Carpentry

Florida's central distinction is certified versus registered, and it means the opposite of what the words suggest to most readers. F.S. 489.105(8): a 'Certified contractor' holds a certificate of competency issued by the department 'and who shall be allowed to contract in any jurisdiction in the state without being required to fulfill the competency requirements of that jurisdiction': that is, statewide. F.S. 489.105(10): a 'Registered contractor' has registered 'pursuant to fulfilling the competency requirements in the jurisdiction for which the registration is issued. Registered contractors may contract only in such jurisdictions': that is, local only. F.S. 489.113(1) restates it: statewide contracting requires certification, non-statewide requires registration. F.S. 489.105(3) splits contractors into Division I (general, building, residential) and Division II (sheet metal, roofing, air-conditioning classes A/B/C, mechanical, pool/spa classes, plumbing, underground utility and excavation, solar, pollutant storage, specialty). Division I scope limits: General is 'unlimited as to the type of work which he or she may do'; Building is 'limited to construction of commercial buildings and single-dwelling or multiple-dwelling residential buildings, which do not exceed three stories'; Residential is 'limited to construction, remodeling, repair, or improvement of one-family, two-family, or three-family residences not exceeding two habitable stories'. Qualifying agents (489.105, 489.119, 489.1195): the primary qualifying agent attests to 'final approval authority for all construction work performed by the business organization' and final approval authority on all business matters including contracts and payments; a secondary qualifying agent carries that responsibility on a job. 489.119(3)(a): 'A qualifying agent must be certified or registered under this part in order for the business organization to operate in the category of contracting in which the qualifying agent is certified or registered.' Financial responsibility (489.115): a credit report from a nationally recognised agency, plus an affidavit attesting to workers' compensation, public liability and property damage insurance; board net-worth/cash/bonding guidelines are capped at 20,000 dollars for Division I and 10,000 dollars for Division II certificateholders, with half satisfiable by an approved 14-hour financial responsibility course. F.S. 489.128: contracts by an unlicensed contractor 'shall be unenforceable in law or in equity by the unlicensed contractor', and no lien or bond claim exists in the unlicensed contractor's favour. Florida CILB accepts the NASCLA Accredited Examination per NASCLA's participating-agencies list.