Florida does not require a state contractor licence for general handyman-scope work -- but certain trades stay separately licensed no matter the job size. This page explains the rule; it is not a claim about this operator's own licence status, which is disclosed separately on our About page.
Florida doesn’t require a state contractor licence for general handyman work like ours -- things like drywall patching, door and window repair, deck and fence repair, gutter cleaning and similar punch-list jobs. That doesn’t make it a licensing-free zone, though: it doesn’t let anyone advertise or represent themselves as a licensed contractor, and it doesn’t cover work that belongs to a separately licensed trade.
Electrical, plumbing, roofing, HVAC/air-conditioning and pool work each fall under their own separate licensing categories and always require their own licensed contractor, no matter how small the job. If a job in your home turns out to be one of those trades, it needs a separately licensed professional -- not a handyman -- and we’ll tell you when your project needs one.
A licensing exemption does not exempt work from permitting. The City of Longwood's own guidance is that most structural work -- including deck and fence repair beyond a small area -- needs a building permit regardless of who performs it or how the contract is priced, and directs residents to call the Building Division to confirm scope-specific requirements. See our deck repair cost page for the permit specifics on that job type.
The City of Longwood requires its own annual Local Business Tax Receipt (City Code Chapter 82) for businesses operating in the city, applied for via the City's SmartGov portal.
ZIP 32779 and everything west of I-4 with a Longwood mailing address is unincorporated Seminole County, not the City of Longwood -- any permit for that address goes through the County Building Division in Sanford instead of the City. See our service areas page for the neighborhood-level breakdown.
Not necessarily. Florida doesn't require a state contractor licence for general handyman work like ours. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing always require their own licensed contractor, no matter how small the job -- we don't perform that work, and we'll tell you when your project needs one.
Electrical, plumbing, roofing, HVAC/air-conditioning and pool work each fall under their own licensing categories and are never covered by general handyman framing, regardless of how small the task feels. If a job in your house turns out to need one of those trades, it needs a separately licensed professional, not a handyman.
The City requires an annual Local Business Tax Receipt (City Code Chapter 82) for businesses operating in the city, applied for through the City's SmartGov portal.
Often, yes. The City's guidance distinguishes small-area repairs (generally no permit) from larger repairs (permit required) but does not publish a bright-line threshold -- it directs residents to contact the Building Division to confirm. A fence permit application needs the signed contract (or an owner/builder statement), HOA approval where applicable, and two copies of a property survey showing fence and gate locations.
Sources
Every figure above is a primary-source document or a named third-party cost guide, checked September 2026. Fee schedules and market prices change without notice.
