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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to occupational licensing; amending s. 2
489.117, F.S.; requiring the Construction Industry 3
Licensing Board within the Department of Business and 4
Professional Regulation to issue registrations to 5
eligible persons under certain circumstances; 6
providing that the board is responsible for 7
disciplining such licensees; requiring the board to 8
make licensure and disciplinary information available 9
through the automated information system; providing 10
for the fees for the issuance of the registrations and 11
renewal registrations; requiring the department to 12
provide certain license, renewal, and cancellation 13
notices; conforming provisions to changes made by the 14
act; providing an effective date. 15
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17
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Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) and 19
subsection (2) of section 489.117, Florida Statutes, are amended 20
to read: 21
489.117 Registration; spe cialty contractors.— 22
(1)(a) A Any person engaged in the business of a 23
contractor as defined in s. 489.105(3)(a) -(o) must be registered 24
before engaging in business as a contractor in this state, 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
unless he or she is certified. Except as provided in paragra ph 26
(2)(b), to be initially registered, the applicant must shall 27
submit the required fee and file evidence of successful 28
compliance with the local examination and licensing 29
requirements, if any, in the area for which registration is 30
desired. An examination is not required for registration. 31
(b) Registration allows the registrant to engage in 32
contracting only in the counties, municipalities, or development 33
districts where he or she has complied with all local licensing 34
requirements, if any, and only for the type of work covered by 35
the registration. 36
(2)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), the board may 37
not issue a No new registration may be issued by the board after 38
July 1, 1993, based on any certificate of competency or license 39
for a category of contrac tor defined in s. 489.105(3)(a) -(o) 40
which is issued by a municipal or county government that does 41
not exercise disciplinary control and oversight over such 42
locally licensed contractors, including forwarding a recommended 43
order in each action to the board a s provided in s. 489.131(7). 44
For purposes of this subsection and s. 489.131(10), the board 45
shall determine the adequacy of such disciplinary control by 46
reviewing the local government's ability to process and 47
investigate complaints and to take disciplinary action against 48
locally licensed contractors. 49
(b) The board shall issue a registration to an eligible 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
applicant to engage in the business of a contractor in a 51
specified local jurisdiction, provided each of the following 52
conditions are satisfied: 53
1. The applicant held, in any local jurisdiction in this 54
state during 2021, 2022, or 2023, a certificate of registration 55
issued by the state or a local license issued by a local 56
jurisdiction to perform work in a category of contractor defined 57
in s. 489.105(3)(a)-(o). 58
2. The applicant submits all of the following to the 59
board: 60
a. Evidence of the certificate of registration or local 61
license held by the applicant as required by subparagraph 1. 62
b. Evidence that the specified local jurisdiction does not 63
have a license type available for the category of work for which 64
the applicant was issued a certification of registration or 65
local license during 2021, 2022, or 2023, such as a notification 66
on the website of the local jurisdiction or an email or letter 67
from the office of the local building official or local building 68
department stating that such license type is not available in 69
that local jurisdiction. 70
c. Evidence that the applicant has submitted the required 71
fee. 72
d. Evidence of compliance with the insurance and financial 73
responsibility requirements of s. 489.115(5). 74
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
An examination is not required for an applicant seeking a 76
registration under this paragraph. 77
(c) The board is responsible for disciplining licensees 78
issued a registration under paragraph (b). The board shall make 79
such licensure and disciplinary information available through 80
the automated information system provided pursuant to s. 81
455.2286. 82
(d) The fees for an applicant seeking a registration under 83
paragraph (b) and renewal of such registration every 2 years are 84
the same as the fees established by the board for applications, 85
registration and renewal, and record making and recordkeeping, 86
as set forth in s. 489.109. The department shall provide 87
license, renewal, and cancelation notices pursuant to ss. 88
455.273 and 455.275. 89
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 90