STOPPING UNLICENSED ILLEGAL ACTIVITY

At Licenses Etc., we believe in sharing important information and resources with our clients and the contracting community. Below, we want to discuss the issue of unlicensed activity. Unlicensed activity is a criminal offense. The information below comes directly from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

It is in the best interest for your career, reputation and pocketbook to get a license; if you don’t, you run the risk of getting caught and being charged with a misdemeanor or felony. Aside from potential fines and charges, a person convicted of contracting without a license can be subject to court-ordered monetary restitution, as well. Homeowners are even being told they ultimately don’t have to pay unlicensed contractors, even if the work is done satisfactorily. If you are thinking, “Not all contracting work requires a license, and there are exemptions,” you are technically right, but you must be certain you are conducting work properly and legally (whether a license is required or not) to avoid getting into trouble with the state and the DBPR.

The DBPR has an Unlicensed Activity Hotline and DBPR Mobile app to help combat unlicensed activity. By using these tools, people can report unlicensed activity on-the-go, which makes it easier than ever for people to report suspected illegal work to the state. The DBPR’s Division of Regulation holds outreach events to spread awareness; performing stings and sweeps in the communities. In this past fiscal year, the DBPR has conducted more than 921 unlicensed activity outreach events, 49 stings, and 828 sweeps.  To learn more about these sting and sweeps, click here.

If you’re a contractor or want to be a contractor, contact us here at Licenses, Etc. We can help you get a Florida contractor’s license fast and easy, so you can get started working legally with a license. To start the license application process, call us at 239-777-1028.