How to Get a Contractor License in Orange County

Orange County is the most populous county in Central Florida and one of the busiest permitting markets in the state. For unincorporated Orange County, permits and contractor records are handled by the Division of Building Safety through the county's online system, Fast Track. The cities (Orlando, Winter Park, Apopka, Ocoee, Winter Garden and others) run their own building departments.

Certified vs registered in Orange County

Chapter 9, Article IX of the Orange County Code ("Contractor Certification, Registration, Licensing") sets up the county's construction industry regulatory program. It defines a "certificate" as a certificate of competency issued by the county or local authority, or by DBPR. Hearings on contractor violations are heard by the county board the code calls the BCBAA, under the procedures in section 9-328.

Getting set up to pull permits

The county's storm repair guidance summarizes the minimum: "You must have a valid contractor license, either State Certified or Registered with Orange County and a Fast Track Member Services account." Fast Track has separate member account types for licensed contractors and others, and its help pages walk through registration.

Key points from Fast Track's 2026 contractor licensing renewal notice:

• Contractors and competency card holders registered with Orange County manage their licensing account on the Fast Track My License page.
• A Contractor Licensing Document Upload Tool lets you upload required documents (such as insurance updates) directly.
• State certified contractors pay no county renewal fee. The county cites F.S. 489.113(4)(a) and 489.131(3)(f). Under 489.113(4)(a), a certificate holder only has to show a current certificate and pay the normal business tax and permit fees.

Visitors without an account can still search permits, research contractor licenses and track inspections on Fast Track, which is useful for checking whether a competitor or subcontractor is registered.

Business tax receipt

The Orange County Tax Collector collects the county business tax, which the Board of County Commissioners imposes on businesses operating anywhere in Orange County, including its municipalities (F.S. Chapter 205 and County Code Chapter 25). In addition, the cities of Apopka, Belle Isle, Eatonville, Edgewood, Maitland, Oakland, Ocoee, Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden and Winter Park issue their own local business tax receipts. A contractor based in Orlando, for example, generally needs both the county receipt and the city receipt.

Building Division contacts by topic

The Division of Building Safety routes questions by email inbox: electronic permit questions go to the Fast Track Help Team, commercial hard-copy submittals to Plans Coordination, and commercial electronic submittals to the ePlan commercial inbox. Using the right inbox saves days.

Major cities

The county has 13 towns and cities, including Orlando, Winter Park, Apopka, Ocoee, Winter Garden, Maitland and Windermere. Cities run their own building departments.

State licenses to consider

For Orange County's mix of commercial, multifamily and tract housing work: general contractor, building contractor, residential contractor, roofing, HVAC, plumbing and electrical. Every CILB license requires the Business and Finance exam.

FAQ

Do I need to register my state certified license with Orange County? Yes, to pull permits in unincorporated Orange County you need your license on file with the county and a Fast Track member account. There is no county renewal fee for state certified contractors.

I work in Orlando. Is the county registration enough? No. The City of Orlando has its own permitting. Register with whichever jurisdiction issues the permit.

Do I owe a county business tax if my office is inside a city? Yes. The county business tax applies countywide, including municipalities; many cities add their own receipt.

Where are hearings on contractor violations held? Before the county's BCBAA under Article IX of Chapter 9.

Next step

For a license that works in unincorporated Orange County, Orlando and every other jurisdiction, take the state route. Our Florida Business & Finance Exam Prep covers the B&F exam every CILB applicant must pass.