CodeA contractor holding a countywide licence and a county BTR still registers; failing to register is punished under Sec. 1-13 - Sec. 22-101(b),(e)
DocumentsState licence or county competency licence, valid local BTR from the city or county where the business is located or domiciled, general liability and workers' comp - Permits FAQ
Past permitsCivic Access permitting portal (westpalmbeachfl-energovpub.tylerhost.net) - search by permit number, the most accurate way, or by property address
Code historySec. 22-101 derives from Code 1979, Sec. 18-23, amended by Ords. 3655-03 and 4006-06
County licencePalm Beach County's Contractor Regulations section (Code Compliance Division, PZB) serves the Construction Industry Licensing Board under Special Act 67-1876, which requires a certificate of competency to advertise, bid or contract in the regulated trades
Marine is a county tradeMARINE remains on the county's regulated-trades list (rev. 7/1/25): seawalls, bulkheads, revetments, docks, piers, wharfs, groins, boat lifts, davits and pile driving. Dredging and land filling was among the trades preempted on 1 July 2025
County look-upCounty Licensed Contractor Search in the ePZB portal (pbcgov.org/ePZB.Admin.WebSPA), next to the state search; Contractor Regulations 561-233-5525
State licenceSearch the company and the qualifier on DBPR's Verify a Licensee (myfloridalicense.com). A licence number starting with C is a state certification valid anywhere in Florida; one starting with R is a registration, good only where the holder met local competency rules - F.S. 489.105(8),(10) and the DBPR licensing page
Who may build a seawall or dockA certified general contractor's scope is unlimited (489.105(3)(a)). The state also certifies five marine specialties: marine specialty, marine seawall work, marine bulkhead work, marine dock work and marine pile driving - Rule 61G4-15.100(1)(b)-(f)
Workers' compIn construction a single employee makes coverage mandatory (440.02(20)(b)2). Up to three officers or LLC members owning at least 10% may file exemptions (440.02(18)(b)2), and the exemption certificate itself says it is not a DBPR licence (440.05(4)). Check it on the DWC data portal's Coverage and Exemptions search (dwcdataportal.fldfs.com)
Recovery fundFor contracts signed on or after 1 July 2024 the Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund pays at most $100,000 per claim against a Division I contractor (general, building, residential) and $30,000 against a Division II contractor, which includes the marine specialties; the lifetime caps are $2 million and $600,000 per licensee - 489.143(3),(6). Nothing is paid if the contractor was unlicensed when you signed - 489.141(2)(d) - and residential contracts over $2,500 must print the fund notice - 489.1425
DepositsA contractor who takes more than 10% up front on residential work must apply for permits within 30 days and start within 90 days of the permits issuing, unless you agreed to longer in writing - 489.126(2)(a)
Three-day cancelIf the deal was a home solicitation sale over $25 - signed away from the seller's place of business and not the result of your own request for specific goods or services - you can cancel in writing until midnight of the third business day; Sundays and federal holidays don't count - 501.021, 501.025
Business tax is not a licenceA contractor pays business tax where its permanent office is, and no other city or county may levy a business tax or an equivalent registration fee for temporary work there - 205.065