How to Get a Contractor License in Indian River County

Indian River County, on the Treasure Coast around Vero Beach and Sebastian, has a dedicated Contractor Licensing section inside its Building Division. Every contractor, including state certified contractors, must be registered with the county before applying for a 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.

Contractor Licensing in Indian River County

The county's Contractor License Registration page defines a licensed contractor as one who has met the local jurisdiction's and the state's education, financial, business and experience requirements, carries the required liability and workers' compensation insurance, and keeps the county updated on that coverage. A contractor who fails any of these is treated as unlicensed.

The county's Post-Disaster Procedures state the rule plainly: "All contractors must be registered with Indian River County prior to applying for a permit." That applies after storms too, when out-of-area contractors arrive.

Local exams and trades

The county's Trades That Require a License page lists local exam outlines from its testing vendor, including a Business and Law exam (payroll taxes, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, lien law) and trade exams such as general, building, residential and carpentry. Those lead to a local certificate of competency and a state registered license valid only where accepted.

Permitting: MyGovernmentOnline

The Building Division uses MyGovernmentOnline (MGO) for permit applications and inspections. The county warns contractors to check the email address on their county contractor license card, because that email is used to link your license to your MGO account. If it is wrong, contact Contractor Licensing to update it before creating your account.

Business tax receipt

The Indian River County Tax Collector collects the local business tax for businesses located in unincorporated Indian River County only. Businesses in the cities and towns should check with that municipality. Per the Tax Collector, the annual county business tax is $40.00 for all businesses, the tax year runs October 1 to September 30, and new businesses starting January through September are pro-rated. Regulated businesses must show their state license or certificate of competency. Applications can be filed online through BTExpress.

State license guides

Indian River County FAQ

Can I apply for a permit before registering with the county? No. The county requires registration with Contractor Licensing before a permit application.

Does the $40 county business tax apply in Vero Beach? The Tax Collector's county tax applies to unincorporated areas only. Businesses inside a city or town should check with that municipality.

Why does my email on file matter? MyGovernmentOnline uses the email on your county contractor record to link your license to your portal account.

Next step

The Business and Law topics on local exams overlap heavily with the state Business and Finance exam: lien law, payroll tax and workers' compensation. Our Florida Business & Finance Exam Prep prepares you for the state version, which leads to a license valid in every county.