Requirements, license levels, and the issuing authority, sourced from Florida's official board.
Florida does license sheet metal, but as a contractor licence rather than an individual trade licence: the Construction Industry Licensing Board issues both a Certified Sheet Metal Contractor licence, valid statewide, and a Registered Sheet Metal Contractor licence, valid only in the local jurisdiction whose competency requirements the applicant met. The Board's list of construction licence categories contains no journeyman or worker credential for sheet metal, so employees of a licensed Florida sheet metal contractor are not separately licensed by the state.
| Requirements | Section 489.105(3), Florida Statutes, defines a sheet metal contractor as a contractor whose services are unlimited in the sheet metal trade and who has the experience, knowledge and skill necessary for the manufacture, fabrication, assembling, handling, erection, installation, dismantling, conditioning, adjustment, insulation, alteration, repair, servicing or design, if not prohibited by law, of ferrous or nonferrous metal work of U.S. No. 10 gauge or its equivalent or lighter gauge and of other materials including but not limited to fiberglass used in lieu thereof, and of air handling systems, including the setting of air handling equipment and reinforcement of same, the balancing of air handling systems, and any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing that requires at least a partial disassembling of the system. A certified contractor holds a certificate of competency issued by the department and may contract anywhere in the state without meeting local competency requirements; a registered contractor has registered with the department after meeting the competency requirements of a particular local jurisdiction and may contract only in that jurisdiction. To become a certified contractor you must pass the Florida contractor's examination and show four years of field experience in the category of licensure sought, one of which must be supervisory experience; up to three years of military service or college credit hours may substitute for field experience. Applicants must also satisfy financial responsibility requirements, shown either by a credit report with a FICO score of 660 or higher or by completing a 14 hour financial responsibility course, and must maintain the required insurance and workers' compensation coverage. |
| Reciprocity | Section 489.115(3)(c), Florida Statutes, provides for certification by reciprocity, applied for on form DBPR CILB 32. The categories the Board lists on that form are limited to Certified General Contractor, Certified Building Contractor and Certified Residential Contractor reciprocating from Louisiana, Mississippi or North Carolina building and residential licences. Sheet metal contractor is not among the categories available by reciprocity on that form, so a sheet metal applicant must qualify through the standard examination and experience route. |
| Renewal | Certified contractors renew by August 31 of every even numbered year and registered contractors renew by August 31 of every odd numbered year. All contractors must complete 14 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, including at least one hour each in Workplace Safety, Workers' Compensation, Business Practices, Advanced Building Code, and Laws and Rules; general, building, residential and roofing contractors must additionally complete one hour of Wind Mitigation Methodology. |
| Notes | Florida does license sheet metal, but as a contractor licence rather than an individual trade licence: the Construction Industry Licensing Board issues both a Certified Sheet Metal Contractor licence, valid statewide, and a Registered Sheet Metal Contractor licence, valid only in the local jurisdiction whose competency requirements the applicant met. The Board's list of construction licence categories contains no journeyman or worker credential for sheet metal, so employees of a licensed Florida sheet metal contractor are not separately licensed by the state. |
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Sources: www2.myfloridalicense.com, www.leg.state.fl.us, www.myfloridalicense.com, www2.myfloridalicense.com. Always confirm current requirements with the issuing authority.
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