Florida Pool and Spa Servicing Contractor License Exam Prep

License Scope

“Swimming pool/spa servicing contractor” means a contractor whose scope of work involves, but is not limited to, the repair and servicing of a swimming pool, or hot tub or spa, whether public or private, or otherwise, regardless of use. The scope of work includes the repair or replacement of existing equipment, any cleaning or equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling, excluding filter changes, and the installation of new pool/spa equipment, interior refinishing, the reinstallation or addition of pool heaters, the repair or replacement of all perimeter piping and filter piping, the repair of equipment rooms or housing for pool/spa equipment, and the substantial or complete draining of a swimming pool, or hot tub or spa, for the purpose of repair or renovation. The scope of such work does not include direct connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water lines. The installation, construction, modification, substantial or complete disassembly, or replacement of equipment permanently attached to and associated with the pool or spa for the purpose of water treatment or cleaning of the pool or spa requires licensure; however, the usage of such equipment for the purposes of water treatment or cleaning does not require licensure unless the usage involves construction, modification, substantial or complete disassembly, or replacement of such equipment. Water treatment that does not require such equipment does not require a license. In addition, a license is not required for the cleaning of the pool or spa in a way that does not affect the structural integrity of the pool or spa or its associated equipment.

Method of Qualification

In order to become licensed, you must meet the following qualifications.

(a) – Is 18 years of age,
(b) – Is of good moral character, and
(c) – Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria:

1. 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 is responsible 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.
2. 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 the person seeks to qualify. For the purpose of this part, a minimum of 2,000 person-hours shall be used in determining full-time equivalency.
3. Has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a foreman and not less than 3 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not less than 2 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; or has a combination of not less than 2 years of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not 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.
4. An applicant is eligible to take the swimming pool/spa servicing contractors’ examination if he or she has satisfactorily completed 60 hours of instruction in courses related to the scope of work covered by that license and approved by the Construction Industry Licensing Board by rule and has at least 1 year of proven experience related to the scope of work of such a contractor.

Licensing Steps

Step 1. Purchase the books you will need to take the licensing exam. The exam is open book and you are allowed to bring the state approved reference books to the exam with you. 

Step 2. Register for your Florida swimming pool/spa servicing contractor trade knowledge exam and business and finance exam.  We can help you with your exam registration - telephone CEI at: 800-423-7058. If you are confident with the required registration process and steps then you can register through Professional Testing Inc. at: www.floridaexam.com.

Step 3. Prepare for the licensing exams. You must pass both the technical trade knowledge exam and the business & finance exam to receive your license. We recommend that you sign up for our online or live business & finance exam preparation course to prepare for the business & finance exam, especially if you are not very familiar with accounting and construction business law.

Step 4. Take and pass both exams.

Step 5. Mail the license application with your passing exam scores to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. You will receive your license within approximately 60 days after submitting the completed application.

For detailed information please visit the State of Florida website.

Exam Details - What to Expect

The Applicant will be required to pass 2 separate exams with a score of 70% or higher.

• Business & Finance Exam – 3.5 hour computer-based exam
• Trade Knowledge Exam - 5 hour computer-based exam

Both exams are open-book, multiple-choice, and timed.

Reference books should be brought to both open book exams. Permanent book tabs and highlighting in books is allowed for the examinations.

Business & Finance Exam

The Business and Finance Examination consists of 60 questions. Candidates are allowed 3 ½ hours (210 minutes) of time to complete the examination.

Trade Knowledge Exam

The trade knowledge exam consists of 60 questions. Candidates are allowed 5 hours (300 minutes) of time to complete the examination.

Preparing for Your Exams

Applicants will need to get familiar with all of their exam books. Applicants must know how to properly read the test questions and quickly locate the answers. Knowing which books to use for each content area is essential to passing the exam. A quality exam preparation class is the best way to prepare for the exam. Most candidates are comfortable with the trade knowledge exam material, but need additional preparation for the business & finance exam material.

100% One Year Course Guarantee

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

EXAM READY BOOKS (Highlighted & Tabbed for the Exam) 

The licensing exam is an open-book exam. CEI stocks all books required for the general contractor exam. 

Exam Ready Books are specially prepared to make passing the exam easier. Exam Ready Books are professionally highlighted and tabbed by CEI's staff to indicate the answers to common test questions. 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 highlights detail parts of the books from where questions are often asked.

Book set 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
• American National Standard for Permanently Installed Residential Spas
• American National Standard for Public Spas
• American National Standard for Public Swimming Pools
• American National Standard for Residential Inground Swimming Pools
• Chapter 64E-9, Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Places,  (Formerly Ch. 10D-5)
• NFPA 70 – 2014 National, Electrical Code, Softbound, Article 680, Swimming Pools, Fountains & Similar Installations
• Pool & Spa Operator Handbook
• ANSI/NSF 50 – 2015, Equipment for Swimming Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs and other Recreational Water Facilities
• Florida Building Code, Building

Locations

Sarasota, FL - CEI

CEI

5016 Calle Minorga

Sarasota, FL 34242

Orlando, FL - Spring Hill Suites

Spring Hill Suites by Marriott

5828 Hazeltine National Drive

Orlando, FL 32822

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Tamarac Campus of GoldCoast

5600 Hiatus Road

Tamarac, FL 33321