How do I verify a Miami contractor's Florida license?

To verify a Miami contractor's Florida license, run the contractor through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) public license search at myfloridalicense.com. Click "Verify a License," choose Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) under Profession, and search by license number, business name, or qualifier name.

The public record exposes everything you need to make a hire decision: license class, status (Active / Null and Void / Delinquent / Inactive), original issue date, expiration date, qualifier of record, primary business address, disciplinary case history, and the certificates of insurance and workers' comp on file. Florida Statutes §489.105 defines the three residential-relevant classes: Certified General Contractor (CGC) — unlimited scope; Certified Building Contractor (CBC) — commercial up to 3 stories and any residential; Certified Residential Contractor (CRC) — 1-2 family dwellings. "Registered" variants (RG/RB/RR) are county-only and do not carry statewide reciprocity.

Unlicensed contracting is prosecuted under §489.127 — a first-offense first-degree misdemeanor escalating to a third-degree felony on a second offense or during a declared state of emergency, with penalties up to five years and $5,000. A homeowner who hires unlicensed faces no criminal exposure but loses every consumer remedy: no Construction Industry Recovery Fund access (§489.140), no mechanic's-lien defense, no workers' comp protection if the worker is injured on site, and most homeowner policies will deny related claims.

For Miami specifically, also confirm the contractor holds a current Miami-Dade County Local Business Tax Receipt and — for any condo or coastal work — the project-specific permits filed under their qualifier number with Miami-Dade RER or the relevant municipal building department.

AskBaily's Wave 104 FL CILB verifier automates this lookup on every Miami match. Each contractor's record is cached for seven days, refreshed weekly, and surfaced inline before booking. If the qualifier of record does not match the company name presenting the bid, the match is blocked.