How do I verify an Orlando contractor's Florida license?

Florida verifies general contractors at the state level, not the city level, so an Orlando contractor must hold an active license issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). The fastest way to verify is at myfloridalicense.com — click Verify a License, switch to Construction Industry, and search by license number, individual name, or business name. The record will show the license class (CGC for Certified General Contractor, CBC for Certified Building Contractor, CRC for Certified Residential Contractor), expiration date, current standing, complaint history, and proof of liability and workers compensation insurance.

For most Orlando home remodel work, look for a CGC, CBC, or CRC. A Certified General can perform any vertical construction. A Certified Building is limited to structures of three stories or less. A Certified Residential covers one and two family dwellings only — most kitchen, bathroom, and ADU projects qualify. Be cautious of registered (RR or RB prefix) contractors — registered licenses are valid only in the specific local jurisdiction listed and do not transfer countywide.

Florida treats unlicensed contracting as a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 489.127, with stiffer penalties during a declared state of emergency. If a contractor cannot show an active CILB number on a contract or asks you to pull the permit yourself for a project that exceeds the homeowner-build exemption, that is a strong signal to walk away. Permitted scope inside Orlando city limits flows through Orlando Permitting Services, while parcels in the rest of metro Orlando go through Orange County Permits and Licenses.

Always pair the CILB check with a current Certificate of Insurance issued directly from the carrier, naming you as certificate holder, plus a Sunbiz business filing lookup to confirm the LLC or corporation is active. AskBaily can run all of this in under a minute on any matched Orlando contractor — just ask in chat and we will pull the live record for you.