Florida WC Exemption for contractors

Most Florida DFS portal submissions are processed within 1–3 business days. The certificate is issued electronically and is immediately usable for job site and general contractor verification.

Florida charges a $50 state filing fee per certificate. Our service fee covers preparation, portal submission, and status tracking. We quote the combined cost up front.

No. A Florida Certificate of Election is valid only for work performed in Florida. If you work in other states, you need a separate exemption or WC coverage for each state where you perform construction work.

Without a valid certificate, you are treated as an uncovered worker — and the general contractor may be held liable for your injuries. We track your expiration and file your renewal before that happens.

Yes — you file an exemption for yourself as the owner. Your employees still require workers' compensation coverage. The exemption covers only the qualifying owner, not the business's workers.

DFS denials are usually due to missing license information, incorrect business structure, or prior violations. We review the denial reason and refile the corrected application, often the same day.

State filing fees vary — Florida charges $50 per certificate. Our service fee covers preparation, submission, and tracking. We quote the total cost up front, no surprises.

Yes. Contractors Choice Agency advises on exemption eligibility in all 50 states and files in every state with a formal exemption or election process.

Florida exemptions typically issue within 1–3 business days. Other states vary. We file same-day on receipt of your information and track status until your certificate arrives.

Often yes. Denials usually stem from incomplete applications or a business structure mismatch. We review what went wrong and refile correctly.

Yes. Many contractors who file exemptions choose occupational accident insurance as an alternative to WC for themselves. We can place that alongside your exemption filing in one call.

A Texas non-subscriber has opted out of the state workers' comp system. Non-subscribers can be sued for negligence without standard WC defenses. We help Texas contractors understand the risk and choose the right alternative.

In most states, yes. LLC members and corporate officers can each file individual exemptions. The ownership percentage, active-work requirements, and form vary by state.

We track your expiration date and send you an advance alert before renewal is due. Florida exemptions expire every two years; other states vary.

No. An exemption removes you from the WC system; it doesn't limit a third party's ability to sue you for negligence on a job site. General liability still matters.

A prior claim doesn't disqualify you from filing an exemption — eligibility is based on your business structure and state rules, not claim history.

Some GCs require all subs to carry WC regardless of exemption status. We can place a workers' comp policy for you if a client specifically requires coverage rather than a certificate.

Your state, business structure (sole prop, LLC, S-corp), trade type, owner count, Federal EIN, and contractor license number where applicable. A 15-minute call covers it all.

Yes. Occupational accident insurance provides medical and disability benefits at a fraction of WC cost and is often the right solution for owners who file exemptions but want some injury protection.