Which license each job needs in Miami-Dade
| Work | Who licenses it | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | DBPR roofing contractor, certified or registered | DBPR Verify a Licensee |
| A/C and heating | DBPR air-conditioning or mechanical contractor | DBPR |
| Plumbing, water heaters | DBPR plumbing contractor | DBPR |
| Electrical | DBPR Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board: EC (statewide) or ER (local) | DBPR |
| Pools and spas | DBPR swimming pool/spa contractor | DBPR |
| Remodels, additions, new homes | DBPR general, building or residential contractor | DBPR |
| Fences, windows, other specialties | Miami-Dade certificate of competency (building specialty and other categories) | BCCO Contractor Search |
DBPR's construction FAQ lists the trades that need state registration or certification and says cabinets, countertops, paint, wallpaper, carpet, tile and window treatments do not. The County's Contractors & Building Trades page (read 26 October 2026) says "Contractors and tradesmen working in Miami-Dade County are licensed by Miami-Dade County's Contractor Licensing Section", under the Construction Trades Qualifying Board, with journeyman and master certificates; a journeyman "may only work under the direction of a Master in your respective trade".
Certified or registered? The DBPR record says which. Certified means statewide; registered means a local license valid only where it was issued and places that accept it.
How to run the lookup in five minutes
- Get the license number from the quote, and the name of the qualifier the business works under.
- Search DBPR: Verify a Licensee by number or name. Check the status is current and the license type fits the job.
- Search the County: on BCCO Contractor Search, run the contractor search and then the complaint search on the same name, or call 786-315-2880.
- Read the permit record. Open the kind of work on our Miami-Dade pages (below) to see the contractor names on the most permits, then search the property in the County's permit tools with the Miami-Dade building permit search guide.
Owner-builder permits
The County's owner-builder page (read 26 October 2026) allows you to build or improve a one- or two-family home or farm outbuilding "for your own use or occupancy", which "may not be built or improved for sale or lease"; the property must be in a person's name. There is no written test, but you must pass an owner-builder validation, in person or virtually, with photo ID and proof that it is your primary residence. If the home is sold or leased within 24 months of the permit, the law presumes it was built for sale. And the warning: if you take an owner-builder permit at a contractor's suggestion, "you become legally responsible for all the work done". Unlicensed contractors, says the County's Contractor Enforcement page, may be cited, fined, stopped or referred for prosecution.
What our Miami-Dade County pages add
The County's tools answer "is this firm licensed" and "what is on this folio". Our Miami-Dade County page counts permits on unincorporated land, November 2024 to September 2026, and each kind-of-work page lists the contractor names on the most permits:
| Kind of work | Permits (Nov 2024–Sep 2026) | Oct 2025–Sep 2026 | State license |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roofing | 21,395 | 10,860 | DBPR roofing |
| Electrical | 19,768 | 10,273 | DBPR electrical |
| Remodels and repairs | 15,315 | 7,924 | DBPR general, building or residential |
| HVAC | 10,248 | 5,415 | DBPR air-conditioning or mechanical |
| Plumbing | 8,740 | 4,619 | DBPR plumbing |
| Fences and walls | 6,420 | 3,325 | County certificate |
| Pools and spas | 4,795 | 2,439 | DBPR pool/spa |
| Additions | 2,264 | 1,189 | DBPR general, building or residential |
| New homes | 1,497 | 715 | DBPR general, building or residential |
69% of the 108,268 permits were on homes. The permit statistics page has months and ZIP counts, and permits by ZIP code the areas. Local permit rules: roofing, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and remodel permits. Statewide rules and penalties: How to check a contractor's license in Florida; the City of Miami has its own Miami contractor license lookup.
What this lookup does not tell you
A contractor name on our pages is a count of permits, not a rating: we have not matched those names to DBPR or County license records. The County's public file has no permit status and no final inspection date, so we cannot say which jobs passed. Miami, Miami Beach, Hialeah, Coral Gables and the other cities issue their own permits and are not in these counts.
How we know this
License rules are quoted from Florida DBPR's construction FAQ and Verify a Licensee, and from Miami-Dade County's Contractors & Building Trades, BCCO Contractor Search, Owner-Builder Permits and Contractor Enforcement pages, read 26 October 2026. Counts are the Miami-Dade County Building Department permit file, read 20 October 2026: permits on unincorporated parcels issued November 2024 to September 2026.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 20, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Who licenses contractors in Miami-Dade County?
Two bodies. Florida's DBPR licenses general, building, residential, roofing, air-conditioning, mechanical, plumbing, pool, solar and electrical contractors. Miami-Dade County's Contractor Licensing Section issues certificates of competency to contractors and tradesmen in building, building specialty, electrical, maintenance, mechanical and plumbing categories.
- How do I check a Miami-Dade contractor's license?
Search the license number or name on DBPR's Verify a Licensee (myfloridalicense.com), then on the County's BCCO Contractor Search, which also has a complaint search. The County's Contractor Licensing line is 786-315-2880.
- What is the difference between a certified and a registered Florida contractor?
Certified contractors passed the state exam and may work anywhere in Florida. Registered contractors hold a local license registered with the state and may work only where that license is valid (DBPR). A registered contractor from another county may not be licensed for Miami-Dade work.
- Can I pull a permit as owner-builder in Miami-Dade?
Yes, for a one- or two-family home or farm outbuilding for your own use, in a person's name, not a company's or trust's. You must pass an owner-builder validation, in person or virtually, with photo ID and proof it is your primary residence. Selling or leasing within 24 months of the permit is presumed to break the exemption.
- Does the county's permit file show the contractor?
Yes, it names a contractor on many permits. We count permits per name on our Miami-Dade County pages, but we have not matched those names to DBPR or county license records, so we do not rate or rank them.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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- Verify a Licensee — Florida DBPR Online Services (2026-10-26)
- Construction Industry FAQs — Florida DBPR (2026-10-26)
- Contractors & Building Trades — Miami-Dade County (2026-10-26)
- BCCO Contractor Inquiry and Complaint Search — Miami-Dade County (2026-10-26)
- Owner-Builder Permits — Miami-Dade County (2026-10-26)
- Contractor Enforcement — Miami-Dade County (2026-10-26)