Florida Abrasive Blasting & Industrial Surface Preparation Contractor

No. Under Florida Statutes § 163.211 and § 489.117(4) (HB 735 / HB 1383 / SB 1142), Florida preempted contractor licensing to the state and eliminated local licensing for non-structural specialty trades. Performing sandblasting contractor work in Florida does NOT require a state CILB license, Pearson VUE exam, or local competency license. Contractors only need a standard County Business Tax Receipt (BTR) and appropriate commercial general liability and workers' compensation insurance.

While sandblasting contractor work does not require a state contractor license in Florida, all installations must comply with the Florida Building Code (FBC) and manufacturer specifications. Work that touches structural components, electrical wiring, plumbing lines, or HVAC systems remains restricted to licensed primary contractors.

Sandblasting Contractors in Florida typically must maintain a minimum of $2,000,000 Each Occurrence / $4,000,000 General Aggregate in commercial general liability insurance. Under Florida statutory rules and General Contractor (GC) bid standards, policies must cover bodily injury, property damage, and completed operations to secure jobsite clearance.

A Florida sandblasting contractor does not require a contractor license bond under Florida law (the trade is statutorily deregulated under Fla. Stat. § 163.211). For licensed Florida trades, applicants with a personal FICO credit score of 660 or higher are also 100% exempt from license bonds under FAC Rule 61G4-15.006.

Yes, proof of active workers' compensation insurance is required for construction employers in Florida. Under Fla. Stat. § 440.02 & § 440.05; FAC Rule 69L-6.012, coverage is mandatory for all construction employers with 1+ employees (including day laborers and corporate officers unless exempt). General Contractors and municipal building inspectors mandate a Certificate of Insurance (COI) prior to jobsite access. Sole proprietors with 0 employees: Sole proprietors with 0 employees operate solo without corporate filing; corporate officers and LLC members (max 3, >=10% ownership) can elect exemption via Form DFS-F4-DWC-250 with a $50 fee.

Because Florida does not license sandblasting contractors at the state level (the trade is deregulated under Fla. Stat. § 163.211), state license reciprocity is not applicable. Contractors in good standing from other states can operate immediately upon registering their entity with Sunbiz and obtaining a local County Business Tax Receipt.