This package includes all 19 books covered by Florida’s open-book General Contractor exam. With this book set, you’ll be well on your way to a Florida General Contractor’s License, which allows you to build, repair, and remodel any building and subcontract for specialty trades.
The complete set of Florida State General Contractor exam books includes the following:
- A201 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, 2017
- A401 Standard Form of Agreement between Contractor-Subcontractor, 2017
- A701 Instructions to Bidders, 2018
- Florida Statutes Chapter 455
- Contractors Manual, 2021
- Builder's Guide to Accounting, Michael C. Thomsett, Copyright 2001 (note: only allowed into the business exam, not allowed into the trade exam)
- Code of Federal Regulations, (OSHA) 29 Part 1926, (OSHA1926)
- Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, Ronald C. Smith and Cameron K. Andres, 11th Edition, 2024
- Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida, 11th Ed., 2024
- Building Component Safety Information: BCSI-ED2-D “Guide to Good Practices for Handling, Installing and Bracing of Metal Connected Wood Trusses”, 2025
- Florida Building Code - Building, 2023
- Florida Building Code - Accessibility, 2023
- Florida Building Code - Residential, 2023
- Florida Building Code – Existing Building, 2023
- Florida Building Code – Energy Conservation, 2023
- Application and Finishing of Gypsum Panel Products, GA-216, 2018 Edition. (note: suggested study reference - not allowed into the trade exam)
- Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Steven H. Kosmatka, Beatrix Kerkhoff and William C. Panarese, 17th Edition (note: suggested study reference - not allowed into the trade exam)
- Placing Reinforcing Bars, 10th edition (note: suggested study reference - not allowed into the trade exam)
- Walker's Building Estimator’s Reference Book, 33rd Edition (note: suggested study reference - not allowed into the trade exam)
To be a Florida Certified Contractor, you must be able to pass the contractor’s test, provide a proven record of financial stability, and present evidence of your experience for the category in which you wish to be licensed. A contractor must have at least four years of field experience in the category being considered, and one of those years has to be acting in a supervisory role. This last requirement could be substituted for at least three years of undergraduate credit hours. When the contractor wishes to be certified as a building or general contractor, he/she must present evidence of experience in four of these categories:
- Masonry walls
- Steel erection
- Elevated slabs
- Pre-cast concrete structures
- Column erection
- Formwork for structural reinforced concrete
In addition to these requirements, contractors must have a background check done, insurance minimum bonding active at all times ($300K liability, $5k property damage) or any other amount the contractor boards deemed necessary. Finally, the contractor must also present active workers’ compensation coverage or an exemption.