Hiring a plumber in Florida: license, permits and tips
In Florida, plumbing work for pay takes a state license, but clearing a clogged drain doesn’t. Here’s how to check a plumber, which jobs need a permit, and how to spot a hidden leak.
Does it need a license in Florida?
Yes. Plumbing work for pay takes a state plumbing contractor license. On the state’s license site it shows as CFC (certified: may work anywhere in Florida) or RF (registered: only in the areas where they’re registered).
A few jobs don’t need a plumbing license:
- Drain cleaning. Clearing a clogged drain doesn’t require a license.
- Water softeners. Water-conditioning companies may install and maintain their units without a plumbing license.
- Some water heater work. Licensed gas dealers and gas-utility workers may disconnect and reconnect the water lines when they service or replace an existing water heater. In general, anyone else doing it for pay should be a licensed plumber.
How to check the license
- Ask for the license number. Florida requires it on every ad, bid, proposal and contract.
- Look it up on myfloridalicense.com, the license search of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). You can search by name, license number, city or county.
- Check the result. The name should match the person or company you’re hiring, the status should say Current, Active, and the letters should be CFC or RF.
- An RF license? Ask whether they’re registered in your city or county.
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 the details differ. Some county examples:
| Job | Permit? |
|---|---|
| Installing or replacing a water heater | Yes, in Martin and Putnam counties |
| Clearing a clog, or fixing a leak in a pipe, valve or fixture | Usually not, in Martin County |
| Replacing a hidden pipe with new pipe | Yes, in Martin County: it counts as new work |
| Swapping a fixture for the same kind, outside a flood zone | No, in Charlotte County, but you still need a contractor |
For your area, see our pages on Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Orange counties, or call your local building department.
The new $7,500 rule doesn’t cover plumbing. 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, on written request with a copy of the contract. But it leaves out plumbing, along with electrical, mechanical (AC), gas and structural work, and it doesn’t apply in flood hazard areas.
Emergencies: in some counties, for example Martin County, an emergency repair such as a failed water heater can start before the permit is issued, but the application is due the next business day.
No permit doesn’t mean no license. Charlotte County says it directly: work that doesn’t need a permit may still need a licensed contractor.
Before you hire
- Let the plumber apply for the permit. If they take more than 10% of the price up front, they must apply for the permits within 30 days and start the work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless you agreed in writing to a longer time.
- On contracts over $2,500, Florida requires a notice about a state fund that can repay some losses caused by a licensed contractor’s violations, and a warning that unpaid workers or suppliers can make a claim against your home, even if you paid in full. Ask for a written lien release before each payment.
- Skip anyone without a license. If the job goes wrong, your only remedy may be to sue in civil court.
Good to know
Two easy checks from the EPA tell you if you have a hidden leak:
- The meter test. Read your water meter, use no water for two hours, then read it again. If it moved, you probably have a leak.
- The toilet test. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and wait 10 minutes. If any color shows up in the bowl, the toilet leaks.
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Sources
- Florida DBPR: verify a license
- Florida DBPR: what the license codes mean
- Florida DBPR: certified and registered contractors
- Florida Statutes §489.105: the plumbing license and its exceptions
- Florida Statutes §489.103: exemptions and the owner-builder disclosure
- Florida Statutes §489.119: license number in ads and contracts
- Florida Statutes §489.126: deposits over 10%
- Florida Statutes §489.1425: the recovery fund notice
- Florida Statutes §713.015: the lien warning
- Florida Statutes §553.79: permits and the $7,500 exemption
- Florida Senate: HB 803 (2026)
- Martin County: do I need a permit?
- Putnam County: permit requirements (PDF)
- Charlotte County: permit requirements
- U.S. EPA WaterSense: Fix a Leak Week
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.
