Guides · Paperwork and licenses
The Florida flooring license
No. And this is one of the few comfortable answers in all of Florida's paperwork: installing flooring requires no state contractor license. What most people don't know is the second half, which is worth more than the first.
Updated 2026-09-15
Your county can't require one either
Florida Statute 489.117 lists the job scopes a local government may not require a license for. On that list, in plain words, are flooring and the installation of decorative stone, tile, marble, granite or terrazzo. Also painting, cabinetry, interior remodeling, handyman work, plastering, stuccoing and caulking.
This matters because for years the answer depended on the county, and outdated information still circulates saying otherwise. If an inspector or a competitor tells you that you need a local flooring license, that list is the answer.
The statute also makes clear the examples are "including, but not limited to" — not a closed list.
What you do need to get paid
No license doesn't mean nothing at all. Three things:
Register the business. Through Sunbiz, Florida's business registry. Without it there's no company to pay, and some customers — builders and property managers especially — won't hire anyone who can't show registration.
Insurance. General liability, and workers' compensation as soon as you have an employee. It's what the bigger contracts will actually ask for, and what protects you when the work is inside someone's home.
Whatever building permits apply. A building permit for the job is not the same as a contractor license. Flooring doesn't require the second, but the work may still need the first, and that gets confirmed with the city's building department.
Why this is an advantage, not a problem
A trade with no barrier to entry has more competition. That's real. But it also means the only thing separating you from the next installer is how you present yourself, because the paperwork won't do it.
The installer who shows insurance, registration and past work charges more than the one who only gives a price — and not because of a permit the other one lacks.
doubts
What people usually ask
Do I need a license to lay tile?
No. Decorative tile, stone, marble, granite and terrazzo installation sit on the same list as flooring: neither the state nor local government can require a contractor license for that work.
What if I also do demolition or move a wall?
That changes it. Touching structure, electrical or plumbing leaves flooring work and enters categories that are regulated. The practical rule: while the job is the floor, you're outside; the moment it touches what holds up or feeds the house, you're not.
Can I pull building permits without a license?
Permits are usually pulled by a licensed contractor or by the homeowner. If the job needs no permit, no problem; if it does, it's worth settling early who applies.
Should I get a general contractor license anyway?
Only if you plan to do work that requires it. For pure flooring it adds nothing, and it's four years of experience and two exams. Sources: [Florida Statute 489.117, Florida Senate](https://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2022/489.117), [DBPR](https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/construction-industry/faqs/).