Get your exact price
Three quick steps. A real quote for your real bathroom.
Verify us in one tap. We are accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Your quote is written, free and comes with zero obligation.
Checking a Florida contractor license before a walk-in tub install
Which license types fit a tub job, how to verify one on the state's website, and the Florida laws on deposits and contracts that protect you.
Direct answer: The plumbing part of a walk-in tub install falls under a Florida plumbing contractor license (CFC certified or RF registered), and any new circuit for jets or a heater under an electrical contractor license (EC or ER). Verify any license by name or number on the DBPR site, myfloridalicense.com, before you sign or pay a deposit.
Licensed work, verifiedA walk-in tub is a plumbing job, and often an electrical one
Replacing a bathtub with a walk-in tub means disconnecting and reconnecting supply lines and a drain. A jetted or heated tub also needs a circuit, usually a dedicated GFCI-protected one. In Florida, that work falls under state contractor licensing, which is handled by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Checking a license takes about two minutes online and is the single best protection you have before signing. This page shows which license types fit a tub job, how to read what the state's lookup tells you, and three Florida laws that protect homeowners who sign home improvement contracts.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your city or county building department decides whether your specific job needs a permit.
Which Florida license fits a walk-in tub job
Florida license numbers start with letters that tell you the license type. These are the codes that matter for a bathroom like yours, taken from DBPR's own code list.
| Work | Certified (statewide) | Registered (local) | Licensing board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing: supply lines, drain, fixture connection | CFC, Certified Plumbing Contractor | RF, Registered Plumbing Contractor | Construction Industry Licensing Board |
| Electrical: circuit for jets, pumps or heaters | EC, Electrical Contractor | ER, Registered Electrical Contractor | Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board |
| Broader remodeling: walls, framing, a larger bathroom redo | CGC, CBC or CRC (General, Building or Residential Contractor) | RG, RB or RR | Construction Industry Licensing Board |
One company does not have to hold every license itself. A general, building or residential contractor often hires licensed plumbing and electrical subcontractors for those parts of the job. What matters is that each part of the work is done by someone licensed for it, and that you know who they are.
Certified or registered: what the first letter means
DBPR explains the difference this way. A certified contractor, whose license type starts with C, has passed the state's competency exam and can work anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor, whose license type starts with R, qualified through a specific city or county and may contract only in that area.
Electrical licenses follow the same idea: EC licenses are statewide, while ER licenses only cover the cities or counties where the contractor holds a local competency card.
So a registered plumber from one county is not automatically licensed to work in yours. If a contractor's license starts with R, ask which jurisdictions it covers.
How to look up a Florida contractor license
Get the number
Ask for the license number in writing. Section 489.119 requires it on a contractor's bids, proposals, contracts and ads, so you should already see it on your quote.
Search the state
Go to DBPR's Verify a License page and search by license number or by name.
Read the result
Check that the name matches the company or person you are hiring, the license type fits the work, and the status is current and active.
Also ask for insurance. A license and an insurance certificate are separate things. Condo associations in particular usually ask for both before they approve bathroom work.
Three Florida rules worth knowing before you sign
Big deposits come with deadlines
If a contractor takes more than 10% of the price up front on residential work, Section 489.126 says they must apply for any needed permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless there is just cause or you agreed in writing to a longer period.
A recovery fund notice belongs in the contract
Section 489.1425 requires residential contracts over $2,500 to include a notice about the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund, which may pay, up to a limit, if you lose money because a licensed contractor broke certain state rules. No notice is a reason to ask questions.
The "under $2,500" exemption has limits
Section 489.103 exempts some small, minor jobs under $2,500. It does not apply when the work is part of a larger project, when a job is split into small contracts to avoid licensing, or to anyone who advertises as a contractor.
Doing it yourself
Florida's owner-builder exemption lets you act as your own contractor on your own home, but you personally sign the permit application and must directly supervise any work not done by licensed contractors. Our measuring guide helps if you are buying a tub supply-only.
Six questions for any Florida tub installer
- What are your license numbers, and who holds the plumbing and electrical licenses on this job?
- Are your installers employees or subcontractors?
- Does this job need a permit here, and who pulls it?
- Can I see your certificate of insurance?
- How much is due up front, and when will work start?
- Where is the recovery fund notice in this contract?
If you signed at home and changed your mind
The Federal Trade Commission's Cooling-Off Rule gives you three business days to cancel many sales made in your home. Our walk-in tub FAQ explains how it works, and our installation guide walks through the job from first call to first bath.
Contractor license FAQ
What license do you need to install a walk-in tub in Florida?
Connecting the supply lines and drain is plumbing work, covered by a Florida plumbing contractor license (CFC for certified, RF for registered). Wiring a circuit for jets or a heater is electrical work, covered by an electrical contractor license (EC or ER). A general, building or residential contractor may manage the job and hire licensed subcontractors for those parts.
How do I check a contractor license in Florida?
Use the Verify a License search on the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation website, myfloridalicense.com. Search by license number or name and confirm the name, license type and an active status.
What is the difference between a certified and a registered contractor in Florida?
A certified contractor holds a state certificate of competency and can work anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor qualified through a local city or county and may contract only in those areas.
How much deposit can a Florida contractor take?
Florida law does not set a single cap, but under Section 489.126, a contractor who takes more than 10% of the price up front on residential work must apply for needed permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after permits are issued, unless there is just cause or you agreed in writing to a longer time.
Can I install a walk-in tub myself in Florida?
Florida's owner-builder exemption lets you act as your own contractor on your own home. You must sign the permit application yourself and directly supervise any work not done by licensed contractors. Check with your building department first.
Official sources
- Florida DBPR, Verify a License: myfloridalicense.com
- Florida DBPR, Construction Industry license types: myfloridalicense.com
- Florida DBPR, Electrical Contractors license types: myfloridalicense.com
- Florida DBPR, Understanding DBPR codes: myfloridalicense.com
- Florida Statutes, Section 489.103 (exemptions): leg.state.fl.us
- Florida Statutes, Section 489.119 (license number on bids, contracts and ads): leg.state.fl.us
- Florida Statutes, Section 489.126 (moneys received by contractors): leg.state.fl.us
- Florida Statutes, Section 489.1425 (recovery fund notice): leg.state.fl.us
- FTC, Buyer's Remorse: The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule May Help: consumer.ftc.gov
Statute summaries are simplified. Read the linked text or ask an attorney about your situation.
Questions about your tub install? Call us.
Free quotes for Florida homes. No pressure.
1-888-779-2284 (BATH)