Registration; specialty contractors.

(1)(a) A person engaged in the business of a contractor as defined in s. 489.105(3)(a)-(o) must be registered before engaging in business as a contractor in this state, unless he or she is certified. Except as provided in paragraph (2)(b), to be initially registered, the applicant must submit the required fee and file evidence of successful compliance with the local examination and licensing requirements, if any, in the area for which registration is desired. An examination is not required for registration.

(b) Registration allows the registrant to engage in contracting only in the counties, municipalities, or development districts where he or she has complied with all local licensing requirements, if any, and only for the type of work covered by the registration.

(c) Each registrant shall report to the board each local jurisdiction and each category of registration in which the registrant holds a certificate of competency or license, or where the registrant has been granted a certificate of competency or license by reciprocal agreement, for which registration is required by this part, within 30 days after obtaining such certificate or license.

(2)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), the board may not issue a new registration after July 1, 1993, based on any certificate of competency or license for a category of contractor defined in s. 489.105(3)(a)-(o) which is issued by a municipal or county government that does not exercise disciplinary control and oversight over such locally licensed contractors, including forwarding a recommended order in each action to the board as provided in s. 489.131(7). For purposes of this subsection and s. 489.131(10), the board shall determine the adequacy of such disciplinary control by reviewing the local government’s ability to process and investigate complaints and to take disciplinary action against locally licensed contractors.

(b) The board shall issue a registration to an eligible applicant to engage in the business of a contractor in a specified local jurisdiction, provided each of the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The applicant held, in any local jurisdiction in this state during 2021, 2022, or 2023, a certificate of registration issued by the state or a local license issued by a local jurisdiction to perform work in a category of contractor defined in s. 489.105(3)(a)-(o).

2. The applicant submits all of the following to the board:

a. Evidence of the certificate of registration or local license held by the applicant as required by subparagraph 1.

b. Evidence that the specified local jurisdiction does not have a license type available for the category of work for which the applicant was issued a certificate of registration or local license during 2021, 2022, or 2023, such as a notification on the website of the local jurisdiction or an e-mail or letter from the office of the local building official or local building department stating that such license type is not available in that local jurisdiction.

c. Evidence that the applicant has submitted the required fee.

d. Evidence of compliance with the insurance and financial responsibility requirements of s. 489.115(5).

An examination is not required for an applicant seeking a registration under this paragraph.

(c) The board is responsible for disciplining licensees issued a registration under paragraph (b). The board shall make such licensure and disciplinary information available through the automated information system provided pursuant to s. 455.2286.

(d) The fees for an applicant seeking a registration under paragraph (b) and renewal of such registration every 2 years are the same as the fees established by the board for applications, registration and renewal, and recordmaking and recordkeeping, as set forth in s. 489.109. The department shall provide license, renewal, and cancellation notices pursuant to ss. 455.273 and 455.275.

(3)(a) Upon findings of fact supporting the need therefor, the board may grant a limited nonrenewable registration to a contractor not domiciled in the state, for one project. During the period of such registration the board may require compliance with this and any other statute of the state.

(b) The application for a temporary registration shall constitute appointment of the Department of State as an agent of the applicant for service of process in any action or proceeding against the applicant arising out of any transaction or operation connected with or incidental to the practice of contracting for which the temporary license was issued.

(4)(a)1. A person whose job scope does not substantially correspond to either the job scope of one of the contractor categories defined in s. 489.105(3)(a)-(o), or the job scope of one of the certified specialty contractor categories established by board rule, is not required to register with the board. A local government, as defined in s. 163.211, may not require a person to obtain a license, issued by the local government or the state, for a job scope which does not substantially correspond to the job scope of one of the contractor categories defined in s. 489.105(3)(a)-(o) and (q) or authorized in s. 489.1455(1), or the job scope of one of the certified specialty contractor categories established pursuant to s. 489.113(6). A local government may not require a state or local license to obtain a permit for such job scopes. For purposes of this section, job scopes for which a local government may not require a license include, but are not limited to, painting; flooring; cabinetry; interior remodeling when the scope of the project does not include a task for which a state license is required; driveway or tennis court installation; handyman services; decorative stone, tile, marble, granite, or terrazzo installation; plastering; pressure washing; stuccoing; caulking; and canvas awning and ornamental iron installation.

2. A county that includes an area designated as an area of critical state concern under s. 380.05 may offer a license for any job scope which requires a contractor license under this part if the county imposed such a licensing requirement before January 1, 2021.

3. A local government may continue to offer a license for veneer, including aluminum or vinyl gutters, siding, soffit, or fascia; rooftop painting, coating, and cleaning above three stories in height; or fence installation and erection if the local government imposed such a licensing requirement before January 1, 2021.

4. A local government may not require a license as a prerequisite to submit a bid for public works projects if the work to be performed does not require a license under general law.

(b) The local jurisdictions are responsible for providing the following information to the board within 30 days after licensure of, or any disciplinary action against, a locally licensed contractor who is registered under this part:

1. Licensure information.

2. Code violation information pursuant to s. 553.781.

3. Disciplinary information.

The board shall maintain such licensure and disciplinary information as it is provided to the board and shall make the information available through the automated information system provided pursuant to s. 455.2286.

(c) Providing discipline to such locally licensed contractors is the responsibility of the local jurisdiction.

(d) Any person who is not required to obtain registration or certification pursuant to s. 489.105(3)(d)-(o) may perform contracting services for the construction, remodeling, repair, or improvement of single-family residences, including a townhouse as defined in the Florida Building Code, without obtaining a local license if such person is under the supervision of a certified or registered general, building, or residential contractor. As used in this paragraph, supervision shall not be deemed to require the existence of a direct contract between the certified or registered general, building, or residential contractor and the person performing specialty contracting services.

(e) Any person who is not certified or registered may perform the work of a specialty contractor whose scope of practice is limited to the type of work specified under s. 489.105(3)(j), (k), or (l) for the construction, remodeling, repair, or improvement of commercial or residential swimming pools, interactive water features as defined in the Florida Building Code, hot tubs, and spas without obtaining a local license or certification as a specialty contractor if he or she is supervised by a contractor who is certified or registered under s. 489.105(3)(j), (k), or (l); the work is within the scope of the supervising contractor’s license; the supervising contractor is responsible for the work; and the work does not require certification or registration under s. 489.105(3)(d)-(i), (m)-(o), or s. 489.505. Such supervision does not require a direct contract between the contractor certified or registered under s. 489.105(3)(j), (k), or (l) and the person performing the work, or for the person performing the work to be an employee of the contractor certified or registered under s. 489.105(3)(j), (k), or (l). This paragraph does not limit the exemptions provided in s. 489.103 and may not be construed to expand the scope of a contractor certified or registered under s. 489.105(3)(j), (k), or (l) to provide plumbing or electrical services for which certification or registration is required by this part or part II.

(5) Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(b), a registered contractor may engage in contracting only for work covered by the registration within an area for which a state of emergency is declared pursuant to s. 252.36 for a natural emergency. This authorization terminates 24 months after the expiration of the declared state of emergency. The local jurisdiction that licenses the registered contractor may discipline the registered contractor for violations occurring outside the licensing jurisdiction which occur during the period such work is authorized under this subsection.