Replastering a pool can look like a finishing trade, closer to stucco than to construction. Florida law treats it differently. Resurfacing, and the draining that comes with it, falls inside the scope of the state’s pool and spa contractor licenses. This guide sets out the rules as the Florida Statutes and the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) state them, so you know what to ask for when you collect quotes.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Resurfacing is licensed pool contracting
In Florida, pool resurfacing is licensed pool contracting. All three state pool/spa license classes (commercial, residential, and swimming pool/spa servicing) list “interior finishes” or “interior refinishing” in their scope (Fla. Stat. §489.105(3)(j)–(l)), and the servicing class also covers draining a pool for repair or renovation.
- Commercial pool/spa contractor, §489.105(3)(j): covers the “construction, repair, and servicing of any swimming pool, or hot tub or spa, whether public, private, or otherwise,” and its scope names “interior finishes.” It also includes the servicing contractor’s scope.
- Residential pool/spa contractor, §489.105(3)(k): the same wording for “a residential swimming pool, or hot tub or spa,” again including “interior finishes” and the servicing scope.
- Swimming pool/spa servicing contractor, §489.105(3)(l): covers “the repair and servicing of a swimming pool,” including “interior refinishing” and “the substantial or complete draining of a swimming pool, or hot tub or spa, for the purpose of repair or renovation.”
All three classes end the same way: “a license is not required for the cleaning of the pool or spa in a way that does not affect the structural integrity of the pool or spa or its associated equipment.” Cleaning is not licensed work; refinishing is. Pool contractors sit in Division II of the contractor categories, which matters for the Recovery Fund below.
The servicing license and its limit
A servicing contractor may resurface a pool and drain it for that purpose. What it may not do is change the structure. In CILB declaratory statement DS 2009-064 (Florida Swimming Pool Association/Rodney S. Fischer), the board said “a swimming pool/spa servicing contractor can not make any modifications of a swimming pool concrete structure.” So reshaping the pool, adding benches or steps, or structural crack and shell work needs a residential or commercial pool contractor. Our remodeling and crack repair page covers that kind of project.
One related board statement helps draw the line: in DS 2014-050 the board “did not find facts supporting the need for a license” for electronic leak detection, although the repair itself is licensed work.
Plaster, tile and deck crews
Plaster, tile and deck crews may hold voluntary pool specialty licenses (Rule 61G4-15.032), but they must work under contract to a licensed pool contractor. The rule’s categories include:
- Finishes: “limited to the coating or plastering of the interior surfaces of pools, spas, or hot tub shells.”
- Trim: “limited to the installation of tile and coping.”
- Decking: “concrete flatwork, pavers and bricks, retaining walls, and footings… associated with the construction of pools.”
The rule says specialty contractors “must work under contract, under the supervision, and within the scope of work of a contractor licensed pursuant to Sections 489.105(3)(j)-(l).” In practice, your contract should be with the pool contractor, not the specialty crew.
Local plasterers can also take part. In DS 2013-059 (Flamingo Pool and Spa), the board said “county licensed contractors can be subcontracted to apply the interior finish plaster to pools, as long as the issuing agency permits that work under their licensing.”
Certified vs registered
Florida pool contractors are either certified or registered. Under §489.105(8), a certified (state) licensee may “contract in any jurisdiction.” A registered licensee works only where they hold a local competency card. If a registered contractor quotes your job, ask whether their registration covers your city or county.
Why the license number matters
It has to be in the ad and the contract
Under §489.119(5)(b), “the registration or certification number of each contractor shall appear in each offer of services, business proposal, bid, contract, or advertisement, regardless of medium.” Ask for the contractor’s state license number (it must appear in their ads and contracts, §489.119(5)(b)) and check it on MyFloridaLicense.com. A county business tax receipt is not a license. The statute says so directly: “A business tax receipt issued under… chapter 205 is not a license” (§489.127(1)).
Unlicensed contracting carries penalties
Section 489.127(1)(f) bars anyone from acting as a contractor “or advertis[ing] himself or herself or a business organization as available to engage in the business” without being registered or certified. A first offense is a first-degree misdemeanor (§489.127(2)(a)), and a repeat offense is a third-degree felony (§489.127(2)(b)). It is also a third-degree felony when committed “during the existence of a state of emergency declared by executive order of the Governor” (§489.127(2)(c)), which is worth knowing after a hurricane. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation can add an administrative fine of up to $10,000 plus costs (§489.13(3)).
Unlicensed contracts are unenforceable by the contractor
Section 489.128(1) says contracts “entered into on or after October 1, 1990, by an unlicensed contractor shall be unenforceable in law or in equity by the unlicensed contractor.”
The Recovery Fund only covers licensees
The Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund (§§489.140–489.144) can pay a homeowner after a qualifying judgment, arbitration award or board restitution order against a licensee. For Division II contracts entered into on or after July 1, 2024, the cap is $30,000 per claim (§489.143(3)), and pool work is Division II. Every residential repair or improvement contract over $2,500 “must contain a written statement” that begins “FLORIDA HOMEOWNERS’ CONSTRUCTION RECOVERY FUND” (§489.1425(1)). If that notice is missing, ask why. The fund applies only to licensed contractors, which is one more reason to check the number.
The handyman exemption does not apply
Section 489.103(9) exempts some work under $2,500, but not work that is part of a larger operation or done by someone who advertises as a contractor. Resurfacing jobs run well above $2,500 (typical projects are $6,000–$15,000 in national cost guides), so the exemption does not apply. See the pool resurfacing cost guide for current ranges.
How to check a license on MyFloridaLicense.com
Get the number in writing
Ask for the state license number and the exact business name. It should already be on the contractor’s ads, proposal and contract.
Look it up
Search the number or the business name on MyFloridaLicense.com.
Match the details
Confirm the license is one of the pool/spa classes, that it is current, and that the name matches the company on your contract.
Check the scope
If the job includes structural work, confirm the license is a residential or commercial pool/spa class rather than servicing.
Permits
Permit rules for resurfacing vary by city and county, and no Orange, Seminole or Lake county source we found states the residential rule in writing. Orange County has treated pool resurfacing as a pool renovation, and it requires a permit for new concrete or paver decks (pavers need a zoning permit). The licensed contractor confirms and pulls any permit required. If the job is permitted, the inspector may check pool safety features. Ask your contractor.
Getting quotes
We connect Orlando-area homeowners with independent local pool contractors for free, no-obligation quotes. The contractor you choose quotes, contracts and does the work, and you can check each one’s license number before you sign. Learn more about pool resurfacing and replastering, or request a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
Does a pool resurfacer need a license in Florida?
Yes. All three state pool/spa license classes, commercial, residential and swimming pool/spa servicing, list interior finishes or interior refinishing in their scope under Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(j) to (l). The servicing class also covers draining a pool for repair or renovation. Ask for the license number and check it on MyFloridaLicense.com before you sign.
Can a pool servicing contractor repair cracks in the shell?
Not structural ones. In declaratory statement DS 2009-064, the Construction Industry Licensing Board said a swimming pool/spa servicing contractor can not make any modifications of a swimming pool concrete structure. Reshaping, adding steps or benches, and structural shell repair need a residential or commercial pool contractor. A servicing contractor may still resurface and drain the pool.
Is a county business tax receipt the same as a license?
No. Florida law says a business tax receipt issued under chapter 205 is not a contractor license. Pool contractors hold a state certification or registration, and the number must appear in their ads, bids and contracts under section 489.119(5)(b). Look it up on MyFloridaLicense.com and confirm it is a pool/spa class that matches the company name.