Florida SB 1138: Qualified Contractors

Bill Text

1138 
Qualified Contractors 
2026-02-26T07:57:21Z 
Requiring each county and municipality, respectively, of a specified size to create and implement a program for the purpose of making development preapplication consultation services available at an applicant’s request; authorizing a county or municipality to use a qualified contractor or qualified contractor firm to fulfill specified preapplication services requirements; requiring a local government to establish a registry of a specified number of qualified contractors or qualified contractor firms to conduct certain preapplication services; requiring the governing body of certain local governments and counties to include certain developments in a program that expedites the process for issuing building permits for planned unit developments or phases of a community or subdivision, etc. 
Committee Substitute 2 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
c2 

 Florida Senate - 2026 CS for CS for SB 1138 

 By the Committees on Rules; and Judiciary; and Senator Massullo 

 595-03176-26 20261138c2 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to qualified contractors; amending ss. 
 3 125.022 and 166.033, F.S.; requiring each county and 
 4 municipality, respectively, of a specified size to 
 5 create and implement a program for the purpose of 
 6 making development preapplication consultation 
 7 services available at an applicant’s request; 
 8 providing that specified provisions may not be 
 9 construed to affect or require the modification of 
 10 certain county or municipality programs that make 
 11 available the same or substantially similar 
 12 development preapplication consulting services if such 
 13 county or municipality’s program existed before a 
 14 specified date; limiting such preapplication 
 15 consultation services to applications for certain 
 16 permits; authorizing a county or municipality to use a 
 17 qualified contractor or qualified contractor firm to 
 18 fulfill specified preapplication services 
 19 requirements; specifying minimum requirements for a 
 20 development preapplication consultation services 
 21 program; requiring a county or municipality to take 
 22 certain actions if an applicant chooses to use the 
 23 development preapplication consultation services 
 24 program; requiring a county or municipality to 
 25 approve, approve with conditions, or deny an 
 26 applicant’s completed application within a specified 
 27 timeframe; requiring that an application be deemed 
 28 approved by operation of law without conditions and 
 29 proceed in a specified manner if a county or 
 30 municipality fails to make a certain determination 
 31 within a specified timeframe; providing construction; 
 32 specifying that certain requirements apply if an 
 33 applicant for a development permit or development 
 34 order is not eligible for, does not request, or elects 
 35 not to use the county’s or municipality’s 
 36 preapplication consulting services program; creating 
 37 s. 163.3169, F.S.; defining terms; requiring a local 
 38 government to establish a registry of a specified 
 39 number of qualified contractors or qualified 
 40 contractor firms to conduct certain preapplication 
 41 services; prohibiting a qualified contractor or 
 42 qualified contractor firm from having a conflict of 
 43 interest; authorizing an applicant to use a qualified 
 44 contractor that is not on the registry if a conflict 
 45 of interest exists; authorizing a local government to 
 46 enter into a certain agreement with another local 
 47 government under certain circumstances; prohibiting a 
 48 local government from adding its own employees to the 
 49 registry; authorizing an applicant to retain a 
 50 qualified contractor or qualified contractor firm of 
 51 his or her choosing for preapplication consultation 
 52 services under certain circumstances; prohibiting a 
 53 local government from conditioning, denying, or 
 54 delaying an applicant’s selection or use of a 
 55 qualified contractor or qualified contractor firm; 
 56 specifying that the applicant is responsible for all 
 57 fees and costs associated with using a qualified 
 58 contractor of his or her choice; requiring a local 
 59 government to make certain resources available if an 
 60 applicant uses a qualified contractor or qualified 
 61 contractor firm of his or her choosing to perform 
 62 preapplication consultation services; providing an 
 63 exception; providing construction; providing that 
 64 specified requirements relating to the use of 
 65 qualified contractors or qualified contractor firms to 
 66 perform development preapplication consultation 
 67 services do not apply to certain property identified 
 68 within a permit application; providing applicability; 
 69 providing construction; amending s .177.071, F.S.; 
 70 authorizing a governing body to use a specified 
 71 registry to supplement local government staff 
 72 resources; prohibiting a local government