All tools · Contractor License Check FL

Do I need a contractor's license just to fix a few shingles?

Use the free tool — Contractor License Check FL

The short answer

No — "just a few shingles" is still roofing. Under Fla. Stat. 489.105, roofing work requires a licensed contractor no matter how small the price is. The same is true for structural work, additions, demolition, pools and spas, mechanical/HVAC, electrical, plumbing and gas.

Why the $2,500 handyman exemption doesn't cover this

Florida's handyman exemption, under Fla. Stat. 489.103(9), lets you skip a license only for work that is casual, minor or inconsequential, with a total contract price — labor, materials, everything — under $2,500. But the exemption does not apply if:

• the work is part of a larger or major operation (you can't split one job into pieces to stay under $2,500)
• you advertise or hold yourself out as a contractor
• the work requires a license regardless of price — and roofing is one of those trades

So a small roof repair can be under $2,500 and still need a licensed roofing contractor, because the price limit never applies to roofing in the first place.

What working without a license can cost you

Under Fla. Stat. 489.127, unlicensed contracting is normally a first-degree misdemeanor. A repeat offense becomes a third-degree felony. During a declared state of emergency, unlicensed contracting is a third-degree felony on the first offense — something to know if you're doing roof work right after a storm. DBPR can also fine unlicensed contractors and issue cease-and-desist orders.

Separately, Fla. Stat. 489.128 says an unlicensed contractor generally cannot enforce the contract or a lien in court — so if the customer doesn't pay, you may have no legal way to collect.

If you're the homeowner hiring someone

Before you hire anyone to touch your roof, verify their license number at myfloridalicense.com. Hiring an unlicensed contractor can leave you without recourse, without insurance coverage, and without permit sign-off if something goes wrong.

The license path, briefly

Florida has two kinds of contractor licenses:

• Certified — valid statewide, through DBPR's Construction Industry Licensing Board, involving an exam, experience, financial responsibility and insurance
• Registered — a local competency card, registered with DBPR, valid only in that jurisdiction

Start at the DBPR application page (myfloridalicense.com) and your county's contractor licensing office. This page doesn't quote fees, exam pass rates or timelines — confirm those directly with DBPR or your county.

What to do next

The free tool reads your own job description and price — no account, nothing stored — and tells you whether it looks handyman-exempt, over the line, or a licensed trade requiring a license at any price, with the statute behind the answer. This is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with DBPR or your county contractor licensing office before you take a job you're unsure about.

Contractor License Check FL explains Florida's contractor licensing rules in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. Statute references are to Fla. Stat. ch. 489 as published; counties add local licensing for many trades. Nothing you enter is stored.