How to Look Up a Florida Contractor’s License (2026)

To verify a Florida contractor’s license, search the DBPR’s online licensee-verification portal by the contractor’s name or license number. The results show the licensee’s name, profession, address, and license status. Do this before signing any contract, and also decode the license prefix and check insurance and scope to match the work you need done.

Search the DBPR licensee-verification portal

Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) runs the official lookup tool — this page links to it and explains how to read what comes back; it does not replicate the database or collect any information itself.

1. Go to the DBPR licensee-verification portal.
2. Search by the contractor’s first name, last name, or city, or, if you have it, the specific license number — either search method works.
3. Open the matching record and review it in full rather than stopping at the summary line.

If you’d rather start from the DBPR’s own explainer, its how-to-verify-a-license page describes the same tool.

Decode the license number: CGC, CBC, CRC

The letters before the digits identify the contractor’s scope class under Fla. Stat. 489.105(3): CGC (Certified General Contractor) covers unlimited scope, CBC (Certified Building Contractor) is limited to buildings up to three stories plus remodeling or repair of any size building that does not affect the structural members, and CRC (Certified Residential Contractor) is limited to one-, two-, or three-family homes up to two habitable stories above no more than one uninhabitable story. For example, `CGC1509999 — “Example Builders LLC”` is a fictitious record used only to illustrate the format — it is not a real license. See Florida contractor license types for how the three scope classes compare.

What the record actually shows

The DBPR record verifies four fields: the licensee’s name, profession, address, and license status. The DBPR term glossary defines the status labels you’ll see: Active means “the licensee is allowed to operate under the associated license,” and Current means the licensee “is up to date with respect to the department’s requirements for licensure” — so a healthy result reads current and active. Inactive means the licensee “has met the department’s requirements for licensure but is not allowed to work under this license”; Delinquent means the licensee “has not completed a timely renewal”; and Null and Void means the license lapsed and the holder “would have to reapply for licensure.” Anything other than current/active is a reason to pause. The record also shows details such as an expiration date, the license type, and any complaint or disciplinary history, so read the full entry rather than relying on the top line alone.

If the contractor holds a local, jurisdiction-only registration rather than a statewide certification, the DBPR portal may not be the right lookup at all — check with that local building department instead. See certified vs registered contractor for the difference between the two.

Red flags: check insurance and scope, not just the license

A clean lookup result is necessary but not sufficient — it confirms the license exists, not that this contractor is right for your project. Two things the record won’t spell out in detail deserve their own check:

• Insurance. A license lookup does not confirm today’s coverage. Ask for a current certificate of insurance and, if the job is significant, call the carrier directly to confirm the policy is still active. A certificate that’s expired, cancelled, or unusually vague is a red flag on its own.
• Scope match. Confirm the license class actually covers your project. A residential license does not cover a multi-story commercial build, and a building license caps out at three stories for new construction. A contractor whose license class doesn’t fit the work is a red flag no matter how clean the record otherwise looks.

Other warning signs worth pausing on: a license number that returns no match at all, a name or address on the record that doesn’t line up with who you’re actually dealing with, or hesitation about providing a license number up front.

Reporting an unlicensed contractor

If your search turns up no license, or the contractor won’t provide one, report it to the DBPR’s Unlicensed Activity program. You can call the Unlicensed Activity Hotline at 1-866-532-1440, email [email protected], file a complaint through the DBPR report-unlicensed-activity page, or use the DBPR Mobile App. Don’t take a contractor’s word that a license “isn’t required” for your project — verify first, and report unlicensed work so the department can act.

Common questions

What information does the Florida DBPR license lookup show?

The verified fields are the licensee’s name, profession, address, and license status. Per the DBPR glossary, common status labels include Active (allowed to operate), Current (up to date on licensure requirements), Inactive (met requirements but not currently allowed to work), Delinquent (renewal not completed on time), and Null and Void (lapsed — the holder must reapply). The record may also display an expiration date, license type, or disciplinary history, so read the full record rather than just the top line.

Can I search by a company name instead of a person’s name?

The DBPR portal searches by an individual’s first name, last name, or city, or by a specific license number. If you only have a business name, try the license number from a contract or estimate, or ask the company for the license holder’s individual name to search by.

Does a valid license mean the contractor is insured for my project?

No — license status and insurance are two separate checks. A current license confirms standing with the DBPR; it does not confirm today’s insurance coverage or that the coverage matches your project. Verify insurance directly with the carrier and confirm the license class matches the scope of your work.

For the full path from experience through renewal, see the Florida general contractor license guide.

This page explains how to use the Florida DBPR’s public license lookup and is general information, not legal advice — verify any specific license or contractor with the DBPR before you hire.

Last verified: 2026-07-11