do I need to purchase the state reference books?

No! When you purchase our courses, all required state reference books are included! Our Full Service and Cram Packages come with pre-highlighted and tabbed books (saving you over 40 hours of prep time!), or our Online Package comes with a digital guide instruction manual for highlighting key concepts and pre-printed tabs for easy reference during your open-book Florida General Contractors exam. 

What study materials and resources are available with CEI Florida general contractor license exam courses?

Expert Application Assistance services (start-up consultation, application processing, expert assistance to navigate the licensing process) 

The Full Service and Online Packages include:  

• Full set of approved exam books highlighted and tabbed 
• Learning modules dedicated to each book 
• Interactive elements to reinforce key topics and refine test-taking strategy 
• Practice quizzes to increase familiarity with books and concepts 
• Practice exams to test retention and help simulate state exams 
• Unlimited practice exams within our online platform 

How many questions are on the Florida General Contractor exam?

You are required to pass three separate exams to apply for a General Contractor license in Florida. The Project Management and Contract Administration exams each have 60 questions,  and the Business & Finance exam has 120 questions.

How many people pass the Florida General Contractor exam?

The pass rate for the Florida General Contractor License Exam can vary from year to year. Many factors contribute to the pass rate of the exam, including the preparation of the candidates. Historically, the pass rate has been between 50-60% for applicants, which highlights the need for ample preparation before taking the exam. Our general contractor license Florida classes are the ideal way to prepare and feel confident on your Florida General Contractor License Exam! 

Are the Florida General Contractor exams open-book? 

Yes, all the exams are open-book, multiple-choice, and timed. Highlighted and tabbed books are allowed and recommended to increase your confidence and chances for success! Several of our class options provide you with pre-highlighted and tabbed books.   

How long does it take to get a general contractor license in Florida?

Once you have passed your licensing exam (score 70% or higher) and obtained all required experience, you will receive your license within approximately 60-90 days after submitting the completed application.