When your contractor’s license expires, you must complete a certain amount of continuing education (CE) credits to renew it. The CE requirements vary by state, but most states require between 4 and 10 hours of CE credits per year.
In Florida, contractors must complete 4 hours of CE credits each year in order to renew their licenses. These credits must be approved by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
There are a variety of ways to complete the CE credits required for Florida contractor license renewal. You can take courses offered by trade associations, universities, or private companies such as Rocketcert. These courses can be taken in person, online, or through self-study.
Some examples of approved courses for Florida contractor continuing education credits include topics such as;
Business Law: This course covers basic business law concepts that every contractor should know. You will learn about topics such as contracts, liability, and workers’ compensation. When you complete this course, you should be able to identify and avoid common legal pitfalls that can put your business at risk.
Construction Management: You need four hours of construction management continuing education every year. This must include one hour of business practices, two hours of workers’ compensation, and one hour of Florida Building Code.
Safety: In this course, you will learn about OSHA standards and how to create a safe work environment for your employees. You will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities to learn how to properly use personal protective equipment and how to safely handle different materials.
Project Management: This course will teach you the basics of project management, including how to create a project schedule, budget, and scope. You will also learn about risk management and how to effectively communicate with project stakeholders.
Leadership and Communication: You need the appropriate skills to lead and communicate with others on your team. These skills will help you motivate them, give clear instructions, and provide feedback effectively.
Building Code Updates, and Ethics: As a contractor, you are required to complete 14 hours of continuing education every year. Of these hours, at least 1 must be in building code updates, and at least 1 must be in business practices or ethics. The building code updates course must cover the latest applicable Building Code, including the Florida Building Code, as well as the latest applicable Fire Prevention Code. The business practices or ethics course must cover topics such as workers’ compensation, insurance, lien law, contract law, risk management, or business financial planning.
It is important to note that Florida requires contractors to complete their CE credits before their license expires. If you do not renew your license on time, you will have to complete all of the CE credits required for the year, plus an additional 4 hours. For example, if your license expires on December 31st and you renew it on January 1st, you will need to complete 8 hours of CE credits instead of the usual 4.
Continuing education is important for contractors to stay up-to-date on the latest industry standards and to refresh their knowledge on topics that are essential to running a successful business. These courses will help you meet the requirements set forth by the state of Florida and will give you the tools you need to be a successful contractor.
If you have any questions about the CE requirements for Florida contractor license renewal, you can contact Rocketcert at (800) 495-6612 or visit the official website rocektcert.com.
