Contractor License from Georgia to Florida: Does It Transfer? (2026)
A contractor license transfers from Georgia to Florida by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Florida DBPR - Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), verify your Georgia license, and meet Florida's endorsement requirements. FS 489.115(3) grants certification by endorsement to an applicant who holds a substantially-equivalent out-of-state license OR who passed a substantially-equivalent national/regional/state exam. Florida accepts the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Examination in lieu of the CILB general/building trade exam, and the Electrical Contractors Licensing Board accepts the NASCLA electrical exam.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Florida has no license-to-license agreement covering Georgia for the selected trade, so this move runs on Florida's case-by-case endorsement process. If you do commercial general-building work, note that Florida accepts the NASCLA exam in place of its own trade exam. Electricians should check Florida's NERA status.
What changes, Georgia → Florida
| Georgia (current) | Florida (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | Board fee applies; specific figure not verified (board site blocked) | Application/endorsement fee set by DBPR rule; no single verified transfer figure |
| Processing time | Not verified | Not stated on retrievable pages |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (Office of Secretary of State) | Florida DBPR - Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Florida sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Florida's current requirements on the Florida DBPR - Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Florida DBPR - Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current out-of-state license issued under criteria substantially equivalent to Florida's, or pass a substantially-equivalent exam (NASCLA accepted).
- Pass the Florida Business and Finance (law) examination.
- Meet CILB experience, financial-responsibility/credit, and insurance requirements (FS 489.111/489.115).
- Pay the fees (Application/endorsement fee set by DBPR rule; no single verified transfer figure). Processing time: Not stated on retrievable pages.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Florida accept a Georgia contractor license?
A contractor license transfers from Georgia to Florida by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Florida DBPR - Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), verify your Georgia license, and meet Florida's endorsement requirements. FS 489.115(3) grants certification by endorsement to an applicant who holds a substantially-equivalent out-of-state license OR who passed a substantially-equivalent national/regional/state exam. Florida accepts the NASCLA Accredited Commercial General Building Examination in lieu of the CILB general/building trade exam, and the Electrical Contractors Licensing Board accepts the NASCLA electrical exam.
What still applies even if reciprocity covers my trade?
Florida's business and law exam, financial statement, bond, and registration — reciprocity waives the trade exam only, not these.
What does the Georgia-to-Florida move cost and how long does it take?
Application/endorsement fee set by DBPR rule; no single verified transfer figure. Processing time: Not stated on retrievable pages.
Would the NASCLA exam help for this move?
Possibly, for the trade it covers: Florida's board accepts a NASCLA accredited exam in place of its own trade exam (verified 2026-07-21). The business/law exam, bond and application still apply.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Florida Statutes 489.115 - Certification and registration; endorsement; reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NASCLA - States accepting the NASCLA Accredited Commercial GB Exam (Florida listed) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]