To work as a contractor in Florida in the solar water heating and/or the photovoltaic (PV) installation industry requires licensing by the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board or the Electrical Contractors Licensing Board of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.  Under these two boards, the following licenses may be received (all of the following licenses require registration with the board, payment of fees and the passing of an examination):

1. Solar Contractor (CV) is an individual whose scope of work covers residential and commercial solar water heating, solar pool heating and photovoltaic (solar electric, or PV) systems. The CV license holder is exempt from subcontracting certain roofing, plumbing and electrical work on residential installations.
   
   
2. Residential Solar Water Heating Specialty Contractor (CW) is an individual whose scope of work is limited to solar water heating and solar pool heating systems on residences only. The CW license holder is not authorized to install PV systems and is not authorized to install solar water heating or pool heating systems on commercial buildings. Since the CW license does not have these tasks included in its scope of work, a CW license holder may not subcontract the work to an authorized license holder (such as an electrical contractor or CV solar contractor).
   
   
3. Plumbing Contractor (PF) is an individual who is also authorized to install solar water heaters and pool heaters, but may be required to subcontract roofing and electrical work if the local building department so requires. Plumbing contractors are not authorized to install PV systems.
   
   
4. Electrical Contractor (EC) is an individual who may install, maintain, repair, or alter any electrical service (including PV systems). Electrical contractors may be required to subcontract roofing work if the local building department so requires.
   
   
5. Solar pool heaters may be installed by a Certified Swimming Pool Contractors (CP, RP).
   
   
6. Local Licensing - Several local (city or county) licensing jurisdictions have established a solar contractor certificate of competency that is usually designated as an RX license. These are limited to the installation of solar water or pool heaters only within the jurisdiction that has granted the license, and generally will not be authorized to install PV systems.

The requirements for licensing under the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board are:

1. Must be 18 years of age and of moral character. Applicant must have 4 years of field experience in the area that is applied for. One year of the 4 must be supervisory experience.  College education can be substituted for 3 years of experience. The college work does not have to be in the area.
   
   
2. Passing the written exam.  The written exam costs $135 and is a 2 day open book multiple choice exam. The exam has two parts -- business and financial skills and trade knowledge. Each day exam is 4 hours and 45 minutes. The Florida examination for solar contractors (solar thermal and PV) is developed by subject matter experts who are typically licensed solar contractors.

As an example of licenses, the Florida Legislature established a solar rebate program for residential and commercial solar water heaters and PV systems, and residential solar pool heaters. The legislature determined that a solar water or pool heater must be installed by a solar contractor or plumbing contractor; and a PV system must be installed by a solar contractor or an electrical contractor. As a practical matter, this means that a residential solar water or pool heater may be installed by someone with a CW, CV, CF or RX (with a solar designation) license; a commercial solar hot water heater may be installed by a CV or CF, but not a CW or RX license holder. A residential or commercial PV system may be installed by a CV or EC, but not a CW, CF or RX license holder. The statute did not authorize solar pool heaters installed by swimming pool contractors as eligible for a rebate. Systems installed by unauthorized contractors are not eligible for rebates.

On the national level, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) provides industry-recognized certification. One of the objectives of the Banner Center is to train the participants for successfully taking the appropriate Florida contractor’s exam or the entry-level NABCEP exam. NABCEP is a national certification and as such, it is not adequate for Florida Licensing. In other words, NABCEP will not automatically qualify an individual for a Florida construction industry license. The best license is the one given by the Florida construction board or electrical board. With a Florida license, the local city or county building code officials must allow the individual to draw a permit for installation and to make the installation.