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What an Altamonte Springs handyman can and can’t legally do
Florida does not require a state contractor license for general handyman work like ours, but the rule has real edges: trades that are never included no matter how small the job, and a separate local business-tax requirement that has nothing to do with the state license question. This page explains both. It describes the rule, not this business’s own credential status -- see our about page and contact page for that.
General handyman work doesn’t need a state contractor license
Florida exempts small, casual jobs -- the kind of drywall patching, fixture installs, TV mounting and punch-list work we do -- from state contractor licensing. That exemption doesn’t apply to a job that’s part of a larger operation, to a job split into smaller pieces specifically to stay under the licensing threshold, or to anyone who advertises themselves as a licensed contractor. It’s a narrow carve-out for genuinely minor work, not a blanket pass for “handyman” jobs of any size.
Electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing stay licensed at any price
Whatever the job size, that exemption has never applied to electrical, plumbing, HVAC/mechanical or roofing work -- those trades require their own Florida license regardless of how small or cheap the job is. A permit requirement is a separate hard stop of its own -- any job that needs a building permit needs a licensed contractor to pull it, no matter what the general handyman scope would otherwise allow.
| Work type | Licensing status |
|---|---|
| Drywall patching, door/window repair, fixture installs, TV mounting, caulking, punch-list work | Exempt as general handyman work |
| Fence repair not touching support poles, 2 sections or fewer | Exempt (permit not required, per Altamonte Springs’s own FAQ) |
| Fence replacement of 3+ sections including posts, or the support poles | Requires a city or county building permit -- licensed-contractor scope |
| Electrical work of any kind, any price | Always requires a licensed electrician |
| Plumbing work of any kind, any price | Always requires a licensed plumber |
| HVAC/AC work of any kind, any price | Always requires a licensed HVAC contractor |
| Roofing work of any kind, any price | Always requires a licensed roofing contractor |
Altamonte Springs’s Business Tax Receipt
Whether or not a job needs a state contractor license, a business operating in Altamonte Springs -- including a home-based handyman business -- needs a City of Altamonte Springs Business Tax Receipt, reviewed by the city’s Growth Management Department for zoning conformance before it is issued, plus a separate Seminole County Business Tax Receipt. These are local tax and zoning registrations, not a trade license, and one does not substitute for the other.
[NEED: current City of Altamonte Springs and Seminole County Business Tax Receipt fee schedule -- verify at altamonte.org/395/Business-Tax-Receipts or (407) 571-8116 before publishing a specific fee]
Altamonte Springs’s own rule: repair vs. rebuild
The city’s published FAQ draws the line exactly: replacing wood or vinyl slats, wood or vinyl panels, chain link, or up to two sections (including posts) of an existing fence does not require a permit. Replacing three or more sections including posts, or replacing the fence’s support poles, does require one. Working past that line without a permit can double or triple the fee once caught, and the city can require the work taken back apart for inspection. [NEED: the city's specific deck-repair permit threshold -- not found in the sources checked for this page; call Building & Fire Safety, (407) 571-8433, before publishing a specific deck rule]
Source: altamonte.org fence FAQ; altamonte.org fence repair FAQ.
Not sure which side of the line your job is on?
Tell us what needs fixing. If it’s outside handyman scope, we’ll say so and point you to the right trade instead of guessing.