How to verify a Florida pool contractor's licence
CPC vs RP vs servicing licences, what each may do, how to use DBPR's lookup and what to ask for before you sign.
Building a pool is one of the largest single projects a Florida homeowner takes on, and it is a licensed trade. Before you pay a deposit, spend ten minutes confirming that the person you are dealing with holds the right licence, that it is active, and that the name on your contract matches the name on the state's record.
The pool licences Florida issues
Florida licenses contractors under Chapter 489, Part I of the Florida Statutes. Section 489.105 defines three pool categories:
- Commercial pool/spa contractor. May work on any swimming pool, hot tub or spa, whether public, private or otherwise, regardless of use.
- Residential pool/spa contractor. May work on residential pools and spas: construction, repair and servicing, equipment installation and replacement, and interior finishes.
- Swimming pool/spa servicing contractor. Limited to repair and servicing, including installing new equipment, refinishing interiors, adding or reinstalling heaters and draining for repairs. It does not cover new construction.
None of the three may make direct connections to a sanitary sewer or to potable water lines; that work belongs to a plumber. Simple cleaning and routine upkeep do not require a licence, but installing or modifying equipment that is permanently attached to the pool for water treatment or cleaning does.
Certified or registered
A certified contractor holds a licence beginning with CPC and passed the state examination administered for the Construction Industry Licensing Board. That licence is valid anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor holds a licence beginning with RP. Registration is granted after qualifying at the local level, and it is valid only in the local jurisdictions where the contractor registered. Both are real licences. If you hire an RP holder, ask which counties and cities the registration covers and make sure yours is one of them.
This directory lists both classes when the state shows the licence as Current and Active. It does not attempt to cover specialty-servicing licences that use other codes.
How to check on DBPR
- Go to the DBPR Verify a License page and search by licence number (or by name if you only have that).
- Confirm the primary status is Current and the secondary status is Active. Other combinations, such as delinquent, inactive, or null and void, mean the licence cannot be used to contract.
- Read the licence class and the expiry date. Florida construction licences run in two-year cycles.
- Compare the business name and address on the record with your contract. A contractor working under a company that is not qualified by a licence holder is a red flag.
State law also requires each registered or certified contractor to display the licence number on every application for a building permit, offer of service, bid, contract, advertisement and sign. A contractor who will not put the number on the contract is telling you something.
What licence status does not tell you
An active licence shows the person passed the qualifying requirements and has kept the licence in good standing. It does not show how good the work is, whether the company is financially healthy, or that insurance is in force. Ask for a certificate of insurance (general liability and workers' compensation, or a valid exemption) that names you as the certificate holder, and ask the insurer or agent to confirm it directly.
The Construction Industry Licensing Board publishes final disciplinary actions by fiscal year. Where a listed contractor appears in those files, the profile on this site shows the entries as dated public-record facts. They are not a verdict on today's licence and the absence of an entry is not an endorsement.
If you suspect unlicensed work
Contracting without a licence is unlawful in Florida, and an unlicensed contractor generally has weaker legal footing to enforce a contract against you. DBPR runs a toll-free unlicensed activity line at 1-866-532-1440 and takes online complaints at myfloridalicense.com. Also check that a permit is pulled in the licensed contractor's name, not yours; an owner who pulls a permit for a contractor may take on the contractor's responsibilities.