Florida’s Licensing Reciprocity Agreements with Mississippi
In August 2022, Florida entered into two reciprocity agreements with Mississippi with regard to contractor licensing to make it easier for contractors licensed in Florida to obtain licenses in Mississippi and vice versa. These two agreements apply to Florida’s Certified General Contractor, Certified Building Contractor, and Certified Residential Contractor licenses and Mississippi’s Building Construction and Residential Builder License.
Requirements for Mississippi Contractors
Mississippi contractors looking to obtain a Florida contractor’s license under the reciprocity agreements must meet the following requirements:
The applicable Mississippi license must have been issued on the basis of the applicant having taken and passed the normally required written trade exam administered by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.
The applicant must have held their Mississippi license for at least one year.
The applicant must take and pass the Florida Business and Finance exam administered by the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board.
The applicant must not have had their license in Mississippi revoked, suspended, or placed on probation during the five years prior to the application and must not be under any current disciplinary action or investigation in Mississippi.
The applicant must submit proper license verification by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.
If the applicant received their license in Mississippi based in part on having passed the NASCLA exam, then the applicant must also register with NASCLA for credit in Florida.
The applicant must also meet the other requirements for licensure in Florida, including financial stability, insurance requirements, and good character.
The applicant cannot have obtained their license in Mississippi through reciprocity with another state other than Florida.
For an applicant applying for a Certified General Contractor’s license in Florida, the applicant must also show proof of personal experience in the new construction of a four-story habitable building.
Requirements for Florida Contractors
Florida contractors looking to obtain a Mississippi contractor’s license under the reciprocity agreements must meet the following requirements:
The applicable Florida license must have been issued on the basis of the applicant having taken and passed the normally required written exam administered by the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board.
The applicant must have held their Florida license for at least one year.
The applicant must take and pass the Mississippi Business and Law exam administered by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors.
The applicant must not have had their license in Florida revoked, suspended, or placed on probation during the five years prior to the application and must not be under any current disciplinary action or investigation in Florida.
The applicant must submit proper license verification by the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board.
If the applicant received their license in Florida based in part on having passed the NASCLA exam, then the applicant must also register with NASCLA for credit in Mississippi.
The applicant must also meet the other requirements for licensure in Mississippi.
The applicant cannot have obtained their license in Florida through reciprocity with another state other than Mississippi.
Applicable Licenses
The following license types are reciprocal under the agreements between Florida and Mississippi:
Mississippi Building Construction license and Florida Certified Building Contractor license
Mississippi Building Construction license (with 4-story experience) and Florida Certified General Contractor License
Mississippi Residential Builder license and Florida Certified Residential Contractor License
Interested in learning more about the application process and seeing if your existing contractor’s license can help you obtain a Florida contractor’s license, under these reciprocity agreements? We can assist you with the entire application process to make sure that it goes smoothly and to answer any questions you may have. Many times we can do this for a flat fee. To learn more, please fill out the form below, or please contact me at jason.lambert@hwhlaw.com or (813) 227-8495.
Jason Lambert is a Florida Board Certified Construction Attorney and Partner in the Construction Industry Practice Group at Hill Ward Henderson, in Tampa, Florida. He is also the founder and chief contributor to the Hammer & Gavel construction law blog. Jason focuses his practice on representing contractors, subcontractors, and materials suppliers throughout the state of Florida. Before law school, Jason spent a decade working in the construction industry, primarily as a project manager and operations director for both new construction and remodeling. He can be reached at jason.lambert@hwhlaw.com or 813-227-8495.
