New License Added: Irrigation Contractor

Big news has been announced regarding a new contractor category for Irrigation Contractors. As to when this license will be active, all we have heard is “in the near future”. What we do know is that the Irrigation Contractor’s exam will be administered via pencil and paper during the April and June 2013 exams. Even better news is that it will be converted to Computer Based format exam in August of 2013. 

This license has been added so that individuals and businesses who work solely with execution of contracts requiring installation, maintenance, repair, alterations, extension, and design of irrigation systems will now be able to legally provide this service without a separate license that is out of the scope of work performed. It is known that this does not include the installation of backflow preventers, which is work that must be performed by a licensed plumber. The Irrigation Contractor’s domain begins at the downstream side of the backflow preventer. Irrigation systems used for agricultural purposes shall not be included within the scope of this license either.

Contractors that would like to take this exam in April or June will be able to register starting in February. The team at Licenses, Etc. will definitely keep you up to date with any new information as it becomes available.

Congratulations, November licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in November: 

• Antonio Uzcategui at Beta Calum, LLC of Jacksonville, NC
• Jeff Lackner at Benchmark Alliance Group, LLC of Naples, FL
• Mike Ricklick at Americold, LLC and RCI Air Conditioning Company of Palmetto Bay, FL
• Charles Everett, Broward Dock and Seawall, Inc. of Pompano Beach, FL
• Maurice Sweet at Tier 1 Custom Builders, LLC of Miramar Beach, FL
• Celia Swink at Swink Consulting and Management, Inc. of West Palm Beach, FL
• Joseph Jack Polansky at JEST Consulting, L.L.C. of Davie, FL
• Brad Lee at Brad Lee Construction, LLC of Havana, FL
• Jason Cline at Cline Roofing Services, Inc. of St. Petersburg, FL
• Mark Raley at Revolution Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. of St. Petersburg, FL
• Alan Wackes at Allied Bean Demolition, Inc. of Coconut Creek, FL
• Robert Miller at Highland Contractors, Inc. of Wellington, FL

FYI:  Since the rules changed, qualifying an additional business entity application is much easier.  You might want to reconsider that second business you always wanted to open. It’s a great time to do it!

Fictitious Names May Be Up for Renewal

Fictitious names, also known as DBAs (Doing Business As), are valid for 5 years and expire on December 31st of the fifth year. Make sure you do not forget to renew if yours is due this year.

Each Fictitious Name Registration must be renewed between July 1 and December 31 of the expiration year to maintain active status. The Division of Corporations will mail to the last reported mailing address, at least 3 months prior to its expiration date, a statement of renewal. This is one reason it is very important to keep your current address on file with the Division of Corporations.

Remember that a DBA is owned by the business entity not the individual, unless you are a sole proprietorship. Operating as a sole proprietorship is typically not the best choice due to tax issues, the fact that you cannot obtain worker’s compensation exemption, and the lack of liability protection. Always consult an attorney or accountant when making decisions like this about your business.

Let us know if you have any questions about renewal. We are always here to help. Our team is your team.

Foreign Filing Facts

Many have expressed confusion about exactly what a foreign filing is. We would like to take a moment to discuss this subject. What is it and why would you do it?

Simply put if you want to conduct business in a state other than the state in which your business was formed, you need to file for foreign qualification with the new state where you would like to conduct business. 

Common reasons why business owners perform a foreign filing versus creating a separate, new corporation:

• Tax benefits in the home state.
• Ability to file under the same Federal Identification Number.
• Insurance only needs to be obtained by the one entity.
• All employees are under the same umbrella company and able to work on any projects that the company has going.

This is just a bit of information on foreign filings. We are neither accountants nor attorneys and any specific questions as to what would be right for you should be directed to one of these professionals. Remember if you have a foreign filing, you still must stay on top of the filings for the home state or it will become a defunct company! Let us know if you have any questions.

Congratulations, October licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in October:

• William DeBella at Golden Pool Service, LLC of Naples, FL
• Josh Martin at Vermillion Toney, LLC dba ServPro of Cape Coral of Cape Coral, FL
• Thomas Cain at Aluminum FX Construction, Inc. of Plant City, FL
• Anthony Esposito at Dana Engineering, Construction, Consulting Co. of New Port Richy, FL
• Michael Suggs at Michael Suggs Enterprises, Inc. of St. Augustine, FL
• William Green at B. Green Builder, LLC of Naples, FL
• Rick Stephano at Campbell, Rosemurgy, Stephano Construction Services, LLC of Deerfield Beach, FL
• Daniel Zuloaga at Real Rock Company of Naples, FL
• Steven Pittman at Rifenburg Construction, Inc. of Troy, NY
• Brian Machin at Xtreme Home Builders DBA Eagle Fence Corp of Hialeah, FL
• Phillip Grannell at Grannell Enterprises Inc. of Englewood, FL
• Robert B. Krampen, Sr. at Brico Home Conditioning LLC of Fort Myers, FL
• Traci Brentano at Ceco Pipeline Services Company, Inc. of Houston , TX
• Reina Yvonne Longsworth at Longsworth Comfort Air, LLC of Lehigh Acres, FL

And remember if you would like to be set up on Social Media Networking sites, call Lisa at 239.777.8321 for more information.

It is Now MUCH EASIER to Qualify an Additional Business Entity!

The Qualifying an Additional Business Entity application has been streamlined and we are finding that it has helped a lot of individuals be able to realize their goals. The CILB no longer requires CPA prepared financials or letter of capitalization which means that they are not checking for positive equity any longer if it does not go to the board for review. They also do not require 3-months of bank statements, bank verification letter, a list of projects completed by each company, information about vendors or who can pull permits, or a signature from a “responsible party” of each company.

What they do still require is that you own at least 50% of each business independent of each other to have the application processed and approved at the DBPR.  Officially they have 30 days to do this review, but typically things are getting completed in 2 weeks or so. If the qualifier does not own at least 50% of each of the business entities, then the application will have a mandated review by the CILB.  This review will bump the approval process from the 2 weeks to about 3 months.  This is all because of scheduling for the board meeting.  The qualifier would need to attend the meeting and answer any and all questions posed by the board. 

Things to keep in mind:

• The qualifier must either be an equity owner of BOTH companies OR a W2 employee of BOTH companies, or a combination thereof.  If they are not, there is a VERY slim chance that they will approve the application, and it is not recommended to proceed.
• Ideally, the two business entities should be geographically convenient to each other, as the qualifier will need to be able to explain how they will be able to properly supervise the projects being undertaken by both companies.
• The board can ask any other questions that they deem relevant to this process.

In addition to this, they are still looking for open bankruptcies/liens/judgments, but now also look at CREDIT SCORES.  Any applicant with a credit score below 660 is required to get a financial stability bond.  For Division-1 licenses (CRC, CBC and CGC), the bond is $20,000. For Division-2 licenses (everything else), the bond is $10,000.  Bond amounts can be cut in half ($10,000 D-1, $5,000 D-2) by taking a 14-hour financial responsibility course.

We know this is a lot to take in… trust us… WE KNOW. No one likes change, but this could be just the change you have been looking for. The one thing that can be counted on, we are here to help you.

2012 Grandfathering Does Not Apply to Electrical Contractors

There appears to be some confusion over which registered licenses can now submit applications to become certified through the new Grandfathering statute. There were no changes to the Florida Statutes to allow for grandfathering of registered electrical contractors’ licenses. Only registered licensees under the purview of the Construction Industry Licensing Board can grandfather.

The DBPR has stated that some licensees have received letters from county building departments that they can grandfather their registered electrical contractor’s license. These letters are incorrect and there is no grandfathering for registered electrical contractors at this time.

If you are interested in becoming certified, we can help you file an application for the initial issuance of your Certified Electrical license. Or, if you do have a registered license governed by the CILB, you can find more information here:  http://licensesetc.blogspot.com/2012/09/registered-contractors-grandfathering.html

Glass & Glazing and Marine Contractor Test Goes Electronic

Effective November 1, 2012 Glass & Glazing and Marine Specialty Trade Knowledge exams will be offered in Computer Based Testing format (CBT). Business and Finance exams have always been computer based, but this is the first CILB Trade exam to go paperless. We think that this is the first of many that will go this route. No word yet alluding to when any others will follow suit.

If you have any questions regarding your Trade Knowledge, Contract Administration or Project Management registration, call the Bureau of Education and Testing customer service center at 407-264-0562. To schedule the computer based Business and Finance exam, you must wait 7-10 business days after submitting the form to sign up for the exams before calling 888-204-6230.

You can read more information on the state web site at
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/servop/testing/faq.html. Or as always call us for further information or clarification.

IMPORTANT NEWS... ID Theft Scam

The DBPR has issued a warning that identity thieves are posing as the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to gain personal information from license holders. They claim your license is being disciplined and want you to call an 800 number. Then they ask for your personal information. Please be aware that this is in no way connected with the Department or its regulatory authority.

DO NOT respond to the email or call the listed number. Instead, contact the Department directly at 850-487-1395. You can also log into your online account to view any public disciplinary actions.

The Department will investigate the matter and will work with law enforcement to determine whether any criminal action has occurred. If you have any specific questions, as always you can give us a call. The Licenses, Etc. Team is always available to help!

Congratulations, September licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in September: 

• Theresa Cleary at Four Seas Enterprises, Inc. of Lake Park, FL
• Miralys Gonzalez at JMG Building Contractors, Inc. of Tampa, FL
• Gregg Tremblay of Naples, FL
• William Minnielli at Tampa Pavement Constructors, Inc. of Winter Park, FL
• Leslie Hope at Hydra Engineering & Construction, LLC of Crawfordville, FL
• James Petri at Friends of The Carpenter, LLC of Lehigh Acres, FL
• Thomas White Jr. at Tom White, Inc. DBA Tom White Painting and Restoration of St. Petersburg, FL
• Ben Judd at Tom White, Inc. DBA Tom White Painting and Restoration of St. Petersburg, FL
• Robert Ainslie at Cambi, Inc. of Jasper, AL
• Stewart Scott at Extensys, Inc. of Oldsmar, FL
• Bradford Keller at We Are Techknowledgey LLC of Bonita Springs, FL
• David Dunshee at Coastline Construction Services, Inc. of Hollywood, FL
• James Caldwell of Winter Park, FL

 And remember if you would like to be set up on Social Media Networking sites, call Lisa at 239.963.5369 for more information.

Avoid Administrative Dissolution or Revocation

Yes we have called and emailed and shouted about this for months, but there are still a few business owners who have not filed your annual report. The original deadline of May 1st has obviously passed and the very final deadline is quickly approaching.  If you do not file by this final deadline of Friday, September 28th, your business will be dissolved or revoked. To reinstate a business is expensive and time consuming.

Avoid having your business administratively dissolved or revoked by filing your annual report by 5pm this Friday, September 28th, if you have not yet done so. Filings can be submitted directly on the Sunbiz website. Access to this website will not be available from 5 pm Friday, September 28th, until 8 am Monday, October 1st, for any electronic activity.

If you file between now and Friday, there will be a $400 penalty fee. It gets worse after Friday at 5pm. Any businesses that fail to submit annual reports by this deadline must file for reinstatement in order to continue doing any business.  The fee to file for reinstatement can be up to $750 or more. The longer you are inactive, the more it will cost.

If you took care of this by May 1st this post does not apply to you. We never want our clients to pay unnecessary fees or be caught working without being properly setup with the state. Feel free to contact us if we can assist you in any way with annual report filing or reinstatement. 

Registered Contractors Grandfathering Starts October 1st

We have some amazing news for anyone who holds a Registered Contractor’s license that is under the purview of the CILB. If you have held an active state-registered license for a minimum of 5 years, you can submit an application to receive an equivalent Certified License as of October 1, 2012. This means that you can then be licensed to do work in any county throughout Florida without having to get multiple county licenses! All you would need to do is register your one license in the county you wish to do business!

House Bill 897, which passed during the 2012 legislative session, was approved by Governor Rick Scott on May 4, 2012. This bill will re-open and extend the time period for contractors to request that their registered contractor’s license be grandfathered to a state wide certified contractor’s license. This grandfathering time period will take effect on October 1, 2012 and applications will be accepted until November 1, 2015.

The basics:

• Currently hold a valid state-registered construction license. (Specialty Licenses are not included in this grandfathering provision.)
• Have, for that category, passed a written examination that the board finds to be substantially similar to the examination required to be licensed as a certified contractor under this part.
• Have held an active state-registered license for a minimum of 5 years.
• Have not had your contractor's license revoked at any time, nor have had your license suspended or been assessed a fine in excess of $500 within the last 5 years.
• Hold the correct minimum insurances.
• Meet the minimum 660 credit score, or obtain a bond if you do not.
• Supply the application fee of $309.00.

This could be the perfect opportunity to expand your territory. Start getting those jobs that have always been just outside your reach…  Call the Team at Licenses, Etc. today to find out more. 

Licenses, Etc. Welcomes Todd and Sean

We are excited to be able to introduce some new team members to Licenses, Etc.! The gals you have come to know and love, have been joined by two gentlemen! Say hello to Todd and Sean and welcome them into our licensing family. To give them a proper introduction, some basic information about these guys has been written up below:

Todd Babbitt hails from the Washington, DC area, moving to Naples in 2001. Todd has an extensive business background including several years as a residential property investor and landlord, and a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch. Todd holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the New York Institute of Technology, and is a Certified Financial Planner. Todd has three beautiful women in his life, his wife and two young daughters.

Sean Dinneen has been a part of the Naples service industry for 10 years and has always enjoyed working with people. He considers his attention to detail and unwavering honesty to be some of his greatest attributes. He recently acquired his Florida Real Estate Sales license and has a strong desire for success. While away from the office, he enjoys playing racquetball, Crossfitting and cooking for friends and family.

Now that you know, you won’t be shocked to hear a male voice when you call! We know that these two will serve you just as dedicatedly as the gals have. Give us a call if you need anything.

Congratulations, August licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in August:

• Jamin Poe at P3 Construction & Energy Solutions, LLC of Pensacola, FL
• Ricardo Escobar of Doral, FL
• Irvin Zelaya at CNI Concepts Enterprises, Inc. of Miami, FL
• Charles Pritt at Hoffman Plumbing & Air Conditioning, LLC of Tampa, FL
• Del Suppo, Jr at Tri State Pool Covers, LLC of Donora, PA
• Blake Madgett at Madgett Construction, LLC of Boynton Beach, FL
• David Moran at Dusckas Development Group, LLC of Estero, FL
• Christopher Smith at UCMS, LLC of Lakeway, TX
• Joseph Crites at RF Installations, LLC of Grand Prairie, TX
• Michael Meridith at Hubbard Construction Company at Winter Park, FL
• Walt Hogan at Posh Pools of Florida, Inc. of Palm Harbor, FL
• Shawn Callahan at Certified Roofing, LLC of Cocoa, FL
• Sandi R. Kuhlemann at B and J Roofing, Inc. of Atlanta, GA
• Arthur Powell, III at Powell's A/C Repair, Inc. of Tampa, FL

For information on Social Media Networking, call Lisa at 239.777.8321.

Renewal Deadline Extended Due to Tropical Storm Isaac

The DBPR has extended the deadline for renewal of certified contractors and both certified and registered electrical contractors whose licenses are set to expire August 31, 2012. The deadline for these license holders is now midnight September 14, 2012. The state provided an extension because of the impact of Tropical Storm Isaac across the state.

These licensees now have until midnight on September 14, 2012 to complete their continuing education requirements and renew their licenses without having to pay a late fee. Renewal extension FAQs are also available online.

As always, use the online renewal system at www.myfloridalicense.com for faster, more efficient service. Licensees who wish to fax their continuing education course completion certificates to the Bureau of Education and Testing to expedite renewal may use fax number 850.922.2316.

For more information call the gals who always keep you current with the latest information available. Or email us at support@licensesetc.com. 

Re-activation of Inactive Licenses

There is some good news for contractors with Inactive licenses! The number of continuing education credits that an inactive or delinquent inactive licensee must complete before they can reactivate their license has been reduced. Effective July 1, 2012, an inactive or delinquent inactive licensee will only need to complete the CEUs for the renewal period immediately prior to the reactivation.

 

This means that only one cycle needs to be fulfilled. You no longer have to complete every year that you missed. You will need to complete the continuing education requirements in place at the time of the last renewal for your profession. That includes 14 hours of board-approved continuing education that must include the following:

For CILB Licenses -

·         8 hours general credit

·         1 hour workers’ compensation

·         1 hour workplace safety

·         1 hour business practices

·         1 hour advanced building code

·         1 hour laws and rules

·         1 hour wind mitigation methodologies

For ECLB Licenses -

·         7 hours technical

·         1 hour workers’ compensation

·         1 hour workplace safety

·         1 hour business practices

·         2 hours false alarm prevention (for all certified and registered alarm contractors and certified electrical contractors who perform alarm work)

·         1-3 hours general credit

·         1 hour Florida Building Code advanced module course

What a great change from the previous way of doing things. If you have any questions, as always you can shoot us an email or give us a ring.

Congratulations, July licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in July: 

• Justin Lantz at EIB Construction & Development, LLC of Miami, FL
• Gary Fuchs at G&F Equipment Rental, LLC of Oakland Park, FL
• Nelson Owen at Specialized Roofing and Contracting, LLC of Clearwater, FL
• Rodney Locke of Margate, FL
• Richard A. Adams III at R.A. Construction Corp of the Treasure Coast of Jensen Beach, FL
• Jason DuBois at Genesis Tower Services, LLC of Reading, PA
• Derek Bate of Melbourne, FL
• Brian Siewert of Orlando, FL
• Matthew Jamison of Indian Rocks Beach, FL
• Kent Goff at Goff + Goff LLC of Roswell, GA
• Iain Paterson at Hufcor/Orlando, Inc. DBA Hufcor Florida Group of Boynton Beach, FL
• Thomas Frei at SCQ LLC of Cape Coral, FL
• Henry Gembala at Schear Construction, LLC of Delray Beach, FL
• Andrew Ernst of Oviedo, FL
• Freeman Enmeier at Freeman Enmeier Enterprises LLC of Sarasota, FL
• Richard L. Saurel, Jr of Port St Lucie, FL
• John Gibson of Parrish, FL
• Stephen Scott Porter at Regal Stephens Construction, LLC of Santa Rosa Beach, FL
• Roger White IV at Ohlssen, LLC of Galliano, LA
• Jacob Burns at JGB Building, LLC of Miami, FL
• David Gembala at Schear Construction, LLC of Delray Beach, FL
• Daniel Fekete at Precise Plumbing, LLC of Apopka, FL
• Matthew Jamison at N9NE Constructors LLC of Indian Rocks Beach, FL
• Crystal Pinkston at Accident Cleaners of Williston, FL
• Jose Rua at JMR Contractors, LLC of Miami, FL
• Gene Loyd of Titusville, FL
• Anthony Gordon at Able Building Contractor, LLC of Cocoa, FL
• Mark Glenn at Loose Screw Construction, LLC of Orlando, FL
• Henry Willis at National Stone Works at Decatur, GA
• Danny Chopra of Orlando, FL
• Frank Blanco at C.I.S. Enterprises, LLC of Miami, FL
• Lindsay P Ayers at Ayers Carpentry, LLC of Trenton, FL
• Ryan Yancey at Southern Edge Contracting, LLC of Cooper City, FL
• Marc Lerdon at Seacost Marine Construction LLC of Port St Lucie, FL
• James O. Jones, Jr. at J.O. Jones Plubming, LLC of Hobe Sound, FL
• William Heath Blair at HSJ Excavation, LLC of Orlando, FL
• Charles Daniel Lucas at Lucas HVACR Services, LLC of Cocoa, FL
• Stewart Moon at Air & Energy, LLC of Holmes Beach, FL
• Chester VanSyckle at ShoreMaster, LLC of St. Augustine, FL
• Kenneth Goetzman at Goetzman Development, LLC of Starke, FL
• Joseph Rawdan at Complete Care Pool, LLC of Tampa, FL
• Gregory Gover at 2G Contracting of Zephyrhills, FL
• Hugh Ho Shin at Alpine Mechanical Services, LLC of Sellersville, PA
• Crystal D Anderson at Olneya Restoration Group, LLC of St. Louis, MO
• Ulises Del Castillo at Ulysses Enterprises, LLC of  Lake Worth, FL
• Brian Atkinson at Pure Water Pools of Naples, LLC of Naples, FL
• Mark Kane at Kane's Total Plumbing, LLC of North Port, FL
• Jason Hathaway at Jason's Plumbing Services, LLC of Naples, FL
• Stacy Alan Meunier at Golden Rule Custom Jobs, LLC of Orlando, FL
• James T. Smith at Hands on Maintenance & Repairs, LLC of Naples, FL
• Zachary M. Nelson at Infinigy Engineering PLLC of Chattanooga, TN
• Kent Drechsler at KRD Remodeling, LLC of Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Eric Brown at Statewide General Contractors, LLC dba D. Brown General Contractors of Naples, FL
• Keith Taylor at Plan-It Contractor Services, LLC of St. Petersburg, FL
• David Dorsch at Ginier Metal, LLC of West Park, FL
• Emilio Lopez Garaicoa at E E L Renovations, LLC of  Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Michael Brogan at Bay to Bay Tile, Inc. DBA Bay Tile Kitchen & Bath of Clearwater, FL
• Stover Henry Creasy, III at The Ale Group, LLC of Naples, FL
• Mark Warr at DaMar Contractors, LLC of  Palm Bay, FL
• Samuel Santiago at Restore My Home, LLC of  Davie, FL
• Kyle Maxwell at Bigfoot Roofing & Waterproofing, LLC of  Jacksonville, FL
• Daniel Benjamin at Sundance Contracting & Property Management, LLC of Fort Myers, FL
• Luis Garcia at LGI Construction Group LLC of Orlando, FL
• Wayne Swanwick at Commercial Renovation Services, LLC of Delray Beach, FL
• Terry Rathbun at Triangle Associates, Inc. of Triangle Associates Construction Group, Inc. of Grand Rapids, MI
• Norton Jones, Jr. at Alpine Mechanical Services, LLC of Sellersville, PA
• Martin Sukkert at Urban Oaks Builders, LLC of Atlanta, GA

For information on Social Media Networking, call Lisa at 239.777.8321.

Veterans Licensing Fees Can Be Waived

The DBPR has taken a step forward to help veterans that are coming home from active duty. As of July 1st, the state has the ability to waive licensing fees for military veterans who apply for a state license within 24 months of an honorable discharge. The fees that can be waived include the initial license fee, initial application fee and initial unlicensed activity fee. 


What is the fine print? 

• Veterans must apply for licensure within 24 months of being honorably discharged from a branch of the United States Armed Forces, including National Guard units. 

• The veteran must provide a DD-214 or NGB-22 form as proof of honorable discharge and the Military Veteran Fee Waiver Request must be submitted with the application.

• This waiver does not include examination fees or other incidental fees, but the VA will reimburse eligible applicants for the cost of licensing and certification examinations. This reimbursement cannot exceed $2,000 per test. The exams they are reimbursing must be deemed necessary to pursue a trade or profession.

Call us if you have any questions regarding this new waiver. We can help you to find out how you or your loved one can get their feet back under them upon returning home. Starting a new business or becoming a part of an existing team starts with a call to the gals at Licenses, Etc.

Congratulations, June licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in June:

• Gary Mighell of Naples, FL
• Bill Bryan at Bryan Construction Group, Inc. of Orlando, FL
• Tim Miller at DI Construction, LLC of Kokomo, IN
• Mitchell Webster at Elite Construction & Inspection Services, Inc. of Vero Beach, FL
• Quentin Vaughan Hancock at Parkway Construction & Associates, L.P. of Flower Mound, TX
• Michael Soule at Gulfshore Construction Management, LLC DBA Gulfshore Homes of Bonita Springs, FL
• Brian McNabb at Total Plumbing and Maintenance Services, Inc. of Lakeland, FL
• Robert Shearer at Payless Plumbing Service, Inc. of Cape Coral, FL
• Lewis Hournbuckle at InQuip Associates, Inc. of McLean, VA
• Mark Napoli at Napoli Construction, LLC of Naples, FL
• Jeffrey Baller at J Baller Construction, LLC of Fort Myers, FL
• Charles Barker at Barker Building Co. of Santa Rosa Beach, FL
• Robert Baker (FRO) at Baker Concrete Construction, Inc. of Monroe, OH
• Scott Miller at Miller Building & Repair Services, Inc. of Seffner, FL
• Richard Haff at LaCosta Builders Inc. of Bonita Springs, FL
• Kristin John Schlembach at K.M.R. Enterprises, Inc. DBA KMR Enterprises of New Jersey, Inc. DBA KMR Enterprises, Inc. of Ocean City, NJ
• Paul Strader at RECSFL, Inc. of Santa Ana, CA
• John Dransfield at Restoration H2O911, LLC of Fort Myers, FL
• Dennis Jabs at Greden Builders, Inc. of Leesburg, FL
• John Toppino at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc. of Key West, FL
• Michael W. Henry at Mike Henry's Construction Services, Inc. of Santa Rosa Beach, FL
• Richard A. Adams III at R.A. Construction Corp of the Treasure Coast of Port St Lucie, FL
• Patrick Wall at Wall Bros. Construction, LLC of St. Cloud, FL
• Kyle Crisp at Kendale Design / Build General Contractor, LLC of Jacksonville, FL
• Thomas Christopher Alley at Alley Design To Build, Inc. of Naples, FL
• Jason Barfield of Lakeland, FL
• Tony Rodriguez at Elite Concrete Designing of N. Miami, FL
• Anthony Marafino of Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Ena Cordoves at AE Builders, Inc. of Coral Gables, FL
• Jarek Freund at J.J.F. Construction & Property Management, Inc. of Naples, FL
• Freeman Enmeier at Freeman Enmeier Enterprises LLC of Sarasota, FL
• Michael Wohlrab at E.C.P. Of Sarasota, Inc. DBA Andy onCall of Sarasota, FL
• Martin Toro at Martin Toro Contracting, Inc. of Orlando, FL
• Terry "Hank" Porter at HP Construction, LLC of Naples, FL
• Justin Lantz at EIB Construction & Development, Inc. of Miami, FL
• Jon Dickerson at Dickerson Construction Company of Central Florida, Inc.

For information on Social Media Networking, call Lisa at 239.777.8321.

Glass & Glazing No Longer Requires State Licensing

The state giveth and the state taketh away.  Governor Scott signed a legislative bill that repeals the Glass and Glazing contractor category from the mandatory Division II licenses. Yes, we know, they just created this category last year! The new rules will take effect July 1^st.

What does this mean for you if you were one of the many that went for the Certified Glass and Glazing Contractor license? It means that your license number is going to change.  Those license numbers began with CGG. They will now be reclassified to the Certified Specialty Contractor license (SCC).

If you are one of the many that are getting into this trade, it means that this is not a mandatory state license. You can be licensed to do this work on a county level OR a state level. If you are confused, don’t worry, you are not alone. You can always give the gals at Licenses, Etc a call to find out the specifics. But if you want to read up on it for yourself, visit http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cilb/index.html and check out the hot topic that is top of the list.

Renewing a License

It’s that time again. Time for Florida contractor license renewal!  Unless your license is brand new, you should have received a renewal notice in the mail from the DBPR.  There are two parts to the process of renewing any Florida construction license:

1. Paying the renewal fee 
2. Completing the requisite CEU courses

Let’s start with the CEU hours.  The vast majority of you will need to do 14 hours to renew your license, as the state requires 14 CEU hours for each 2 year renewal cycle.  For those of you that will have been licensed for less than 2 years at the time of renewal (8/31/12 for Certified Contractor, and Certified Electrician or 7/31/12 for Home Inspector or Mold) your CEU requirements are less:

• People licensed as a Home Inspector, Mold Remediator or Mold Assessor are not required to do any CEUs at all for this renewal cycle.  
• Certified Contractors and Electricians are required to do 7 hours if they received their license between 8/31/10 and 8/31/11 and are exempt from CEUs for this cycle if they received their license 9/1/11 or later.  

We are sure you’ve been bombarded with offers from different education providers; there are many options available both online and classroom.  Just keep this one tidbit in mind when you schedule your courses:  No classes taken prior to 8/31/12 will be rolled over to the 8/31/14 renewal cycle. So if you take more hours than you need, you’ll be gaining knowledge, but won’t be gaining a head-start on the future renewal cycle.

Now onto the fee payment.  About a year or so ago the DBPR upgraded their online system, so unless you’ve been onto their website pretty recently you’ll probably have to re-register your information with them. We posted a comprehensive how-to on this which you can read here:  http://licensesetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-online-system-at-dbpr.html, however, the state does now have more condensed instructions here:

https://www.myfloridalicense.com/info.asp.

There are also tutorials available on DBPR website: 

• How to set up a username/password:  https://www.myfloridalicense.com/vo/Registering-as-a-New-User.pdf
• How to link your license to an online account:  https://www.myfloridalicense.com/vo/Linking-an-Exisiting-License.pdf

So anyway, once you’re logged on, it looks like this:

 Click on the license you’d like to renew from those listed on the right.  

Then you get this screen:

• Select Renew from the options shown. 
• A disclaimer screen explaining CEU information pops up.  Read it, and then select Next.
• A screen with your name, birthday and SSN pops up.  Select Next.
• A screen with your main address pops up (see below).  If you’d like to change that address, click the “main address” button and you’ll be able to update.  If you’d like to add an additional address (license location, license mailing) or add an additional phone number, click “add”.  Otherwise, select Next.

• A summary page pops up confirming any changes and providing the information that will be saved into the system.  Read and if all is good select Next, otherwise select Previous to make changes.
• Complete the Attest Statement by selecting “Yes” and the pressing Submit.

A payment screen pops up showing what you owe to renew.  Click PAY NOW to complete the transaction OR click SUBMIT ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS if you have more than one license that needs to be renewed.

You have the option of paying by credit card or electronic check.  To pay by credit card you will need to provide the name on the card, card type, card number and expiration date.  Once you have entered that information, select next.  The card will then be processed and a confirmation number will be provided.  You may want to print this screen for your records.

That’s it!  

Congratulations, May licensees!

Congratulations to the following Licenses, Etc. clients who were approved in May:

•  Michael Bevacqua at MDB General Contractors, Inc. of Naples, FL
• Gary Eckrote of Plymouth, PA
• Derek Bate at Cinqcraft, Inc. A Florida Corporation of Melbourne, FL
• Kashy Hubbell at Hubbell Contracting, LLC of Sarasota, FL
• Paul Lentini at Lentini Consulting, Inc. of Jupiter, FL
• Gary Fuchs at G&F Equipment Rental, Inc. of Oakland Park, FL
• Jack Cole at Hilltop Investments of Walton Inc. of DeFuniak Spring, FL
• Lance Jones at Lifeguard Systems Services, Inc. of Greencove Springs, FL
• Thomas Pennington at Pebbleworks Pool Surface Applications, Inc. of Cape Coral, FL
• Robert DeSantis at DeSantis Construction Management, Inc. of Fort Myers, FL
• Pablo Arnaud at Above and Beyond Services and Construction, Inc. of Winter Haven, FL
• Kyle Klewin at Klewin Construction, Inc. & Klewin Construction Services, LLC of West Palm Beach, FL
• Clementina Osorio Munoz at Liberty Eagle Contracting Corp of Delray Beach, FL
• Robert DeSantis at Contractor Systems Glass & Railing Inc. of Fort Myers, FL
• Barbaro Fernandez at Professional Plumbing Services, Inc. of Naples, FL
• Kent Goff at Goff + Goff Inc. of Roswell, GA
• Wilfredo Rodriguez, Jr. at Ocean Restoration and Builder of Florida, LLC of Tampa, FL
• Anthony C Ferguson at Benchmark South Construction LLC of Jupiter, FL
• Kathleen Reed at Bruno Brothers, Inc. of Alva, FL
• Joe Cestero of Atlanta, GA
• Victor Lombardi at Waters Edge Estates, LLC of Vero Beach, FL
• Robert Clark at Mill-Rite Woodworking Company, Inc. of Pinellas Park, FL
• Bobby Lee Moore, Jr. at RDT Construction Group Inc. of DeLeon, FL
• Antonio Abreu at Don Works USA, Inc. of Miami, FL
• Michael Powell of Cape Coral, FL
• John Leon McAnally at MCC and Associates, Inc. DBA McAnally Construction Company, Inc. of Rockwall, TX
• George Crabtree of Naples, FL
• Jason Orlando at Lando Construction, Inc. of Cape Coral, FL
• David Gembala at Atlas Apex Roofing of Delray Beach, FL
• Robert MacDonald at Marina Utilities, Inc. of Bonita Springs, FL
• William Gaston Jr. at WKMJ, LLC of Naples, FL

 For information on Social Media Networking, call Lisa at 239.777.8321.