CS/HB 453 2025
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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 pool/spa contractors; amending s. 2
489.105, F.S.; revising the definition of the terms 3
"commercial pool/spa contractor," "residential 4
pool/spa contractor," and "swimming pool/spa servicing 5
contractor"; providing an effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
9
Section 1. Paragraphs (j), (k), and (l) of subsection (3) 10
of section 489.105, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 11
489.105 Definitions. —As used in this part: 12
(3) "Contractor" means the person who is qualified for, 13
and is only responsible for, the project contracted for and 14
means, except as exempted in this part, the person who, for 15
compensation, undertakes to, submits a bid to, or does himself 16
or herself or by others construct, repair, alter, remodel, add 17
to, demolish, subtract from, or improve any building or 18
structure, including related improvements to real estate, for 19
others or for resale to othe rs; and whose job scope is 20
substantially similar to the job scope described in one of the 21
paragraphs of this subsection. For the purposes of regulation 22
under this part, the term "demolish" applies only to demolition 23
of steel tanks more than 50 feet in heig ht; towers more than 50 24
feet in height; other structures more than 50 feet in height; 25
CS/HB 453 2025
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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
and all buildings or residences. Contractors are subdivided into 26
two divisions, Division I, consisting of those contractors 27
defined in paragraphs (a) -(c), and Division II , consisting of 28
those contractors defined in paragraphs (d) -(q): 29
(j) "Commercial pool/spa contractor" means a contractor 30
whose scope of work includes involves, but is not limited to, 31
all phases of the construction, repair, renovation, remodel, 32
deconstruction, and servicing of a any swimming pool, or hot 33
tub, or spa, splash pad or other interactive water feature, 34
decorative water feature, public bathing place, or swimming pool 35
or spa appurtenance, whether public, private, or otherwise, 36
regardless of use. 37
1. The scope of such work includes, but is not limited to, 38
the following: 39
a. The scope of work of a swimming pool/spa servicing 40
contractor. 41
b. The connection, replacement, disconnection, or 42
reconnection of power wiring on the load side of the dedicate d 43
existing electrical circuit disconnect means for swimming pool, 44
spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature equipment. 45
c. The installation of equipotential bonding; swimming 46
pool, spa, or hot tub lighting; light transformers; light 47
conduit; and any clea ning or sanitizing equipment that requires 48
at least partial disassembling. 49
d. The construction of uninhabitable equipment rooms or 50
CS/HB 453 2025
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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
housing for swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water 51
feature equipment for the protection of the equipment from 52
outside elements or preventing unauthorized access. 53
e. Excavation and earthmoving only as required for the 54
installation of swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, or interactive 55
water features. 56
f. The operation of construction pumps for dewatering 57
purposes for swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water 58
feature excavation sites, and for draining swimming pools, spas, 59
hot tubs, or interactive water features. 60
g. The installation of rebar or similar support materials 61
for swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or inter active water feature 62
structures, and the shaping and shooting of gunite dry mix and 63
wet mix, concrete, or similar product mix used in the 64
construction of swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, or interactive 65
water features. 66
h. The installation of fiberglass swimming pool, spa, or 67
hot tub shells and vinyl swimming pool, spa, or hot tub liners. 68
i. The application and removal of all interior swimming 69
pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature finishes. 70
j. The construction, maintenance, or remodel of de corative 71
or interactive water features, displays, or areas that use 72
recirculated water, including fountains, waterfalls, and spray 73
nozzles. 74
k. The installation of all swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or 75
CS/HB 453 2025
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interactive water feature piping, including, but not li mited to, 76
drain piping, perimeter piping, and circulation or filter piping 77
used in the construction of swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, or 78
decorative or interactive water feature displays or areas. 79
l. The construction and installation of retaining walls, 80
concrete flatwork, pavers and bricks, and footings for the 81
construction of a swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive 82
water feature, whether newly constructed or additions to or 83
remodels of an existing swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or 84
interactive water feature The installation, repair, or 85
replacement of existing equipment, any cleaning or equipment 86
sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling, 87
excluding filter changes, and the installation of new pool/spa 88
equipment, interior finishes, the ins tallation of package pool 89
heaters, the installation of all perimeter piping and filter 90
piping, and the construction of equipment rooms or housing for 91
pool/spa equipment, and also includes the scope of work of a 92
swimming pool/spa servicing contractor . 93
2. The scope of such work does not include direct 94
connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water 95
lines, the installation or upgrade of dedicated electrical 96
disconnect or electrical circuits, or any work inside a main 97
electrical panel. The installation, construction, modification, 98
or replacement of equipment permanently attached to and 99
associated with the pool or spa for the purpose of water 100
CS/HB 453 2025
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treatment or cleaning of the pool or spa requires licensure; 101
however, 102
3. The usage of swimming pool, spa, h ot tub, or 103
interactive water feature such equipment for the purposes of 104
water treatment or cleaning does not require licensure unless 105
the usage involves installation construction, modification, or 106
replacement of such equipment. Water treatment that does not 107
require such equipment ; filter media changes; or the cleaning of 108
a swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature, or 109
its associated equipment, which does not affect the structural 110
integrity of the swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive 111
water feature, does not require a license. In addition, a 112
license is not required for the cleaning of the pool or spa in a 113
way that does not affect the structural integrity of the pool or 114
spa or its associated equipment. 115
(k) "Residential pool/spa contra ctor" means a contractor 116
whose scope of work is the same as a commercial pool/spa 117
contractor under paragraph (j) but does not include the 118
construction of any new commercial swimming pool, spa, hot tub, 119
or public bathing place involves, but is not limited t o, the 120
construction, repair, and servicing of a residential swimming 121
pool, or hot tub or spa, regardless of use. The scope of work 122
includes the installation, repair, or replacement of existing 123
equipment, any cleaning or equipment sanitizing that requires a t 124
least a partial disassembling, excluding filter changes, and the 125
CS/HB 453 2025
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installation of new pool/spa equipment, interior finishes, the 126
installation of package pool heaters, the installation of all 127
perimeter piping and filter piping, and the construction of 128
equipment rooms or housing for pool/spa equipment, and also 129
includes the scope of work of a swimming pool/spa servicing 130
contractor. The scope of such work does not include direct 131
connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water 132
lines. The installatio n, construction, modification, or 133
replacement of equipment permanently attached to and associated 134
with the pool or spa for the purpose of water treatment or 135
cleaning of the pool or spa requires licensure; however, the 136
usage of such equipment for the purpos es of water treatment or 137
cleaning does not require licensure unless the usage involves 138
construction, modification, or replacement of such equipment. 139
Water treatment that does not require such equipment does not 140
require a license. In addition, a license is not required for 141
the cleaning of the pool or spa in a way that does not affect 142
the structural integrity of the pool or spa or its associated 143
equipment. 144
(l) "Swimming pool/spa servicing contractor" means a 145
contractor whose scope of work includes involves, but is not 146
limited to, all aspects of the repair, renovation, remodeling, 147
or and servicing of a swimming pool, or hot tub, or spa, splash 148
pad or other interactive water feature, decorative water 149
feature, public bathing place, or swimming pool or spa 150
CS/HB 453 2025
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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
appurtenance, whether public or private, or otherwise, 151
regardless of use. 152
1. The scope of work includes , but is not limited to, the 153
following: 154
a. The installation, repair, or replacement of all 155
swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature 156
equipment, including, but not limited to, pool pumps; filters; 157
feeders; controllers; and swimming pool, spa, or hot tub 158
heaters, whether electric, gas, or solar. 159
b. The connection, replacement, disconnection, or 160
reconnection of power wiring on the load side o f the dedicated 161
existing electrical circuit disconnect means for swimming pool, 162
spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature equipment. 163
c. The repair or replacement of equipotential bonding; 164
swimming pool, spa, or hot tub lighting; light transformers; 165
light conduit; and any cleaning or sanitizing equipment that 166
requires at least partial disassembling. 167
d. The repair of uninhabitable equipment rooms or housing 168
for swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature 169
equipment. 170
e. The repair or replac ement of all perimeter piping and 171
filter piping. 172
f. The substantial or complete draining of a swimming 173
pool, spa, or hot tub for repair or renovation and the operation 174
of construction pumps for dewatering purposes for drained 175
CS/HB 453 2025
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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
swimming pools, spas, hot tu bs, or interactive water features. 176
g. The removal and reapplication of all interior swimming 177
pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature finishes. 178
h. The installation, repair, or replacement of all tile 179
and coping for a swimming pool, a spa, a hot tub, or an 180
interactive water feature the repair or replacement of existing 181
equipment, any cleaning or equipment sanitizing that requires at 182
least a partial disassembling, excluding filter changes, and the 183
installation of new pool/spa equipment, interior r efinishing, 184
the reinstallation or addition of pool heaters, the repair or 185
replacement of all perimeter piping and filter piping, the 186
repair of equipment rooms or housing for pool/spa equipment, and 187
the substantial or complete draining of a swimming pool, o r hot 188
tub or spa, for the purpose of repair or renovation . 189
2. The scope of the such work does not include direct 190
connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water 191
lines, the installation or upgrade of dedicated electrical 192
disconnect or electrica l circuits, or any work inside a main 193
electrical panel. The installation, construction, modification, 194
substantial or complete disassembly, or replacement of equipment 195
permanently attached to and associated with the pool or spa for 196
the purpose of water trea tment or cleaning of the pool or spa 197
requires licensure; however, 198
3. The usage of swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or 199
interactive water feature such equipment for the purposes of 200
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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
water treatment or cleaning does not require licensure unless 201
the usage involves installation construction, modification, 202
substantial or complete disassembly, or replacement of such 203
equipment. Water treatment that does not require such equipment ; 204
filter media changes; or the cleaning of a swimming pool, a spa, 205
a hot tub, or an intera ctive water feature, or its associated 206
equipment, which does not affect the structural integrity of the 207
swimming pool, spa, hot tub, or interactive water feature does 208
not require a license. In addition, a license is not required 209
for the cleaning of the poo l or spa in a way that does not 210
affect the structural integrity of the pool or spa or its 211
associated equipment. 212
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 213