How to verify a Florida contractor license (step-by-step)

Updated 2026-08-11

Florida requires a state license for roofing, plumbing, air-conditioning, mold work and most other construction trades. Verifying takes five minutes and it's the single best scam filter that exists. Here's exactly how to do it.

Step 1 — Get the license number

Ask the contractor for their license number and the exact name it's registered under. A legitimate Florida contractor displays it on their website, vehicles, contracts and ads — refusing to give it is a walk-away red flag. The prefix tells you the trade:

• CCC — certified roofing contractor (statewide)
• CGC / CBC / CRC — certified general, building or residential contractor
• CFC — certified plumbing contractor
• CAC — certified air-conditioning contractor
• MRSR / MRSA — licensed mold remediator / mold assessor
• RC / RF / RA — registered (county-scoped) roofing, plumbing or A/C contractor

Step 2 — Search the official state portal

Go to myfloridalicense.com → Verify a License and search by license number (most reliable) or by name. This is the official database of the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) — the same public records this directory is built from.

Step 3 — Read the status correctly

• Current, Active — licensed and allowed to work. This is what you want to see.
• Current, Inactive — the license exists but the holder may not contract work.
• Delinquent — failed to renew; not authorized to work.
• Null & Void — the license no longer exists.

Also check the expiration date and whether the business name on the license matches the name on your contract. In Florida, companies work under a "qualifying agent" — the person whose license covers the company. If the company on your paperwork isn't linked to the license, that's a problem.

Step 4 — Check complaints and discipline

The same DBPR portal shows public complaints and discipline history. One old resolved complaint isn't necessarily disqualifying; a pattern is. For roofing and general contractors you can also search county permit records to confirm they actually pull permits.

Red flags that end the conversation

• "We work under a friend's license" — illegal.
• License number that doesn't exist, is expired, or belongs to a different trade.
• Cash-only deals, no written contract, or pressure to sign today.
• Door-to-door solicitation right after a storm (see our hurricane checklist).

Shortcut: use our free Florida licence lookup — type a licence number or company name and it checks 92,543 active DBPR licences instantly, and explains what each status actually means. Then re-verify on the state portal before signing, because that record is live and ours was refreshed 2026-08-11.

More guides: Hurricane roof damage checklist · Risks of unlicensed contractors