Before You Hire a Plumber, Look Up the License

Checking a plumber's license in Florida takes a few minutes and is the single most useful thing you can do before work starts in Seminole County or north Orange County. The state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) licenses plumbing contractors through its Construction Industry Licensing Board, and the public license search lives on myfloridalicense.com. A local business sign or a tax receipt on the truck is not the same thing.

How do I check a plumber's license in Florida?

Ask for the license number, then look it up on the state's site at myfloridalicense.com. Search by the number or the contractor's name and confirm the license is current and active, the name matches the person or company you're dealing with, and the license type is plumbing. Florida law treats work under an inactive or suspended license the same as unlicensed work.

DBPR lists plumbing contractor licenses as CF and RF. Certified license codes start with "C", and registered ones with "R".

What's the difference between certified and registered?

Where they can work. Under Florida law, a certified contractor may work anywhere in the state, while a registered contractor may contract only in the local areas where it met the competency requirements. Seminole County's Building Division notes that a registered contractor needs Seminole County listed on its DBPR record as a county it can work in.

Is a business tax receipt the same as a license?

No. Florida law says plainly that a local business tax receipt is not a license for contracting purposes. It is also illegal to act as or advertise as a contractor without a certification or registration, or to start work that needs a permit without pulling one.

A first offense of unlicensed contracting is a first-degree misdemeanor. A repeat offense, or one committed during a state of emergency declared by the Governor, is a third-degree felony. That last point matters most in the weeks after a hurricane; our before a hurricane story covers storm prep.

What work falls under a plumbing license?

More than faucets and toilets. Florida's definition of a plumbing contractor's work covers water supply and drainage systems, wells, septic tanks, swimming pool piping and irrigation systems, along with the related equipment. That covers jobs such as repiping a polybutylene house, tracking down a slab leak, or replacing a water heater.

Which jobs need a permit in Seminole County?

Replacing a water heater does. The Seminole County Building Division lists replacement of a water heater among work that requires a permit. Swapping out a fixture where the old one stood is exempt, though relocating any plumbing is not. The county calls its list illustrative only and says to call the Building Division if you're unsure.

Irrigation has its own rule. On a reclaimed meter set by Seminole County or the City of Sanford, an irrigation contractor may pull the permit; on drinking water, a licensed plumbing contractor must pull a separate irrigation permit. Our backflow preventers story covers the device that goes with it.

Inspectors hold permitted work to the 2023 Florida Building Code (8th Edition), which took effect December 31, 2023. If you live inside a city, ask that city whether its own building department handles permits for your address.

What should I ask before I sign?

Ask for the license number and look it up yourself. Ask who will pull the permit, and get the scope of work in writing: what is being replaced, with what, and where the lines will run. For a bigger job, more than one written bid helps; Seminole County, for example, suggests getting at least three bids for a reclaimed-water hookup. Keep the permit card, inspection results and invoice with your house records; insurers may ask about plumbing on older homes.

How does a licensed company describe its plumbing work?

Clearly, and with its service area stated. A good service page lists the kinds of work it takes on and where it works, so you can match it to your job and then confirm the license. The example below comes from outside Florida, so it shows the format only; for a Florida job, the DBPR search is the test that counts.

Readers often ask

The plumber says they're "licensed and insured." Is that enough?

Ask for the license number and check it yourself on myfloridalicense.com. Make sure it is active, a plumbing license, and in the name you are dealing with.

Can a handyman replace my water heater in Seminole County?

Replacing a water heater needs a permit in Seminole County, and plumbing contracting needs a state license. Ask the Building Division who may pull that permit for your job.

Do I need a permit to swap a faucet?

Not in Seminole County, as long as the new faucet goes in the same spot. Moving plumbing is a different matter, so call the Building Division if you're unsure.

Is it really a felony to work without a license after a hurricane?

Florida law makes unlicensed contracting during a Governor-declared state of emergency a third-degree felony. That is a good reason to check every license after a storm.

What does "RF" on a license mean?

It marks a registered plumbing contractor, licensed only for the local areas where it registered. A "CF" license is certified and good statewide.

Where this came from

1. Florida Statutes s. 489.105 — plumbing contractor scope; certified vs registered
2. Florida Statutes s. 489.127 — unlicensed contracting, business tax receipts, penalties
3. Florida DBPR — Construction Industry Licensing Board (archived 2026) — CF and RF license codes
4. Seminole County Building Division (archived 2026) — permit examples, irrigation permits, DBPR county listing
5. Florida Building Commission — Florida Building Code 8th Edition effective date
6. Seminole County — Get Connected reclaimed water brochure (2021, archived) — at least three bids suggested