Licensed Pool Contractors in Broward County: What to Verify Before Hiring
Hiring a pool contractor in Broward County without verifying credentials exposes property owners to uninsured liability, code violations, and work that cannot be legally permitted or inspected. Florida maintains a state-level licensing structure for pool contractors that is distinct from general contracting, and Broward County enforces local permitting requirements layered on top of state law. This page describes how that licensing framework is structured, what credentials apply, and where the regulatory boundaries lie for pool work performed within the county.
Definition and scope
A licensed pool contractor in Florida is a professional holding a state-issued certification or registration under Chapter 489 of the Florida Statutes (Florida Statutes §489), which governs construction contracting. Pool contracting is classified as a specialty contractor category within this statute, separate from general, building, or mechanical contracting.
Florida recognizes two primary license tiers for pool contractors:
- Certified Pool/Spa Contractor — Licensed statewide by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). A certified contractor can operate in any Florida county without additional local examination. The DBPR issues this license under the Certified Pool/Spa Contractor category.
- Registered Pool/Spa Contractor — Registered at the state level but qualified through a local licensing board. A registered contractor's authority is geographically limited to the jurisdiction where the local exam was passed.
For Broward County specifically, the Broward County Central Examining Board of Building Construction Trades oversees local registration and examinations. Registered contractors who passed through a different county's board — Dade or Palm Beach, for example — are not automatically authorized to pull permits in Broward County without demonstrating local qualification or holding a statewide certified license.
Scope and coverage limitations: This page applies exclusively to pool construction, repair, and renovation work performed within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Broward County, Florida. Municipal jurisdictions within Broward — such as Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, or Pompano Beach — may have additional local requirements beyond the county baseline. Work performed in Miami-Dade County or Palm Beach County falls under separate regulatory frameworks and is not covered here.
How it works
Before any structural pool work begins in Broward County — including pool crack repair, resurfacing, equipment replacement, or plumbing modification — a permit must be pulled from the applicable building department. Only a licensed pool contractor (certified statewide or registered locally) can legally pull that permit in Florida.
The verification process follows a structured sequence:
- Confirm state license status — Search the contractor's name or license number through the DBPR's online license verification portal at myfloridalicense.com. The license must show an active status in the Pool/Spa Contractor category.
- Confirm license type — Determine whether the contractor holds a certified (statewide) or registered (local) license. Registered contractors must be qualified in Broward County specifically.
- Verify workers' compensation coverage — Florida law requires contractors with one or more employees to carry workers' compensation insurance. Sole proprietors may be exempt but must file a valid exemption with the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation (Florida DWC). Uninsured work shifts liability to the property owner under Florida law.
- Confirm general liability insurance — No state minimum threshold is set by statute for pool contractor general liability, but Broward County permit applications typically require proof of coverage at or above $300,000 per occurrence for residential work.
- Validate permit history — The Broward County Permit Center maintains searchable permit records. Contractors with a pattern of open, expired, or failed inspections represent a measurable compliance risk.
Inspections are required at defined stages of pool construction and renovation. For repair work, the inspection requirement depends on permit type — a structural repair to a pool shell requires inspection, while a filter cartridge replacement typically does not require a permit at all. Pool inspection processes in Broward County are administered through the applicable municipal or county building department based on property address.
Common scenarios
Scenario 1: Repair work requiring a permit vs. maintenance work that does not.
Replacing a pool pump motor on an existing pad is generally classified as maintenance and does not require a permit in Broward County. Installing a new variable speed pump with electrical modifications, or relocating equipment, crosses into permit territory. The line separates like-for-like replacement from altered scope of work.
Scenario 2: Post-hurricane damage repairs.
Hurricane damage pool repair in Broward County frequently involves structural assessment of the shell, coping, or surrounding deck. Structural pool repairs — including crack injection, shell patching, or full resurfacing following storm damage — require permits and must be completed by a licensed contractor. Insurance adjusters in Florida are familiar with this requirement; work performed without a permit may be disqualified from claim reimbursement.
Scenario 3: Unlicensed contractor offers.
A contractor who cannot produce a DBPR license number in the Pool/Spa category is not legally authorized to perform permitted pool work in Florida. Handyman exemptions do not extend to pool construction or structural pool repair under Florida Statutes §489.
Decision boundaries
The threshold between licensed contractor requirement and unlicensed maintenance work rests on three criteria: structural impact, permit obligation, and trade specialization.
| Work Type | Permit Required | Licensed Pool Contractor Required |
|---|---|---|
| Pool resurfacing (plaster, pebble, tile) | Yes | Yes |
| Equipment pad construction | Yes | Yes |
| Pool shell crack repair | Yes | Yes |
| Filter media replacement | No | No |
| Chemical treatment | No | No |
| Light fixture replacement (same housing) | Varies by municipality | Recommended |
| New pool construction | Yes | Yes |
| Pool deck repair (non-structural) | Varies | Varies |
Contractors holding only a general contractor license (Division I or II under Florida Statutes §489) are not authorized to perform pool contracting work unless they separately hold a pool/spa specialty license. This distinction matters when a general contractor proposes to include pool work within a broader renovation scope.
For pool service permits in Broward County, the applicable building department — either Broward County Building Code Division or the municipal department for the relevant city — is the authoritative source for permit fee schedules, required documentation, and inspection stage requirements.
Safety barriers, entrapment protection, and barrier compliance requirements for pools are governed under the Florida Building Code and Florida Statutes §515. Pool safety barrier compliance in Broward County applies to all pool construction and substantial renovation permits and cannot be waived by a contractor or property owner.
References
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — License Verification
- Florida Statutes Chapter 489 — Construction Contracting
- Florida Statutes Chapter 515 — Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act
- Florida Division of Workers' Compensation — Coverage Requirements
- Broward County Building Code Division — Permit Center
- Florida Building Code — Online Access via Florida Building Commission