How to verify a Florida electrical contractor's licence

EC versus ER, how alarm and specialty licences differ, how to use the state lookup and what the law says about unlicensed electrical work.

Electrical work that is done wrong can start fires and injure people long after the contractor has left. Florida therefore licenses electrical contractors at the state level, and checking takes about two minutes. Do it before the work starts, whether the job is a new circuit, a panel upgrade, a generator or an EV charger.

The licence types

Electrical contracting is regulated under Part II of Chapter 489, Florida Statutes. The statute defines an unlimited electrical contractor as one with the experience, knowledge and skill to install, repair, alter, add to or design electrical wiring, fixtures, appliances, apparatus, raceways and conduit (section 489.505). The licence comes in two forms:

EC, Certified Electrical Contractor. The holder has a "geographically unlimited certificate of competency" from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and may work anywhere in Florida.
ER, Registered Electrical Contractor. The holder registered with DBPR but "may contract only in the jurisdiction for which his or her registration is issued."

There are also alarm system contractors and specialty contractors whose scope is limited to a particular segment of electrical or alarm work. This directory lists only EC and ER holders, the licences that cover general electrical work such as service upgrades and generator and charger circuits. If your job is a low-voltage or alarm project, check the licence class on DBPR's lookup.

Step by step

Ask for the licence number and write it down. It looks like EC13001234 or ER0001234.
Look it up on DBPR's Verify a License page, or search this directory by name or city.
Match the name. The business on the licence should be the company on your estimate and contract.
Check the status and expiry. You want Current and Active. This directory lists only licences with that status on the date the file was pulled, with the expiry date on each profile.
Check where a registered contractor may work. An ER licence is local; confirm it covers your city or county.

Employees and the qualifying agent

A company holds its licence through a qualifying agent. Individuals who work for a licensed company do not need their own contractor licence while acting within their employment, but the company does need a valid licence. The statute also bars a business from continuing to contract for more than 60 days after it loses its only qualifying agent (section 489.531), so a company whose qualifier left may no longer be in a position to take your work.

What the law says about unlicensed work

Practising electrical contracting without the required certification or registration is a first-degree misdemeanor for a first offense, and a third-degree felony for a repeat offense or for a first offense during a declared state of emergency (section 489.531). Local code enforcement officers may also issue citations with civil penalties up to $2,000, and stop-work orders are possible where uncertified work is suspected. Storm season is when this matters most.

A licence is not insurance

The licence does not tell you the company carries liability insurance or workers' compensation. Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you and call the insurer to confirm. Also ask who pulls the permit. Permits and inspections are the way a second pair of eyes checks the work.

Discipline records

This directory does not currently show discipline for electrical contractors. DBPR's licence lookup is the place to check a licensee's complaint and discipline history before hiring; the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board is the body that handles it.

If your contractor is not listed

A company may trade under a name different from the one on its licence. Search DBPR by licence number rather than assuming anything. This site shows only positive records and never states that a business is unlicensed.

Updated 2026-10-01.

General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Florida Electrician Check is not a recommendation or a guarantee of anyone's work. A license record shows registration status on the date shown, not workmanship, insurance coverage at the time of your job, or suitability for your project. Confirm license, insurance and permits directly before you hire. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.