Hernando County, north of Tampa Bay, requires state certified contractors to register their license with the county Building Division before pulling permits. The county is also moving to a new permitting system, which changes where you start a new permit.
Certified or registered: the state side
Florida has two kinds of construction license. A certified contractor (license number starting with "C") passed the state exam and may contract anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor (number starting with "R") holds a local certificate of competency and may contract only in the jurisdictions where that local license is held (F.S. 489.105, F.S. 489.117). Every Division I and Division II certified license issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board requires passing the state Business and Finance exam. Electrical and alarm licenses come from a separate board and use their own exam.
Hernando County Building Division
The Building Division's contractor page explains that registered contractors use a contractor portal to schedule inspections, view results, upload documents and self-issue permits for select residential projects.
New system: start new permits in Tyler
The county states that it is transitioning to a new Tyler self-service system. The older contractor portal has been temporarily reinstated only for legacy permits (uploads, revisions, status and inspections). New permits submitted through the legacy portal will be denied. Register and start new permits in the Tyler system linked from the county page.
State Certified Contractor Registration
The State Certified Registration Form must be notarized and emailed with:
| Required document | Detail |
|---|---|
| State license | Copy of your current state certified license |
| Insurance | Certificate of liability insurance and workers' compensation naming Hernando County Building Division, 789 Providence Blvd, Brooksville FL 34601, as certificate holder |
| ID | Color copy of current driver's license or identification |
The form asks for the qualifier's name and business name exactly as they appear on the state license, so make sure your DBPR record is current before you apply.
Business tax receipt
Business tax receipts in Florida are sold by the county tax collector where a county business tax exists. We did not find an official Hernando County page confirming a current county business tax requirement, so check with the Hernando County Tax Collector and, for work inside Brooksville, with the city.
State license guides
| License | Guide |
|---|---|
| General, building, residential (Division I) | General contractor license |
| Roofing | Roofing license |
| Air conditioning A and B | HVAC license |
| Plumbing | Plumbing license |
| Electrical (separate board) | Electrical license |
Hernando County FAQ
Can I still use the old contractor portal? Only for permits applied for or issued in the previous system. New permits must go through the Tyler system.
Who must be the certificate holder on my insurance? The registration form lists Hernando County Building Division, 789 Providence Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601.
What are the main communities? Brooksville (county seat), Spring Hill, Weeki Wachee and Ridge Manor.
Next step
A state certified license is the simplest way to work in Hernando and neighboring counties. It starts with passing the state Business and Finance exam; our Florida Business & Finance Exam Prep is built around that exam.