Hiring a handyman in Florida: what they can and can’t do

Does a handyman need a license in Florida?

Florida has no state handyman license. Instead, the state’s contractor law exempts small jobs: someone without a contractor’s license may do casual, minor work when the total price, labor and materials included, is under $2,500. The exemption doesn’t apply when:

• The job is part of a larger project.
• A bigger job is split into several bills under $2,500 to stay under the limit.
• The person advertises as a contractor, or says they’re qualified to do contracting work.

What a handyman can do. Some counties spell it out. Brevard County, for example, lists painting, drywall patches, flooring and tile, cabinets, wood or chain-link fences, and landscaping without irrigation as work a handyman may do. Under state law, two more jobs need no contractor license: clearing a clogged drain, and installing a plug-in window AC unit of 3 tons or less with no ducts.

What needs a licensed pro. Electrical, plumbing, AC and roofing work for pay need a state license. Brevard County says these trades, repairs included, must be done by a licensed contractor. And in general, the electrical licensing law has no small-job exemption like the $2,500 one, so even a small electrical job should go to a licensed electrician.

What you can check

There’s no handyman license to look up, but you can still check a few things.

1. Ask for the license number if someone offers electrical, plumbing, AC or roofing work, or calls themselves a contractor. Licensed contractors must show it in their ads and proposals, so a missing number is a warning sign.
2. Look it up on myfloridalicense.com, the license search of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). The name should match, the status should say Current, Active, and the letters should fit the job.
3. A county receipt isn’t a contractor’s license. Some counties issue handymen a local Business Tax Receipt. Charlotte County does, and it says plainly that a handyman is not a licensed contractor.

For more help, see our license guide.

Do you need a permit?

Florida’s general rule is that building, changing or repairing a building needs a permit, unless a law says otherwise. Permits are handled locally, so ask your city or county building department, or see our pages on Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Orange counties.

New in 2026: the $7,500 rule. Since July 1, 2026, a state law (HB 803) lets the owner of a single-family home, or their contractor, skip the building permit for work under $7,500. It isn’t automatic: you must send the building department a written request with a copy of the contract. It doesn’t cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical (AC), gas or structural work, and it doesn’t apply in flood hazard areas. Sarasota County gives drywall replacement as one possible example, but only if every condition is met.

Don’t mix up the two numbers. The $7,500 rule is about the permit. The $2,500 limit is about working without a contractor’s license. In general, the new permit rule doesn’t change who needs a license. As Charlotte County puts it, work that doesn’t need a permit may still need a licensed contractor.

Before you hire

• Get one written price for the whole job, labor and materials included. That total is what counts for the $2,500 limit.
• Say no to split bills. Breaking a bigger project into several bills under $2,500 to get around the law isn’t allowed.
• Hire licensed pros for the trade work. For wiring, pipes or AC, look for a licensed electrician, plumber or AC contractor.
• Know the risk. If an unlicensed person does work that needs a license and it goes wrong, your only remedy may be to sue in civil court.

Good to know

Mounting a TV? Be careful if the job includes running cables or power inside the wall. In past rulings, Florida’s Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board said that home-theater and network wiring takes a license, and so do “in-wall power extension kits”, which sound like the kits sold to hide a TV’s cord. For that part, it’s safest to hire someone with an electrical license (EC) or a Limited Energy specialty license (ES or ET).

Sources

1. Florida Statutes §489.103: exemptions, small jobs and the owner-builder disclosure
2. Brevard County: does a handyman need a license?
3. Charlotte County: permit requirements
4. Florida DBPR: verify a license
5. Florida DBPR: what the license codes mean
6. Florida Statutes §489.119: license number in ads and contracts
7. Florida Statutes §489.521: license number in electrical offers and ads
8. Florida Statutes §489.105: contractor licenses and drain cleaning
9. Florida Statutes §489.503: exemptions from electrical licensing
10. Florida Statutes §553.79: permits and the $7,500 exemption
11. Florida Senate: HB 803 (2026)
12. Sarasota County: bulletin on the $7,500 exemption
13. Florida Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board: rulings (PDF)
14. Florida Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board: know your scope (PDF)

This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and differ from city to city, so check the official links and ask your city or county.