(1) Any person engaged in the business of contracting in the state shall be registered in the proper classification unless he or she is certified. Any person desiring to be a registered contractor shall apply to the department for registration and must:

(a) Be at least 18 years old;

(b) Be of good moral character; and

(c) Meet eligibility requirements according to the following criteria:

1. As used in this subsection, the term “good moral character” means a personal history of honesty, fairness, and respect for the rights of others and for state and federal law.

2. The board may determine that an individual applying for registration is ineligible due to failure to satisfy the requirement of good moral character only if:

a. There is a substantial connection between the lack of good moral character of the individual and the professional responsibilities of a registered contractor; and

b. The finding by the board of lack of good moral character is supported by clear and convincing evidence.

3. When an individual is found to be unqualified because of lack of good moral character, the board must furnish such individual a statement containing the findings of the board, a complete record of evidence upon which the determination was based, and a notice of the rights of the individual to a rehearing and an appeal.

(2) Any contractor may be registered to contract in the area specified in such registration if the contractor is qualified as provided in this section.

(3) To be registered as an electrical contractor, an alarm system contractor I, an alarm system contractor II, or a residential alarm system contractor, the applicant shall file evidence of holding a current certificate of competency issued by any municipality or county of the state for the type of work for which registration is desired, on a form provided by the department, together with evidence of having passed an appropriate local examination, written or oral, designed to test skills and knowledge relevant to the technical performance of the profession, accompanied by the registration fee fixed pursuant to this part. For any person working or wishing to work in any local jurisdiction that does not require an examination for its license, the applicant may apply and shall be considered qualified to be issued a registration in the appropriate electrical or alarm system category, provided that he or she shows that he or she has scored at least 75 percent on an examination which is substantially equivalent to the examination approved by the board for certification in the category and that he or she has had at least 3 years’ technical experience in the trade. The requirement to take and pass an examination in order to obtain a registration shall not apply to persons making application prior to the effective date of this act.

(4) The name or names of the business organization that the registrant is qualifying shall be listed on the registration issued by the department.

(5) Registration permits the registrant to engage in contracting only in the area and for the type of work covered by the registration, unless local licenses are issued for other areas and types of work or unless certification is obtained. When a registrant desires to register in an additional area of the state, he or she shall comply with any local requirements of that area and then file a request with the department, together with evidence of holding a current license issued by the county or municipality for the area or areas in which he or she desires to be registered, whereupon his or her evidence of registration shall be endorsed by the department to reflect valid registration for the new area or areas.

(6) The local jurisdictions are responsible for providing the following information to the board within 30 days after licensure of, or any disciplinary action against, a locally licensed contractor who is registered under this part:

(a) Licensure information.

(b) Code violation information pursuant to s. 553.781.

(c) Disciplinary information.

The board shall maintain such licensure and disciplinary information as it is provided to the board and shall make the information available through the automated information system provided pursuant to s. 455.2286.

History.—ss. 6, 17, ch. 79-272; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 6, 21, 23, ch. 88-149; s. 5, ch. 91-119; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 274, ch. 94-119; s. 492, ch. 97-103; s. 26, ch. 98-287; s. 40, ch. 98-419; ss. 2, 25, ch. 99-254; s. 5, ch. 2006-154; s. 39, ch. 2009-195.