How to get a Electrical license in Florida
The full Florida electrical licensing path — experience hours, required exam, fees, and where to apply. Verified 5/26/2026.
Career prep, not a license.
Prep for the Florida Electrical exam
Electrical 101 — Start Here (Free) — self-paced lessons, practice exam, certificate of completion.
Certified Electrical Contractor (statewide) or Registered (local)
Florida licenses electrical contractors through the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board (ECLB), part of DBPR. There are two license classes: Certified (statewide) and Registered (local jurisdiction only). Every contractor bidding electrical work in Florida must hold one or the other. Florida also requires 3 separate exams — Business & Finance, Electrical Trade, and Florida Law — all open-book with a specific approved reference list.
Step-by-step: how to get your Florida electrical contractor license
Florida ECLB moves slowly — plan on 4–6 months. The credit-check and background-check phases account for most of the delay.
- Choose Certified (statewide) or Registered (local competency only). Certified is standard for a growing business.
- Meet experience: 6 years of comprehensive electrical training within the last 12 years OR a combination of college + military + field experience (4-year electrical engineering degree counts for up to 3 years).
- Satisfy financial responsibility: FICO 660+ OR post a $50,000 bond (higher than most trades because electrical work carries higher liability).
- Pass all 3 exams through Professional Testing, Inc.: Business & Finance, Electrical Trade (Unlimited or Alarm System Contractor), and Florida Law.
- Carry general liability insurance: $300k per occurrence minimum. Workers' comp required if you have employees.
- Submit application: $249 fee, LiveScan fingerprints ($80), full experience affidavits, and financial documents.
Certified vs. Registered — Florida electrical license options
Certified is the go-to for anyone with statewide ambitions. Registered exists to grandfather old-school local operators.
- Certified Electrical Contractor (Unlimited) — full statewide scope, any size project.
- Certified Alarm System Contractor I & II — restricted to fire alarm and burglar alarm systems.
- Certified Specialty Electrical Contractor — limited to a specific niche (sign electrical, residential-only, low-voltage, etc.).
- Registered Electrical Contractor — local competency card only, tied to the city/county where you passed the local exam.
Florida electrical exam: what's on it
All 3 exams are computer-based at Professional Testing centers or remote-proctored. Approved reference materials required for each.
Business & Finance: 120 questions, 6.5 hours. Same exam as other Florida contractors — lien law (Chapter 713), payroll, taxes, contracts.
Electrical Trade (Unlimited): 100 questions, 6.5 hours. Covers 2020 NEC (Florida amendments), theory calculations, service and feeder sizing, motor circuits, and transformer connections. About 80% code, 20% theory/calculations.
Florida Law: 40 questions, 2 hours. Chapter 489 Part II F.S. (Electrical Contracting) and Chapter 61G6 F.A.C.
Florida electrical license fees & ongoing costs (2026)
Year-one budget: $2,000–$3,500 including reference books, not counting insurance and bond premium. Renewal is every 2 years.
- Application fee: $249.
- Exam fees: $135 × 3 = $405.
- Reference books: $800–$1,200 for the full approved set.
- Fingerprint / background: $80.
- GL insurance $300k: $1,000–$2,500/year.
- Bond (if credit under 660): $50,000 face value; premium 1–3% annually = $500–$1,500/year.
- Renewal: $209 every 2 years, plus 14 hours CE (1 law, 1 workers' comp, 1 workplace safety, 1 advanced code, 1 business, 9 general).
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a electrical license in Florida?
You need 6 years combined experience/education; or 3 yrs as supervisor; or bs in electrical engineering. Then pass the Florida Electrical Contractor Exam (Business & Finance + Trade Knowledge + Safety) administered by Professional Testing, Inc. (PSI). Applications go through the Florida Electrical Contractors Licensing Board (DBPR).
What exam do I need to pass?
Florida Electrical Contractor Exam (Business & Finance + Trade Knowledge + Safety) — administered by Professional Testing, Inc. (PSI).
How much experience do I need?
6 years combined experience/education; or 3 yrs as supervisor; or BS in electrical engineering
What about fees, insurance, and continuing education?
Application fee: $80–$330. Must pass three exams (Business/Finance, Trade, Safety) — open book. Liability insurance required ($300K/$50K min). Workers' comp required. Financial responsibility / credit score 660+ or extra bond. Renewal biennial $200 + 14 hrs CE (incl 1 hr workers comp, 1 hr workplace safety).
Does Florida require individual electricians to hold a license, or just the company?
Florida only licenses at the contractor level — the qualifying agent for a licensed company. Individual field electricians do not need state licenses. However, journeyman-level competency cards are required in many Florida counties (Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach) to work on job sites in that jurisdiction.
How does Florida handle electrical contractor reciprocity?
Florida has reciprocity with Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina for the trade portion of the exam only if you've held an equivalent unlimited contractor license for 5+ years. You still must pass Florida Business & Finance and Florida Law exams and satisfy all financial-responsibility and insurance requirements.
Can I use a general contractor license to do electrical work in Florida?
No. Florida CILB Chapter 489 explicitly requires a separate ECLB license for electrical contracting. A Certified General Contractor may hire licensed electrical subcontractors but cannot self-perform electrical work unless they also hold a separate Certified Electrical Contractor license.
What if I fail the Florida electrical exam — how many times can I retake it?
There is no cap on retakes, but you pay the $135 exam fee each time and must wait 21 days between attempts on the same exam. Most first-time takers pass the trade exam on the 2nd or 3rd try; Business & Finance and Law are typically passed on the first attempt.
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