CAPE CORAL POLITICS

CAPE CORAL POLITICS - Cape Coral Politics and Lee County information about campaigns, elections, government, policy, Cape Coral Budgets and lobbying.

UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS

UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS CAPE CORALUnlicensed Contractors Situation (as of February 2026)

n Florida, unlicensed contracting is a criminal offense—a first-degree misdemeanor for a first offense and a third-degree felony for subsequent violations or during a state of emergency. Penalties include up to $10,000 in fines, jail time, and liability for substandard work. Contracts with unlicensed individuals are generally unenforceable, and homeowners may be liable for injuries or damages.

Cape Coral is actively developing plans to strengthen enforcement and education around unlicensed contractors following a recent city council discussion.

Due to Florida House Bill 735 (the Pre-emption of Local Occupational Licensing, effective around 2023), the City of Cape Coral no longer issues or renews its own contractor licenses for construction trades. Contractors must hold a valid state license (via the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, or DBPR) for trades that require one to pull certain permits. They must also register with the city through the EnerGov portal to apply for permits.

  • Unlicensed contractors definition: Anyone performing work without the proper state license for that trade.
  • Engaging in unlicensed contracting is a criminal offense under Florida law (first offense typically a first-degree misdemeanor; repeats or during emergencies can be a third-degree felony, with fines up to $5,000–$10,000, possible jail/probation, and administrative penalties).
  • Hiring an unlicensed contractor risks:
  • No valid permits/inspections → unsafe work, code violations, and potential fines or removal orders for the homeowner.
  • Substandard or incomplete work.
  • Liability for injuries (if the contractor lacks insurance).
  • Civil issues like liens or double payments.

The city’s Code Compliance Division currently takes a reactive approach:

  • They focus on unpermitted work.
  • If an unlicensed contractor is discovered during inspections or complaints, they report it to the state (DBPR) rather than conducting proactive stings or dedicated operations (as they did pre-HB 735).
  • No city-level licensing means fewer direct enforcement tools.

To report suspected unlicensed activity in Cape Coral:

You can verify licenses at www.myfloridalicense.com or by calling the city’s Licensing Division at (239) 574-0613. Always check the license number on contracts and avoid cash-only deals, full upfront payments, or door-to-door solicitors.

UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS CAPE CORALNew Plans to Address Violations

On February 11, 2026, during a Committee of the Whole meeting (item brought forward by Councilmember Lastra as “Unlicensed Contractor Education and Enforcement”), the city discussed improving its handling of the issue.

Mayor John Gunter (a contractor with 38 years of experience) received consensus from council to move forward with:

  • Developing a new ordinance to enhance local enforcement options.
  • Creating a funding mechanism for dedicated resources (e.g., staff focused on unlicensed activity).

Mayor’s specific funding proposal:

  • Add $5 to every building permit fee.
  • Direct the revenue into a restrictive fund solely for unlicensed contractor enforcement.
  • Estimated impact: With ~40,000 permits issued annually, this would generate ~$200,000 per year — enough to fund two additional code enforcement officers.

Gunter noted that the city has statutory authority to enforce (“Under statute we can enforce it as well. The question is do we want to”) and said he would personally support the small fee increase if it funds targeted enforcement. He emphasized that unlicensed contractors have been an ongoing issue in the industry.

City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn provided context:

  • The city already performs license checks during permitting to protect consumers.
  • Unlicensed contractors complaints (many from 2022–2023) have been addressed with process improvements and data (e.g., permitting turnaround times, rejection rates, inspection volumes).
  • They no longer run proactive operations but will continue reporting violations found through unpermitted work complaints.
  • Staff will prepare data and options for the ordinance/funding plan.

These are early-stage plans — no final ordinance or fee change has been adopted yet. The next steps involve drafting the ordinance, finalizing the funding structure, and likely presenting it at future council meetings (regular meetings occur on the first and third Tuesdays; check capecoral.gov for agendas/minutes).

The initiative combines unlicensed contractors enforcement (dedicated officers) with education (public awareness, contractor outreach) to better protect residents, support licensed contractors, and address safety/quality concerns.

For the latest updates, check the City of Cape Coral website (capecoral.gov, under Development Services/Code Compliance) or attend/view council meetings via eSCRIBE. The Cape Coral Breeze article (Feb. 14, 2026) provides the most detailed public reporting on the discussion so far.

This proactive step responds to resident and industry feedback while working within state preemption limits. If you’re a homeowner or contractor, verifying licenses upfront remains the best protection.

Additional Websites Created by Joe Angrisano:

CAPE CORAL HISTORY