Sebastian Contractor Licensing Aligns with Florida State Law

Sebastian will update its local contractor licensing categories to match Florida Statutes Section 163.211 and Chapter 489, effective July 1, 2025. This change restricts local licensing to specialty contractor categories detailed in FS 489.117(4)(a), ensuring consistency with state regulations and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

Existing local license categories that overlap with new state specialty licenses will be realigned. For example, contractors holding "Aluminum / Concrete" licenses will now be designated as "Structural Aluminum or Screen Enclosure Specialty Contractor," and "Marine Construction" licenses will become "Marine Specialty Contractor," with their scope of work aligning with state definitions.

Local license categories without a clear state specialty counterpart will no longer be renewed or available. These include Excavation, Final Grading, Finish Carpentry, Insulation, Paving, and non-electrical Sign categories. Contractors previously licensed in these areas may need a State Certified or Registered License to obtain building permits for certain projects.

These updates do not waive permit requirements mandated by the Florida Building Code or City Code of Ordinances. State Certified and Registered Contractor license categories aligned with the DBPR will remain unaffected.

Contractors holding local licenses can submit their test scores and documentation to the DBPR for potential grandfathering into the new state specialty contractor categories, as outlined in FS 489.117(2)(b) and FAC 61G4.