Orlando contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show

Which license each job needs in Orlando

The state list is DBPR's: general, building, residential, sheet metal, roofing, air-conditioning, mechanical, swimming pool/spa, plumbing, underground utility and excavation, and solar contractors need state registration or certification (DBPR construction FAQ, read 22 October 2026). Certified licenses are good "throughout the state"; registered ones only where the local license was issued. For electricians, DBPR's board defines an ER as registered for "only in the cities and/or counties for which his or her registration is issued".

The City's part: contractors pulling permits in Orlando "must be registered with the Permitting Services Division". State-certified contractors register with a business tax receipt, their DBPR certification and workers' comp proof; state-registered contractors post a surety bond of at least $5,000, and specialty contractors the state does not regulate at least $1,000 (City of Orlando, read 22 October 2026).

How to run the lookup in five minutes

1. Get the license number and the qualifier's name from the quote.
2. Search DBPR's Verify a Licensee by number or name. Check that the status is current, that the license type fits the job, and, if it is a registered license, where it was issued.
3. Fence or other specialty contractor: there is no state license; call Permitting Services (407-246-2271) to confirm the firm is registered with the City.
4. Read the record: open the firm on our Orlando roofing, HVAC or remodel list.

How to search Orlando permit records

The City's Permit Lookup tool, linked from its Get a Permit page, shows a permit's status, plan review dates, related permits and fees, and whether it is final (City of Orlando, read 22 October 2026). It covers permits issued by the City of Orlando, which is also the scope of our Orlando data; addresses outside the city limits are not in either.

The lookup is organised by permit. Ours is organised by firm: every permit a contractor pulled in the city in three years and how long its permits took to reach final, on the compare pages, the Orlando permit statistics page and the Orlando ZIP code pages.

What 42,936 Orlando permits show

We do not show a finished share in Orlando: almost every permit here is eventually closed, so it did not separate contractors in our tests. Speed does. A roof permit usually reaches final in 27 days and an HVAC permit in 91, so a firm whose permits run well past that is worth a question.

The license match is high for every state-licensed trade. The one low number is fences, 57.3%, and that is expected: fence contractors are not on DBPR's list, so most have no state license to match (42.7% unmatched).

See every Orlando roofer by speed to final and DBPR license →

Red flags in Orlando

• No match on DBPR for a state-licensed trade. 8.8% of HVAC firms had no DBPR match in our file; search the qualifier's own name before you conclude anything.
• A registered license from another county. DBPR says a registered license is valid only where it was issued and in places that accept it; ask the City whether it accepts this one.
• A firm that has gone quiet: 75 roofing firms with 5 or more permits pulled none in the last 12 months.
• "Pull it as owner-builder." An owner-builder permit is for owners doing their own work; the Florida guide explains why it moves the responsibility onto you.

What this lookup does not tell you

We match Orlando firms by name to DBPR's construction and electrical license files; a firm that permits under a trade name shows as unmatched, not unlicensed, and City registrations are not something we show. A license says the firm may do the work, not how its last job went. The statewide rules, Certified vs Registered and the unlicensed-activity penalties are in How to check a contractor's license in Florida; the other big Florida city we cover is in the Miami guide.