Meet the experience or education requirement in section 489.111, Florida Statutes. Apply through the CILB and register for the examination with Professional Testing, Inc. Pass General Trade Knowledge (80 questions, 5 hours) and, unless exempt, Business & Finance (120 questions, 6.5 hours) — 70% on each. Then satisfy the board on financial responsibility and insurance, and pay the issuance fee.
Step 1 — Check you are eligible to sit
Section 489.111, Florida Statutes sets the gate. You must be at least 18 years of age, of good moral character, and meet one of these:
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in the appropriate field of engineering, architecture or building construction, plus 1 year of proven experience; or
- A total of at least 4 years of active experience as a worker, including at least 1 year as a foreman; or
- A combination of not less than 1 year as a foreman and not less than 3 years of credits for accredited college-level courses.
Experience is documented and verified, so start collecting evidence early — the foreman year in particular is the piece candidates struggle to prove years after the fact.
Step 2 — Decide which license you actually want
Florida has two paths, and they are not interchangeable. A certified roofing contractor may work statewide. A registered contractor may work only in the jurisdictions where local licensing requirements have been met.
The registered route is largely closed to new entrants — section 489.117(2), Florida Statutes bars new registrations after July 1, 1993 based on local certificates from governments without disciplinary oversight, and the remaining lane is a narrow grandfather provision. If you want to roof across Florida in 2026, the certified license is the path, and it requires the exam. The distinction is set out in full on our page about license requirements.
Step 3 — Work out how many exams you are sitting
Roofing is a Division II category. Rule 61G4-16.001(7), F.A.C. states the certification examination "shall consist of two tests": business and finance, and general knowledge of the roofing trade.
Before you pay for two: Rule 61G4-16.0015(3), F.A.C. exempts a current active certified Division I licensee — general, building or residential contractor — from the Business & Finance portion when applying for a Division II license, subject to conditions about investigations and discipline. Separately, section 489.113(1), Florida Statutes provides that an applicant with a building construction baccalaureate and a 3.0 GPA is only required to take Business & Finance. See which group you are in.
Step 4 — Register and sit
Examination registration is handled by Professional Testing, Inc., and the examinations are delivered by computer at Pearson VUE test centers. The General Trade Knowledge exam runs daily. Applications must reach Professional Testing at least 30 days before the administration you want.
Rule 61G4-12.009(1)(a), F.A.C. sets the application and examination fee at $335 — $135 on scheduling, $80 per test administered, and $40 for processing after you pass. Both exams are open book against the state's approved reference list, and both require 70% under Rule 61G4-16.001(37), F.A.C.
Step 5 — Satisfy the board after you pass
Passing makes you eligible; it does not make you licensed. The Candidate Information Booklet states that candidates who pass all required parts become eligible for certification upon presenting the board with the initial licensing fee, proof of insurance, a proper financial statement and credit report, and any required information about business organizations for which they intend to act as qualifying agent.
Financial responsibility and insurance requirements are set out in section 489.115, Florida Statutes and the board's rules. Start on the insurance quotes and the credit picture before results arrive, because these are the steps that add weeks after the exam is behind you.
Step 6 — Then keep it
The license is a recurring obligation. Rule 61G4-12.009(3)(a), F.A.C. sets the biennial renewal fee for certification and registration at $200, and continuing education runs on a cycle and must be paid for as well as completed.
Requirements, fees and forms change. Verify everything with the DBPR before you apply — nothing on this page is legal advice, and local building departments may interpret requirements differently.
The exam is the part you can start on today
Experience takes years and paperwork takes weeks. Preparation you can begin now — first 5 questions free, no account.