Which license each job needs in Cape Coral
| Work | DBPR license to look for | Cape Coral permits (firms) | Firms matched to an active license |
|---|---|---|---|
| New home, addition, remodel | General, Building or Residential contractor | new homes 3,254 (362) | 99.2% |
| Roofing | Roofing contractor | 2,018 (465) | 99.4% |
| AC, heat pumps | Air-conditioning or Mechanical contractor | 5,015 (455) | 97.8% |
| Pools | Swimming pool/spa contractor | 2,081 (219) | 99.5% |
| Plumbing, gas | Plumbing contractor | 1,461 (186) | 84.4% |
| Electrical, generators | Electrical contractor (Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board, same search) | electrical 2,268 (311) | 96.5% |
| Solar and battery | Solar or electrical contractor | 1,034 (88) | 98.9% |
| Fences, pavers and other trades not on DBPR's list | Some need no state license to permit; ask the City | fences 4,177 (264) | 95.1% |
DBPR's list of categories that "require registration or certification": general, building, residential, sheet metal, roofing, air-conditioning, mechanical, swimming pool/spa, plumbing, underground utility and excavation, and solar and pollutant storage (DBPR FAQ, read 22 October 2026). A Certified license works statewide; a Registered one covers only the county or city that issued the local license "plus adjoining locales that accept the registration".
The City's own rule, from its Licensing page: "Contractors must register with the City of Cape Coral to be able to apply for a permit for any trade." The City no longer issues local specialty licenses, and "Only the state license or certification will be verified, which will occur each time a permit application is made." It adds that "Certain trades do not require a state license to apply for a permit", which is why fence and driveway firms match a state license less often in our file (74.2% for driveways and pavers).
How to run the lookup in five minutes
- Get the license number. The City tells residents to check "that license numbers appear on business cards, ads, vehicles, and contracts" (City news release, 27 October 2025).
- DBPR: open Verify a Licensee, search by license number, then read the status. "Current, Active" means the contractor "may practice within your scope of work"; "Delinquent, Active" means it may not until the renewal is processed.
- Match the business. The company on your contract should be the one the qualifier's license names.
- City record: on the City's EnerGov self-service site, search permits by address, and use "Contractors" to confirm the firm is registered with the City.
- Track record: open the firm on our Cape Coral roofer list, HVAC list or pool builder list.
How to search Cape Coral permit records
The City's permit search is the EnerGov Citizen Self-Service site, linked from its Choosing a Contractor page. The same page warns against a contractor who will only work if you pull the permits, because that makes you responsible for the work. Report unlicensed work to Code Compliance on 239-242-3783 or unlicensed@capecoral.gov; licensing questions go to (239) 574-0430.
The City's search is organised by permit and address. Ours is organised by firm: every Cape Coral permit a firm pulled since January 2025, its license match and the share closed, on the Cape Coral permit statistics page and the compare lists.
What 39,494 Cape Coral permits show
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Closed | Usual days to close | Usual filed value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 5,015 | 455 | 93.2% | 41 | $8,570 |
| Windows & doors | 4,787 | 433 | 96.8% | 44 | $13,452 |
| Roofing | 2,018 | 465 | 98.4% | 39 | $17,200 |
| Pools | 2,081 | 219 | 90.4% | 177 | $64,508 |
| Screen enclosures | 2,115 | 235 | 97.9% | 52 | $20,250 |
| Docks, seawalls & lifts | 2,889 | 170 | 97.1% | 58 | $16,000 |
| New homes | 3,254 | 362 | 92.1% | 232 | $416,297 |
"Closed" is the share of permits a year or more old that the City closed; with only 21 months of data, that means permits issued January to October 2025. Expired permits and stop-work orders count as not closed.
HVAC is the trade with the most spread: among the 102 HVAC firms with 10 or more permits, the 10th-percentile firm closed 79.2% and the 90th 98.8%. HVAC permits peak in June.
See every Cape Coral HVAC contractor by license and permits closed →
Red flags in Cape Coral
- A "Registered" license from another county. It covers only the issuing area and places that accept it.
- A status other than Current, Active, or a license naming a different company from the one on your contract.
- A roofer working without a license after a storm. Unlicensed contracting during a declared state of emergency is a third-degree felony (F.S. 489.127(2)(c)); otherwise a first offence is a first-degree misdemeanor.
- A contractor who asks you to pull the permit as owner-builder.
What this lookup does not tell you
Our license status is a match of company and qualifier names against DBPR's download files, as they stood when we built the data; a firm we could not match shows as unmatched, not unlicensed, and a status can change after our snapshot. The City's open permit table starts in January 2025, so Cape Coral has 21 months of history, not three years, and the "closed" share rests on permits issued in 2025 only. A license says the firm may work, not how its last job went. The statewide rules are in How to check a contractor's license in Florida.
How we know this
Permits are City of Cape Coral building permits on residential parcels, 2025-01 to 2026-09, grouped into the trades above. "Closed" uses permits a year or more old. License status is our match of permit company and qualifier names to the DBPR construction and electrical license files. Rules are quoted from DBPR, the Florida Statutes and City of Cape Coral pages, read 22 October 2026.
Numbers come from City of Cape Coral building permits (the city's open permit table starts January 2025), data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Does Cape Coral issue its own contractor licenses?
No longer. The City says it no longer issues local specialty contractor licenses and that its Construction Regulation Board was phased out as of 1 February 2023. Contractors must register with the City to apply for permits, and the City verifies the state license or certification on each permit application.
- Where do I check a Cape Coral contractor's state license?
On DBPR's license search at myfloridalicense.com (Verify a Licensee), by name, license number, city or county, or license type. Read the status: only Current, Active lets the contractor practise.
- Is unlicensed contracting after a hurricane a felony in Florida?
Yes, once the Governor has declared a state of emergency. Florida Statutes 489.127(2)(c) makes unlicensed contracting during a declared emergency a third-degree felony; a first offence otherwise is a first-degree misdemeanor.
- How do I report an unlicensed contractor in Cape Coral?
Call Code Compliance on 239-242-3783 or email unlicensed@capecoral.gov. Licensing questions go to (239) 574-0430 or licensing@capecoral.gov.
- How many Cape Coral contractors in your data hold an active license?
Of the 465 roofing firms on Cape Coral permits since January 2025, 99.4% matched an active DBPR license; for HVAC it was 97.8% of 455.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
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- Minneapolis contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
- Licensing Portal — License Search (Verify a Licensee), DBPR (2026-10-22)
- Construction Industry FAQs — DBPR (2026-10-22)
- Florida Statutes 489.127 Prohibitions; penalties (2026-10-22)
- Licensing — City of Cape Coral Code Compliance (2026-10-22)
- Choosing a Contractor — City of Cape Coral (2026-10-22)
- Cape Coral Reminds Residents to be Wary of Unlicensed Contractors — City of Cape Coral (27 October 2025) (2026-10-22)
- Contractor Registration FAQ — City of Cape Coral (2026-10-22)
- EnerGov Citizen Self-Service — City of Cape Coral (2026-10-22)