A dead outlet, a switch that stopped working or a light fixture that needs replacing can look like a small job, the kind a handyman handles along with a door hinge and a leaky faucet. In Florida, though, electrical work is licensed work, and the size of the job does not change that. Here is where the line is, why it matters for a homeowner, and how to check who you are hiring in a couple of minutes.
What Florida law says
Florida licenses electrical contractors under Part II of Chapter 489 of the Florida Statutes. Section 489.531 makes it a misdemeanor of the first degree to practice electrical contracting without a license, and a felony of the third degree for a repeat offense or for doing it during a state of emergency declared by the Governor. That last point matters in South Florida, where emergencies are declared around hurricanes, which is exactly when unlicensed operators appear offering quick repairs.
There is no general handyman license in Florida that covers electrical work. A handyman can do plenty around a house, but wiring, outlets, switches, breakers, fixtures connected to house wiring and panels fall on the electrical side of the line. There are narrow exemptions, such as a homeowner doing work on their own home under an owner-builder permit, which comes with its own obligations. Our guide to owner-builder electrical permits covers that route.
Why it matters to you, not just to the state
The law is the obvious reason. The practical reasons are more persuasive:
- Diagnosis. The hard part of most electrical repairs is finding the cause. A dead outlet can be a failed device, a loose connection two outlets upstream, a tripped GFCI in another room, or a problem at the panel. Replacing the outlet that looks dead often does not fix it, and sometimes hides the real fault.
- Hidden heat. The failures that start fires are usually loose or overheated connections inside boxes and panels. Spotting them, and knowing what a safe connection looks like, is what electrical training is for.
- Permits and inspections. Some electrical work needs a permit, such as panel replacements and new circuits. A licensed contractor can pull one; an unlicensed person cannot, and unpermitted work can surface later during an inspection or a home sale.
- Accountability. A licensed contractor answers to the state licensing board. If something goes wrong, you have somewhere to turn.
How to check a license in two minutes
Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) runs a free license search. Search by the person's name, the company name or the license number. An electrical contractor license starts with EC (a statewide license) or ER (a license registered with a local jurisdiction). Check three things:
- The license is current and active, not expired, suspended or revoked.
- The name on the license matches the company or person you are hiring.
- The license type covers electrical work. A general or building contractor license is not the same thing.
Our post on Florida electrical license types explains EC, ER and the specialty licenses in more detail. KRW Electric's license is EC13012832, and you are welcome to look it up.
Questions to ask anyone before electrical work
- What is your license number? (Then look it up.)
- What do you think is causing the problem, and how will you confirm it?
- Does this job need a permit? If so, who pulls it?
- What happens if you find something larger once you open the box or panel?
- Will you test the circuit after the repair?
A licensed electrician will answer all five without hesitation. Vague answers to the first and third are a reason to keep looking.
Red flags
- No license number, or a number that does not match the name when you look it up.
- An offer to skip the permit to save time on work that needs one.
- Pressure to decide on the spot, especially after a storm.
- No clear explanation of what is wrong or what the repair will be.
Where a handyman is still the right call
None of this is a knock on handymen. Patching drywall after an electrician has finished, hanging pictures, assembling furniture and changing a light bulb are not electrical contracting. A sensible split on a remodel is to have the electrician do anything connected to house wiring and the handyman do the rest. If you are not sure which side of the line a job falls on, call a licensed electrician and ask. A short phone call costs nothing and often settles it.
After a storm, be more careful, not less
After a hurricane, demand for electricians spikes and so do door-to-door offers. That is the moment unlicensed electrical work is treated most seriously under Florida law, and the moment water and salt have made electrical repairs more delicate. Check the license, insist on a permit where one is needed, and do not let anyone re-energize equipment that has been under water without checking it first. Our post-storm electrical safety guide covers what to look at.
Need it looked at?
KRW Electric (EC13012832) troubleshoots and repairs outlets, switches, breakers, lighting and panels in Pinecrest, Coconut Grove, South Miami and Miami Beach, with same-day service when scheduling permits. Call (305) 359-7312 and tell us what you are seeing. We will ask a few questions, tell you whether it sounds urgent, and give you the earliest time we have. Our before you call checklist covers what to have ready, and what happens on a repair visit explains the rest.
Reviewed by Kyle White, KRW Electric Company LLC — licensed electrical contractor EC13012832.
