Florida contractor license classifications
F.S. §489.105(3) defines every contractor category in Florida. Division I covers general, building and residential work; Division II covers the specialty trades — roofing, plumbing, mechanical, air conditioning, pools, underground utility, sheet metal and solar. Ten of these categories have a dedicated page with the verbatim definition and its scope assertions; the full list is below so nothing is hidden behind a page that does not exist.
01 Category pages
| Page | §489.105(3) | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| General Contractor | (a) | Division I category with services unlimited as to the type of work — but §489.113 still forces subcontracting of the electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool and air-conditioning categories unless the contractor holds that category's credential. |
| Building Contractor | (b) | Division I category limited to construction of commercial and residential buildings up to three stories, and to remodeling, repair or improvement of any size building when the services do not affect the structural members. |
| Residential Contractor | (c) | Division I category for construction, remodeling, repair or improvement of one-family, two-family and three-family residences up to two habitable stories above at most one uninhabitable story. |
| Roofing Contractor | (e) | Division II category for all kinds of roofing, waterproofing and coating, plus skylights, roof-deck attachments, sheathing/fascia repair during roof replacement and roof-to-wall connection work under FBC Existing Building §706. |
| Plumbing Contractor | (m) | Division II category with unlimited plumbing services — including a statutory list of work a plumbing contractor may perform WITHOUT obtaining an additional local regulatory license. |
| Mechanical Contractor | (i) | Division II category covering HVAC systems, boilers, lift stations and an extensive piping list including LP gas and natural gas lines within buildings. |
| Air-Conditioning Contractor (Classes A, B, C) | (f), (g), (h) | Division II category split into three classes by capacity: Class A is unlimited, Class B is limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system, and Class C is a servicing-only category closed to new applicants since October 1, 1988. |
| Swimming Pool / Spa Contractors (commercial, residential, servicing) | (j), (k), (l) | Three Division II categories: commercial pool/spa, residential pool/spa, and a repair-and-servicing-only category. Both construction categories include the servicing scope; none may connect directly to a sanitary sewer or potable water lines. |
| Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor | (n) | Division II category limited to construction, installation and repair of main sewer, water and storm collection systems and utility continuations up to the meter — with an official exclusion for fire-protection piping. |
| Sheet Metal Contractor | (d) | Division II category unlimited in the sheet metal trade, including air-handling systems, balancing, and duct cleaning that requires partial disassembly. |
02 Division I
03 Division II
| §489.105(3) | Category | Legal basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| (d) | Sheet Metal Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(d) | S-FL-105 |
| (e) | Roofing Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(e) | S-FL-105 |
| (f) | Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(f) | S-FL-105 |
| (g) | Class B Air-Conditioning Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(g) | S-FL-105 |
| (h) | Class C Air-Conditioning Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(h) | S-FL-105 |
| (i) | Mechanical Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(i) | S-FL-105 |
| (j) | Commercial Pool/Spa Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(j) | S-FL-105 |
| (k) | Residential Pool/Spa Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(k) | S-FL-105 |
| (l) | Swimming Pool/Spa Servicing Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(l) | S-FL-105 |
| (m) | Plumbing Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(m) | S-FL-105 |
| (n) | Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(n) | S-FL-105 |
| (o) | Solar Contractor | F.S. §489.105(3)(o) | S-FL-105 |
Under F.S. §489.113(6)(a) a certified contractor in one of these categories is NOT required to hold a specialty category unless a statute mandates it; the board's rule lists the voluntary certified specialty categories (FAC 61G4-15.100). S-FL-113 S-FL-15100
04 Which credential holds a category
§489.105(3) categories apply to certified contractors statewide; a registered contractor holds the category only in the local jurisdictions where local licensing was met (§489.117(1)(b)). The difference between the two credentials is explained on the certified vs registered page.
No category page asserts a requirement on its own — licensing obligations come from the statute and from local permitting. Always check the official lookup for the credential that actually applies.
05 Sources
Source S-FL-105 — Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
Florida Statutes §489.105 — Definitions (contractor categories, certified/registered) — F.S. §489.105(3)(a)–(q)
Retrieved 2026-10-01 · last verified 2026-10-01
Read verbatim 2026-10-01 (HTTP 200). Subsection (3)(a)-(q) defines every contractor category (Division I a-c, Division II d-q) — all classification definition_text values are verbatim from it. (8) certified contractor = statewide; (10) registered contractor = may contract only in such jurisdictions; (12) local construction regulation board.