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Disclosure Statement
Effective Date: July 1, 2019
1. I understand that state law requires construction to be done by a licensed
contractor and have applied for an owner-builder permit under an exemption
from the law. The exemption specifies that I, as the owner of the property listed,
may act as my own contractor with certain restrictions even though I do not have
a license.
2. I understand that building permits are not required to be signed by a property
owner unless he or she is responsible for the construction and is not hiring a
licensed contractor to assume responsibility.
3. I understand that, as an owner-builder, I am the responsible party of record on a
permit. I understand that I may protect myself from potential financial risk by hiring
a licensed contractor and having the permit filed in his or her name instead of my
own name. I also understand that a contractor is required by law to be licensed
in Florida and to list his or her license numbers on permits and contracts.
4. I understand that I may build or improve a one-family or two-family residence or
a farm outbuilding. I may also build or improve a commercial building if the costs
do not exceed $75,000. The building or residence must be for my own use or
occupancy. It may not be built or substantially improved for sale or lease, unless
I am completing the requirements of a building permit where the contractor listed
on the permit substantially completed the project. If a building or residence that
I have built or substantially improved myself is sold or leased within 1 year after the
construction is complete, the law will presume that I built or substantially improved
it for sale or lease, which violates the exemption.
5. I understand that, as the owner-builder, I must provide direct, onsite supervision of
the construction.
6. I understand that I may not hire an unlicensed person to act as my contractor or
to supervise persons working on my building or residence. It is my responsibility to
ensure that the persons whom I employ have the licenses required by law and by
county or municipal ordinance.
7. I understand that it is a frequent practice of unlicensed persons to have the
property owner obtain an owner-builder permit that erroneously implies that the
property owner is providing his or her own labor and materials. I, as an owner-
builder, may be held liable and subjected to serious financial risk for any injuries
sustained by an unlicensed person or his or her employees while working on my
property. My homeowner’s insurance may not provide coverage for those
injuries. I am willfully acting as an owner-builder and am aware of the limits of my
insurance coverage for injuries to workers on my property.
8. I understand that I may not delegate the responsibility for supervising work to a
licensed contractor who is not licensed to perform the work being done. Any
person working on my building who is not licensed must work under my direct
supervision and must be employed by me, which means that I must comply with
laws requiring the withholding of federal income tax and social security
contributions under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and must
