A Solar Contractor in Florida | What you need to Know

Solar Licensing

A solar installer or solar contractor is someone who maintains, installs, and repairs commercial solar panels in people’s homes and properties. These contractors have the crucial job of making sure all necessary equipment is grounded and safety standards are met, they are required to be licensed by the State of Florida.

Who Needs a License to Install Solar

All solar contractors in Florida are required to meet the standards set under these laws, and this contractor license is vital for anyone who works with solar thermal or PV (photovoltaic) systems.

“Any contractor who repairs, installs, maintains, relocates, alters, or replaces solar systems needs to have solar licensing” [1].

People working under the contractor (employees, for example) do not need to be licensed.

How to Verify a Contractor’s License

When you hire a solar contractor in Florida, you trust them with your home’s heating and electrical system. Therefore, you must ensure that your contractor has the right expertise, experience and is a licensed Florida solar contractor. To help you out, we have combined a few tips to verify a solar contractor’s license:

Look up the contractor’s license online, at www.myfloridalicense.com. You can enter the license number, which will reveal all relevant information about your contractor’s license.

There are two types of IDs: Certified Solar Contractor (CV) and Heating Specialty Contractor (CW). A contractor with a CV license can serve both commercial and residential solar heating needs, while a person with a CW license is limited to residential work only. Make sure to check your contractor’s license type and ensure that it is in line with your needs.

Steps to Becoming a Florida Solar Contractor

As trends have been growing over the past 20 years for green power and solar energy in Florida, many people have gravitated towards a career in solar work. If you are one of these people, here are some of the steps to becoming a licensed Florida solar contractor.

You need to appear for solar exams, which are conducted in February, June, and October in the state of Florida.
You need to sign up for one of these examinations at least 30 days prior to the examination schedule.
You first need to take an exam on the practical trade (solar installation), and then another one on finance and business.
You need to pass all components of the examination within 2 years of your first exam registration date.
There is also a list of qualifications you need to meet, without which you cannot obtain your license even if you pass the exam. There are 3 criteria, and you must be eligible for at least one of them.

A bachelor’s degree for 4-years College in architecture, building construction, or engineering; not less than 1 year of proven experience in the said field and a minimum of 2,000 hours of work to determine full-time eligibility.
A combination of at least a year’s experience as a foreman and 3 years of credits for college-level courses.
A total of 4 years of active worker experience, under the leadership of a skilled employer.

Solar Licensing Requirements by State

Any Florida solar contractor has to go through a variety of tests and attain special certifications to be able to obtain a license for solar work. You must:

Have at least four years of experience, including one year’s work as a foreman.
Undergo screening for criminal background history.
Be at least 18 years of age.
Have a state-obtained solar contractor license.
Show experience in photovoltaic systems, swimming pool/ spa heating systems, and domestic water solar heating systems.