Do Handymen in Florida Need a License?

“Do handymen in Florida need a license?” It's one of the most searched questions homeowners ask before hiring someone to work on their property. Whether you're a first-time homeowner in Estero, a seasonal resident in Naples, or a realtor coordinating repairs before a closing in Bonita Springs, the answer matters more than most people realize. And the short answer is: it depends.

Florida law draws a clear line between minor handyman tasks and professional contracting work. That line is defined by the type of work being performed and the dollar amount of the project. Most homeowners don't know where that line falls, and the consequences of getting it wrong can affect your insurance coverage, your legal liability, and your property value. If you're hiring someone to work on your home, understanding Florida's licensing requirements isn't optional — it's protection.

This post breaks down what Florida law actually says, why it matters for your home, how to verify a contractor's credentials, and what a properly licensed handyman can do for you. We're writing this from the perspective of a team that holds a Certified Building Contractor license (CBC-1259887) and does this work every single day across Southwest Florida.

The Short Answer: It Depends on the Work and the Dollar Amount

Florida Statute 489 governs construction contracting in the state. Under this law, any person who performs contracting work — defined broadly as construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of any building or structure — must hold a valid state contractor's license. The critical threshold that every homeowner should know is $1,000. When the total value of a project exceeds $1,000 in combined labor and materials, a licensed contractor is legally required to perform the work.

Below that $1,000 threshold, Florida law provides a narrow exemption for minor repairs and maintenance. This is where the “handyman exemption” comes into play. A person performing minor, routine maintenance tasks — tightening a loose hinge, replacing a light switch cover plate, patching a small hole in drywall — may not need a license if the total project value stays under $1,000. But the exemption is narrow, and many homeowners misunderstand its scope.

The $1,000 limit includes everything: labor and materials combined. If a handyman charges $600 for labor and the materials cost $500, the project totals $1,100 and requires a licensed contractor. This catches many people off guard. Even seemingly small projects — installing a new faucet, replacing a section of fascia board, or upgrading a handful of electrical outlets — can cross that threshold quickly when you add materials to the labor cost.

The exemption also does not apply to new construction, structural alterations, or specialty trade work. No matter the dollar amount, certain types of work require a licensed professional. The $1,000 threshold is a floor, not a blanket exemption.

What Florida Law Actually Says About Handyman Work

The specific provision homeowners need to know is Florida Statute 489.103, which lists the exemptions to contractor licensing. The handyman exemption allows a person to perform “minor repair and maintenance work” when the total value of the contract — labor plus materials — does not exceed $1,000. The statute uses the language “minor” and “maintenance” deliberately. This exemption was designed for small, routine tasks — not for significant repairs, renovations, or construction projects.

What the exemption does not cover, regardless of dollar amount, is important. Electrical work beyond simple replacements (such as adding circuits or upgrading panels) requires a licensed electrician. Plumbing work beyond simple fixture repairs requires a licensed plumber. Roofing, HVAC system work, and structural alterations all require appropriately licensed contractors. Any work that requires a building permit must be performed by — or under the supervision of — a licensed contractor who can pull that permit.

The $1,000 limit applies per project, per contract. Florida law specifically prohibits splitting a larger project into multiple smaller contracts to stay under the threshold. A $3,000 bathroom renovation cannot be divided into three $1,000 invoices. The DBPR (Department of Business and Professional Regulation) enforces this provision, and they do so actively in Florida. Investigators conduct sting operations and respond to consumer complaints.

The penalties for unlicensed contracting in Florida are serious. A first offense is a first-degree misdemeanor, carrying fines up to $5,000 and up to one year in jail. Repeat offenses escalate to a third-degree felony, with fines up to $10,000 per offense. The DBPR publicizes enforcement actions regularly, and Florida prosecutors actively pursue these cases — particularly after natural disasters, when unlicensed operators flood the market.

Why the License Matters More Than You Think

The licensing requirement isn't bureaucratic overhead. It exists to protect homeowners, and the protections are tangible. Start with insurance. If work is performed on your home by an unlicensed contractor and something goes wrong — a water leak from improperly installed plumbing, an electrical fault that causes damage — your homeowner's insurance company may deny the claim. Insurers routinely investigate the cause of damage, and if they determine it resulted from work performed by an unlicensed individual, they have grounds to decline coverage. That means you pay for the damage out of pocket.

Liability exposure is another major concern. If an unlicensed worker is injured on your property, you could be held liable. Licensed contractors carry workers' compensation insurance and general liability coverage. That insurance protects both the worker and the homeowner. An unlicensed operator typically carries neither, which means an injury on your property becomes your financial problem. In Florida, where construction-related injuries are common, this risk is real and significant.

Property sales create another layer of exposure. During a real estate transaction, buyers, home inspectors, title companies, and lenders may ask for documentation that repairs were performed by licensed professionals. Unpermitted or undocumented work can complicate closings, reduce your negotiating position, and even kill a deal. We see this regularly when working on home inspection report repairs — buyers want to know that the person who fixed the issues on the report was licensed to do the work.

Finally, there's the question of warranty and recourse. Licensed contractors are accountable to the state licensing board. If a licensed contractor performs defective work, you can file a complaint with the DBPR, and the contractor faces disciplinary action up to and including loss of their license. With an unlicensed operator, your only recourse is civil court — and good luck collecting from someone who may not have a legitimate business address or insurance.

How to Verify a Florida Contractor's License

Florida makes it straightforward to verify a contractor's credentials. The DBPR maintains a public database at myfloridalicense.com where you can search by contractor name, business name, or license number. The search takes less than a minute and gives you everything you need to know: license type, license status (active, inactive, suspended), and whether the contractor has any disciplinary history.

Here's what to look for when you run the search. First, confirm the license is active — not expired, suspended, or revoked. Second, check the license type. A CBC (Certified Building Contractor) license authorizes a wide range of residential construction and repair work. A CGC (Certified General Contractor) license covers an even broader scope including commercial projects. Either one is appropriate for residential repairs. Third, verify that the contractor has current insurance on file with the state.

Red flags should put you on alert immediately. If a contractor cannot or will not provide a license number, walk away. If they say “I don't need one for this type of work” on a project that clearly exceeds $1,000, that's a warning sign. Inability to provide a certificate of insurance is another major red flag. And if someone pressures you to pay cash with no invoice or receipt, they are almost certainly unlicensed and uninsured.

Always ask for both the license number and proof of insurance before any work begins. A licensed contractor will share their credentials without hesitation. In fact, most licensed professionals are proud to share them — the license is a competitive differentiator in a market full of unlicensed operators. We print our license number (CBC-1259887) on every estimate, every invoice, and every piece of marketing we produce.

What a Licensed Handyman Can Do in Florida

A licensed contractor holding a CBC or CGC license is authorized to perform a comprehensive range of residential repair and construction work. The scope goes well beyond what most people picture when they hear the word “handyman.” This is the full range of services that a properly licensed handyman team like ours handles on a daily basis across Estero, Naples, Bonita Springs, and Fort Myers.

Electrical: Outlet and switch replacements, GFCI outlet upgrades, ceiling fan installation, light fixture swaps, smoke detector replacement, and related residential electrical work. Our electrical services page details the full scope. These are the items that appear on home inspection reports more than any other category, and we handle them daily.

Plumbing: Faucet replacement, toilet repairs, garbage disposal installation, shut-off valve replacements, and water heater items. Our plumbing repair page covers the specifics. Fixture-level plumbing is standard handyman work, and it makes up a significant portion of what we do on home inspection reports.

General repairs: Drywall repair and patching, interior and exterior painting, door adjustments and replacements, screen replacement, hurricane shutter installation, deck work, tile repair, caulking, weatherproofing, and exterior trim work. Our general home repairs page outlines the full range.

Home inspection repairs: This is a specialty we built our business around. A licensed handyman handles 80-90% of a typical home inspection report in one or two visits. Electrical items, plumbing fixtures, safety corrections, drywall repairs, exterior maintenance, and code compliance items — all addressed by one team with one invoice and one set of completion documentation for the closing file. Visit our home inspection report repairs page for the full breakdown.

For a complete breakdown of what tasks fall within a licensed handyman's scope, see our post on What Tasks Can a Licensed Handyman Do in Florida?

Chad The Handyman's Licensing and Credentials

We hold license CBC-1259887 — a Certified Building Contractor license issued by the State of Florida. This is the same license class carried by contractors who build entire homes from the ground up. We don't just meet the legal minimum for handyman work. We carry a license that authorizes us to perform a comprehensive range of residential construction and repair work, from electrical and plumbing to drywall, carpentry, exterior work, and beyond.

Our team brings 25+ years of experience in residential construction and repairs. We've completed thousands of projects across Lee and Collier County, building a reputation reflected in our 541+ five-star Google reviews at a 4.8 rating. That track record wasn't built by cutting corners on licensing or insurance. It was built by showing up on time, doing the work right, and providing the documentation homeowners need.

Chad The Handyman is family-owned and operated since 2010. We are fully insured with both general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Every member of our team works under the supervision of our CBC license, and every project is backed by our insurance. We serve Estero, Naples, Bonita Springs, and Fort Myers — and we provide our license number on every estimate, invoice, and piece of communication we send.

Transparency is a core value for us. We believe that if a contractor hesitates to share their license number, that tells you everything you need to know. We put ours front and center because it's one of the most important reasons to choose our team. For a comparison of when you need a handyman versus a specialist contractor, see our guide on Handyman vs. Contractor in Florida. And to learn more about who we are and how we got here, visit our about page.

Frequently Asked Questions