Florida mold laws and regulations

It depends on the job. Florida defines mold assessment and mold remediation in Part XVI by reference to mold growth greater than 10 square feet. Offering or performing those services generally requires the applicable license, unless a statutory exemption applies. Examples include a residential property owner working on their own property, an employee directly supervised by a licensed assessor or remediator, and certain people acting within another license's scope. The 10 square-foot threshold is a licensing definition, not a general homeowner prohibition.

No. DBPR licenses individuals, not mold businesses. Corporations and partnerships may offer mold assessment or remediation to the public only through licensed individuals, and the corporation cannot hold the license itself even though it remains responsible for its agents' work. A business offering both services needs the assessor and remediator license categories; DBPR does not say these must be held by two different people. Ask for the license of the individual who will actually do the work rather than accepting a company number.

It is a Florida licensing threshold, not a safety or permit line. F.S. 468.8411 defines mold assessment and remediation as work on growth greater than 10 square feet, so offering that work as a service involves the Part XVI license scheme. It does not mean smaller jobs are safe, and it does not exempt a job from Chapter 489 contractor licensing, building-code compliance or a local permit. EPA uses its own 10, 10-100 and 100+ categories as cleanup guidance, not health thresholds.

If you are the residential property owner working on your own property, Florida law exempts you from the Part XVI mold-license requirements. Separately, EPA says homeowners can handle areas under about 10 square feet in most cases. EPA advises consulting a professional for larger areas, extensive water damage, suspected mold in HVAC, sewage or contaminated water, or health concerns. Chapter 489 and local permit requirements may still apply to the underlying repair.

Look up the individual in DBPR's license search, not the company name. Licensing requirements depend on the application path: DBPR lists education, field experience, documented training, an approved exam, and a background check for initial licensure, with separate requirements for endorsement. Licensees must maintain the insurance required for their category; DBPR permits company coverage if the licensee is named on the policy. Renewal is biennial and requires 14 hours of continuing education per cycle, subject to DBPR's first-renewal exception. Check the status is current before hiring.

A contract to perform mold assessment or remediation must be in a document or electronic record signed or otherwise authenticated by the parties. A mold assessment contract does not have to estimate repair costs. Separately, a contractor may not provide an agreement authorizing repairs under a property insurance claim without a good-faith, itemized and detailed estimate of the services and materials, though differences caused by the insurer's adjustment process are allowed. Ask for the signed record and the itemized estimate.