TO: Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator
Anthony Warren, Director of Building and Facilities Services
FROM: Scott P. McAdam, Building Official
DATE: September 8, 2025
SUBJECT: Ordinance Amending Chapter 400 of the Indian River County Code entitled: Chapter 400. Regulation of Contractors.
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BACKGROUND
Indian River County Ordinance Chapter 400 amendments are required due to recent State legislation mandating preemption of local occupational licensing changes.
2021 House Bill 735 Preemption of Local Occupational Licensing, preempted most local licensing categories unless the local government imposed licensing before January 1, 2021, which Indian River County has imposed local licensing before then, but local licensing would expire July 1, 2023. HB 735 also indicated a number of job scopes which the local government may not continue to require a local license for such as painting, flooring cabinetry, etc. 2023 House Bill 1383 Specialty Contractors, provided a one year extension for local licensing to expire July 1, 2024 and required Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Board to create a number of new Specialty License categories to address concerns from the industry. 2024 Senate Bill SB 1142 Occupational Licensing, provided for an additional one year extension for local licensing to expire July 1, 2025, and added a process for local licensed contractors to voluntarily become registered with the state, which was also a concern of the industry. The state preemption changes also allow for jurisdictions to continue to license local license categories that “substantially correspond” to a state contractor category.
ANALYSIS
It is the desire of the Building Division to license local contractors in order to regulate the construction activity, verify businesses and to protect the citizens of Indian River County. The Building Div...
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