Florida emergency order waives requirements for contractors after hurricane

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Florida emergency order was put into effect that will waive certain contractor requirements to speed up help for homeowners and businesses impacted by Hurricane Ian, according to state officials.

Florida Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Melanie Griffin signed the emergency order Saturday, which is set to take effect in the following Florida counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Desoto, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, St. Jones, St. Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Union and Volusia.

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The order waives certain requirements for general, building, or residential contractors who are certified or registered in Florida.

According to the order, such contractors will be allowed to perform their own roof repairs and replacements without subcontracting to a licensed roofer.

Registered contractors from any local jurisdiction in Florida will also be allowed to contract for work in the listed counties, even if those counties might ordinarily be outside their geographical scope limitations, the order states.

Griffin said the deregulations would allow contractors to more quickly assist those whose homes or buildings were damaged by Ian, which left significant amounts of damage in its wake.

“Gov. Ron DeSantis has given us a firm directive to bring all resources to the table for the millions of Floridians impacted by this disaster,” Griffin said in a release. “Within the framework provided by law, this emergency order assures Floridians have access to licensed contractors now able to deploy from across the state and put their professional skills to work.”

While the order is aimed at relaxing requirements, contractors are still required to obtain licensure in Florida before contracting for work, the release shows.

For information on how to obtain a license as a Florida certified or registered roofing contractor, call 850-487-1395 or click here.

A copy of Emergency Order 2022-03 has been attached to this story and can be read below.