Florida plumbing help: state plumbing licenses and owner builder rules
Source: Local Help Stations (localhelpstations.com). Last updated November 2, 2026.
Florida plumbing contractors are licensed through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, and owners have a narrow path to do work on their own homes.
What Florida rules say
- A Florida plumbing contractor has unlimited scope in the plumbing trade. (source: The Florida Senate)
- Without an extra local license, a plumbing contractor may work on drainage, venting, water supply, septic tanks, wells, pool piping, irrigation and solar water heating systems. (source: The Florida Senate)
- The Construction Industry Licensing Board issues certified plumbing contractor licenses. (source: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation)
- Owners acting as their own contractor on a one or two family home must directly supervise, on site, all work not done by licensed contractors. (source: The Florida Senate)
- An owner builder may not hand off that supervision to anyone who is not licensed for the work. (source: The Florida Senate)
- The owner builder disclosure warns that unlicensed people often have owners pull permits, which can leave the owner liable for injuries on the job. (source: The Florida Senate)
- Residential contracts over $2,500 must tell you about the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund. (source: The Florida Senate)
This page covers statewide rules only. Cities and counties can add their own permits and licenses, so check with your local building office too.
More Florida topics
Sources
- The Florida Senate (Florida Statutes): Section 489.105, Florida Statutes (2026): Definitions (construction contracting) (checked November 2, 2026)
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR): Construction Industry Licensing Board (checked November 2, 2026)
- The Florida Senate (Florida Statutes): Section 489.103, Florida Statutes (2026): Exemptions (construction contracting) (checked November 2, 2026)
- The Florida Senate (Florida Statutes): Section 489.1425, Florida Statutes (2026): Duty of contractor to notify residential property owner of recovery fund (checked November 2, 2026)
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