What's the difference between a certified and registered electrical contractor in Florida?

Florida law sets the journeyman floor at a registered, state-approved apprenticeship or at least 12,000 hours of on-the-job training, which Hillsborough County counts as 6 years. Hillsborough accepts 8,000 hours if you finish a 4-year Florida-approved apprenticeship. A state certified electrical contractor license takes 3 to 6 years of qualifying experience, depending on the route.

A county journeyman card costs $150 to apply and $70 to register in Hillsborough County, $225 in Broward County and $240 in Miami-Dade County, plus the testing agency's exam fee. A state certified electrical contractor license costs $683 in DBPR application, exam and license fees. Registering a local contractor card with DBPR costs $151.

Yes, as an employee working under a licensed electrical contractor. Section 489.503 of the Florida Statutes exempts employees who work within the scope of their employer's license, which is how apprentices and helpers get their hours. You need a contractor license to contract or bid on electrical work yourself, and some counties set their own journeyman card rules.

A certified electrical contractor holds a geographically unlimited DBPR certificate and can contract anywhere in Florida after passing the state exam. A registered electrical contractor registers a county or city competency card with DBPR and may contract only in the jurisdiction that registration covers. Both renew by August 31 of every even year with 11 hours of continuing education.

Not for journeyman licenses. Since July 1, 2024, Florida counties and cities must recognize journeyman cards issued by other Florida counties and cities, but a journeyman license from another state doesn't carry over on its own. Electrical contractors licensed in another state can apply for Florida certification by endorsement, including a route for those licensed for at least 10 years.