The Florida Senate

633.534  Issuance of certificate to individuals and business organizations.--

(1)  When an individual proposes to do business in her or his own name, certifications, when granted, shall be issued only to that individual.

(2)  If the applicant proposing to engage in contracting is a business organization, such as a partnership, corporation, business trust, or other legal entity, the application shall state the name of the partnership and its partners, the name of the corporation and its officers and directors, the name of the business trust and its trustees, or the name of such other legal entity and its members and shall furnish evidence of statutory compliance if a fictitious name is used. Such application shall also show that the person applying for the examination is an employee of and is legally qualified to act for the business organization in all matters connected with its contracting business and that she or he has authority to supervise and will supervise any construction undertaken by such business organization. The certification, when issued upon application of a business organization, shall be in the name of such business organization, and the name of the qualifying individual or individuals shall be noted thereon.

(3)(a)  At least one member or supervising employee of the business organization as designated to the State Fire Marshal by such organization shall be certified under this chapter in order for the business organization to hold a current certificate as a contractor. If any individual so certified on behalf of such business organization ceases to be affiliated with such business organization, she or he shall inform the State Fire Marshal as provided in paragraph (b). A certified individual who is the sole contractor on behalf of a business organization may not affiliate simultaneously with another business organization. In addition, if such individual was the only certified individual affiliated with the business organization, the business organization shall immediately notify the State Fire Marshal of the individual's termination and shall have a grace period of 60 days from the date of termination in which to certify another person under the provisions of this chapter, failing which the certification of the business organization shall expire without further operation of law.

(b)  The certified individual shall also inform the State Fire Marshal in writing when she or he proposes to engage in contracting in her or his own name or to affiliate with another business organization, and she or he or such new business organization shall supply the same information to the State Fire Marshal as is required of applicants under this chapter. Each certified individual must pay to the department an amount equal to the original fee for certification of a new business entity.

(c)  In the event of the death of a sole proprietor or in the event that a business organization has only one certificateholder and that person dies, the individual's estate or personal representative or the business organization, as the case may be, shall immediately notify the State Fire Marshal of the individual's death and shall have a grace period of 60 days from the date of death in which to certify another person under the provisions of this chapter, failing which the certification of the business organization shall expire without further operation of law.

(4)  When the certified business organization makes application for an occupational license in any municipality or county of this state, the application shall be made with the tax collector in the name of the business organization, and the license, when issued, shall be issued to the business organization upon payment of the appropriate licensing fee and exhibition to the tax collector of a valid certificate issued by the State Fire Marshal.

History.--s. 10, ch. 75-240; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 5, 8, ch. 78-141; s. 2, ch. 81-318; s. 17, ch. 84-243; ss. 1, 2, ch. 85-128; s. 9, ch. 88-209; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 446, ch. 97-102.