Florida Contractor License Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Florida does not offer blanket reciprocity, but it does allow certification by endorsement for qualifying out-of-state contractors under Fla. Stat. 489.115(3). You may be certified without re-taking the full Florida exam if you passed a substantially equivalent exam, hold a substantially equivalent license, or have held a valid out-of-state license for at least ten years. Verify the current reciprocal-state list with the CILB.

Endorsement pathways

Fla. Stat. 489.115(3) provides certification by endorsement where the applicant:

• passed a substantially equivalent national, regional, state, or territorial examination;
• holds a license issued by a state or territory whose criteria are substantially equivalent to Florida’s;
• comes from a state or territory that has a reciprocal agreement with Florida; or
• has held a valid current out-of-state license for at least ten years before applying (effective July 1, 2020).

A NASCLA-based route (NASCLA exam plus the Florida Business & Finance and Building Code components) is available through CILB Form 10. Confirm the exact statutory wording and current forms with the DBPR before relying on any pathway.

The NASCLA route

Contractors who hold a NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors credential have a dedicated certification-by-endorsement path through DBPR CILB Form 10: instead of retaking Florida’s full three-part exam, you sit only the Florida Business & Finance exam and the Building Code component, and submit your NASCLA result for the rest. This route has been available since March 10, 2019, and runs alongside — but separately from — the state-specific reciprocal-agreement list below. Confirm current NASCLA acceptance, required forms, and fees directly with the DBPR/CILB before applying.

Which states have reciprocity with Florida?

Florida’s CILB holds reciprocal general contractor (Division I) agreements with exactly three states: Louisiana, North Carolina, and Mississippi, under Fla. Stat. 489.115(3)(c), CILB Form 32 (Eff. July 2024), and Rule 61-35.010 F.A.C. — see the official CILB reciprocity list.

To use reciprocity you must hold a valid current license from a reciprocal state, pass the Florida Business & Finance exam, pay a $350 fee, submit fingerprints, and provide a FICO report (a sub-660 score triggers the 14-hour financial-responsibility course). State-specific conditions apply: Louisiana and Mississippi GC applicants need at least one year of experience on a structure four or more stories in height, while North Carolina applicants complete all experience sections.

Reciprocity (CILB 32) is distinct from certification by endorsement (CILB 10) — do not conflate the two. The reciprocal-state set can change, so confirm the official CILB reciprocity list before assuming your state qualifies.

Related pages

Reciprocity still requires you to meet Florida’s standards — review the Florida GC license requirements and decide your path on certified vs registered contractor in Florida. When you are ready, file via the Florida GC license application. For the overview, return to the Florida general contractor license guide.

This page summarizes endorsement law and is general information, not legal advice. Verify statutory pathways and the current reciprocal-state list with the Florida DBPR/CILB before acting.

Last verified: 2026-07-11