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Does a Handyman Need a License in Florida?

Use the free tool — Local Permit Finder

What "handyman" usually means under Florida law

Florida limits handyman work to non-structural, non-licensed tasks. DBPR and the county licensing board decide what counts as "non-structural" for a specific job, so confirm before you take work that touches structure, electrical, plumbing or HVAC.

• DBPR — Florida Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation, licenses construction contractors: myfloridalicense.com

When a job needs a state or county contractor license

If the work is structural, or if it's electrical, plumbing, roofing, HVAC or another licensed trade, you likely need a state or county contractor license, not just handyman skills. Check with DBPR and your county licensing board before you bid the job.

The law is strict about this

Contracting without a required state or county license is a crime in Florida under Fla. Stat. 489.127. This applies whether the client asked you to do it or not. If you aren't sure whether a job needs a license, ask DBPR or the county licensing board first.

• DBPR — construction licensing

Steps every handyman business in Florida needs

These apply no matter what kind of jobs you take, in this order:

1. Register your entity or fictitious name (DBA) on Sunbiz, per Fla. Stat. 865.09 for DBAs — dos.fl.gov/sunbiz
2. Get an EIN from the IRS if you have employees or formed an LLC or corporation.
3. Get any state professional license the job requires, from DBPR.
4. Check zoning or home occupation rules if you work from home.
5. Get a county business tax receipt, required under Fla. Stat. ch. 205 — fee set by the county, see Fla. Stat. ch. 205.
6. Get a city business tax receipt if your city requires one too.
7. Register for sales and use tax with the Department of Revenue if you sell taxable goods or certain services.
8. Carry workers' compensation coverage under Fla. Stat. ch. 440 — required from your first employee in construction, from four employees in other industries.

If you work from home

Fla. Stat. 559.955 limits what a city or county can require of a home-based business, but a home occupation permit and HOA rules may still apply. Confirm with your local zoning office.

• Fla. Stat. 559.955

What to do next

This page is general guidance, not legal advice. It can be wrong, and local rules differ by county and city. Confirm every item with DBPR, your county licensing board, or the Florida SBDC — floridasbdc.org — before you spend money or sign a lease. The free tool at Local Permit Finder reads your own description of the business — what you do, where, and how — and lists the permits that most likely apply, who issues each one, and the order to do them in. Nothing you paste is stored.

Local Permit Finder gives general guidance about Florida business licensing in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal, tax or financial advice. Requirements differ by county and city — confirm with the issuing office, the Florida SBDC, or a Florida business attorney. Nothing you paste is stored.