How to Get a Contractor License in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County is one of the few Florida counties that still runs a full local licensing board for contractors: the Construction Industry Licensing Board of Palm Beach County, staffed by the Contractors Certification Division of Planning, Zoning and Building (PZ&B). If you want to contract here you either hold a DBPR license and enroll it with the county, or hold a county Certificate of Competency.

Certified, registered and county certificates

PZ&B defines a Certificate of Competency as "the term used for a Palm Beach County issued contractor's license."

The county's Certificate of Competency application is for applicants applying by examination or by reciprocity from another Florida county; it lists an application fee of $450.00 and requires a financial statement, employment history and an affidavit of construction experience. The Contractors Certification Division is at 2300 N. Jog Road, 2nd Floor, Suite 2W-61, West Palm Beach, FL 33411, phone (561) 233-5525.

What the Contractor Regulation Section does

The Contractor Regulation Section enforces contractor compliance with state and county rules. County contractors are required to be certified, licensed and insured. The county reminds homeowners that "only homeowners and qualified contractors can pull permits."

Pulling permits

• Contractors must submit permits through the county's online portal; essentially all permit types are available online.
• To schedule inspections, contractors use a 7-digit ID number; if you do not have it, the county says to call Contractor Certification.
• Inside the portal, a state licensee links the license using My Profile, then "Link My Certification."
• Owner-builders can file online but must appear in person with identification to sign before the permit is issued.

The county Building Division permits unincorporated Palm Beach County. Cities such as West Palm Beach and Boca Raton run their own building departments. A county Certificate of Competency is the county's license; cities in the county check it, but the city building department issues the permit.

Local business tax receipt

The Palm Beach County Tax Collector issues the county Local Business Tax Receipt. Anyone running a business or selling goods or services in Palm Beach County needs one, including home-based and sole proprietor businesses (County Ordinance No. 17-2). The receipt is in addition to licenses required by law or municipal ordinances, and the Tax Collector notes that it "does not regulate a business or guarantee quality of the work."

Coastal work

Palm Beach County is on the Florida DEP list of counties with a Coastal Construction Control Line. Projects seaward of the CCCL on the barrier islands can need a DEP permit in addition to the local building permit.

Major cities

Palm Beach County has 39 incorporated municipalities, including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.

State license pages

General contractor, roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical. Every CILB category requires the Business and Finance exam.

FAQ

Does Palm Beach County still issue local contractor licenses? Yes. The Construction Industry Licensing Board of Palm Beach County issues Certificates of Competency by exam or Florida county reciprocity.

I am state certified. What do I file with the county? Use the State License Enrollment process on PZ&B's licensing forms page and link your certification to your online portal profile.

Is the Tax Collector's receipt a contractor license? No. The Tax Collector says the receipt does not regulate a business or guarantee quality of work.

How much is a county certificate application? The current application states $450.00 for exam or reciprocity applicants. Check the form for exam and other fees.

Get the state license

A DBPR certified license covers unincorporated Palm Beach County and all of its cities. Start with Florida Business & Finance Exam Prep, the exam every CILB license shares.