• Please note that the Florida Business and Finance exam as well as the Commercial Pool/Spa exam is required to be passed to obtain your contractor’s license. The course we offer for the Commercial Pool/Spa contractor includes Business and Finance so you DO NOT have to register for the courses separately.
• The Trade-Portion only is also available during the scheduled seminar dates. Individuals interested in taking the trade portion only should contact us at 800-992-1910 for further details. The cost for the Trade-only is $595.00.
• Minimum amounts required for General Liability insurance for Commercial Pool/Spa contractors are $100,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. Worker’s Compensation Insurance is required also.
• All contractors must be at least 18 years of age and be of good moral character.
• Beginning November 1, 2007, all applicants for initial licensure or changed of status will be required to have a criminal background check performed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigation. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT YOUR FINGERPRINTS HAVE BEEN SCANNED BY THE DEPARTMENT’S VENDOR, PROMISSOR/PEARSON VUE, PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.
• Applicants must document a net worth of $10,000 and submit a financial statement documented by a CPA.
• Applicants must show they have good credit by submitting a credit report less than 3 months old.
• Experience Required:

  4-years of experience in the trade with at least 1-year having been supervisory work

  OR

  A 4-year construction-related degree from an accredited college and 1-year proven experience applicable to the category for which you are applying

  OR

  1-year as a foreman and not less than 3-years of credits from any accredited college level courses

  OR

  1-year as a workman, 1-year proven experience as a foreman, and 2-years of credits from any accredited college level courses

  OR

  2-years of experience as a workman, 1-year of experience as a foreman, and 1-year of credits from any accredited college level courses

  OR

  Have an active Certified Florida contactor’s license (This option only applies to Certified Building, Residential, Air Conditioning, and Swimming Pool contractors as provided in Section 489.111 (2)(c)4-6, Florida Statutes).

• *You can substitute up to 3 years of college credit for experience*

Under this license the contractor is licensed to do the layout work, the excavation, the operation of construction pumps for dewatering purposes, the steelwork, the installation of light niches, the construction of floors, guniting, fiberglassing, the installation of tile and coping, the installation of all perimeter and filter piping, the installation of all filter equipment and chemical feeders of any type, the plastering of the interior, the construction of decks, the construction of equipment rooms or housing for pool equipment, and the installation of packaged pool heaters. Plus a Commercial Pool/Spa contractor includes the scope of work for a Swimming Pool/Spa Service contractor.

A Commercial Pool/Spa contractor CANNOT perform direct connections to a sanitary sewer system or to potable water lines. The installation, construction, modification, or replacement of equipment permanently attached to or associated with the pool or spa for water treatment or cleaning of the pool or spa requires a license but the use of such equipment for the purposes of water treatment or cleaning does not require licensure unless the usage involves the construction, modification, or replacement of such equipment. Water treatment not requiring such equipment will not require a license. Also, a license will not be required for the cleaning of the pool or spa in any way that doesn’t affect the structural integrity of the pool or spa or its associated equipment.

Florida has no reciprocal agreements with any states at this time.

As of this time Florida requires 14 hours of board approved continuing education each biennium prior to the renewal period for both certified and registered contractors.

At least 1 hour must deal with workplace safety, 1 hour must be on the subject of worker’s compensation, 1 hour must cover the subject of business practices, 1 hour must cover the subject of laws and rules, 1 hour must cover wind mitigation methodologies, and 1 hour must cover the Florida Building Code advanced modules.

Effective November 15, 2008 examination fees are being restructured . When applying to schedule for the examination with Professional Testing Inc. (PTI) , the following fee structure will apply:

All parts of the examination:
Pay $135.00 examination development fee payable to PTI, $80.00 examination administration fee payable to DBPR, but mailed to PTI. An $80.00 examination administration fee payable to Pearson Vue (formerly Promissor), the CBT (Computer Based Testing) contracted vendor, is due at the time of scheduling.

• A score of at least 70% is required to pass the exams.
• The exam is 2 days, open book, multiple-choice, and timed.
• There are 2 parts to the exam, the business finance part and trade knowledge. The time limit for each exam portion is 4 hours and 45 minutes.
• Exams are held 3 times per year in February, June, and October. Test locations are in Orlando, Tallahassee, and Miami.

  Effective November 3, 2006 the Board revised rule 61G4-16.009 Florida Administrative Code. The revised rule provides that a candidate who has failed to achieve a passing score on 1 or more of the required exams has up to 2 years from the date of the 1st attempt to achieve a passing score on all required parts. If a passing score is not achieved within the 2 year period, all past test scores shall be considered invalid and the candidate will be required to retake all portions of the exam. Each candidate will only be allowed 6 attempts to pass each part of the exam during the 2 year period.

• The Florida Commercial Pool general trade knowledge exam portion has 80 questions, weighted equally, and is held during the morning of the 2nd day.
• The Florida Business and Finance exam has a morning session of 60 equally weighted questions and an afternoon session of 60 equally weighted questions.
• Applicants must submit an application and exam fee to become registered to take the exam. The testing company must receive completed applications and appropriate fees no later than 30 days prior to the next scheduled exam date.

  Topics covered on the trade knowledge exam portion are pre-installation and site preparation, pool and spa excavation, plumbing work, electrical work, shell placement, deck work, tile, coping, trim work, accessory work, interior surface preparation and finishing, start up, service and maintenance, and equipment.

• To schedule your exam you must contact Professional Testing, Inc (PTI) at 1-407-264-0562.

The references listed in the Right-Hand column are permitted to be taken into the examination. These references may be tabbed (with permanent index tabs) and highlighted. They are available for purchase from our online contractor’s bookstore or by calling our office at 1-800-992-1910.

In addition to the references listed, there are 2 downloadable documents used to prepare for the Commercial Pool & Spa License and the Business and Finance exam. Please view the following links-

Florida Dept. of Health Document, Chapter 64E-9, Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Places, 2004.

Florida Statutes Chapter 455, 2007

American Contractors offers a 5 day seminar to prepare for the Florida Commercial Pool and Spa Contractor license exam and includes preparation for the Business and Finance exam. Please contact us for additional information, 1-800-992-1910.