Building Licensing

The purpose of Licensing is to ensure that any person doing work in Bradford County for a property owner is State Licensed and has the proper insurance to do said work. If you wish to check if an individual is licensed to work in Bradford County then you may contact the Bradford County Building Department by email at or by phone at 904-966-6223

Information for property owners...

Choosing a contractor can be a troublesome process. Here are a few tips that should steer you towards a good contractor that can complete your project safely and legally.

When choosing a contractor you should...

• Ask to see his/her license and call the Bradford County Building Department to verify the status and insurance.
• Verify references from past customers.
• Check with the Bradford County Building Department, local Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau for any complaints.
• Beware of alleged contractors who ask to be paid in cash or ask for large payments up front.

After you choose a contractor you should...

• Make sure your contractor obtains a permit and posts it on the front of the property.
• Do not make final payment until all "job finals" are signed off on the permit placard.
• Make sure your contractor provides you with copies of lien waivers from his subcontractors and suppliers.

Beware of unlicensed contractors especially...

• If you are planning to build any type of construction on your home or have work done that requires a building permit, take care to select a qualified person to perform the work. Under state and local ordinances, any person you hire under contract (verbal or written) to perform construction on your property MUST be a licensed contractor. The contractor must be state certified or registered. All printed advertising material such as business cards, newspaper ads and telephone book ads must how his or her state license number.
• If anyone asks you to obtain the building permit as the "owner/builder", this may indicate that they themselves are not properly licensed to obtain the permit.
• Also beware of people that claim that you will save quite a bit of money by not obtaining a permit. A permit will only lead to compliance with the appropriate building codes, these are only minimum requirements.
• Unlicensed contractors may not have insurance coverage. Any injury that occurs on your property may be claimed against your insurance.

Information for contractors...

If you are a contractor and are already licensed or want to become licensed to work in Bradford County or are seeking reciprocity with us or from another county then the information below will help set you on the appropriate path.

If you are seeking reciprocity from Bradford County you should...

• Contact the county or city you wish to reciprocate with to determine what their regulations are.
• Have a business card or letter of information from the city or county you wish to reciprocate with along with who's attention it needs to be sent to.
• Be prepared to pay a $40.00 fee per letter of reciprocity requested. We will be happy to fax a copy to the city or county for you and give you a copy of the letter, however we must mail the original to said city or county.

If you are state registered and wish to reciprocate with Bradford County you should...

• Have a letter of reciprocity from a city or county stating that you have taken the Experior Test as well as the Business and Law Test, and have scored at least 75% on each.
• Have a current copy of your State License, General Liability, and Workman's Compensation paperwork.
• Be prepared to pay a $90.00 fee and fill out a Registered Contractor Application to be entered into our system.
• An annual fee of $40.00 is required every June to renew your County Certificate. Reminder letters will be sent out for your annual fee.

If you are state certified and wish to become licensed in Bradford County you should...

• Have a current copy of your State License, General Liability, and Workman's Compensation paperwork.
• Be prepared to pay a $50.00 one-time fee to be entered into our Licensing System.

License Requirements for all Contractors to Pull Permits

• Before you can pull a permit in Bradford County you and all of your subcontractors must be registered or certified with us. All of your information in our permitting system must be current and valid or no permit will be issued.

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