The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 50 people accused of contracting without a license in Operation Bad Builder. Here is what Florida law says, what it costs, and how to work legally.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrested 50 people accused of working as unlicensed contractors in Operation Bad Builder, an undercover sting announced on October 22, 2026. In Florida, contracting or even advertising contracting work without a state license is a crime, and it becomes a felony for a repeat offender or during a declared state of emergency.
At a glance
- 50 arrests from June 1 to October 2, 2026, by the Sheriff's Construction Fraud Unit (HCSO release, October 22, 2026).
- Detectives answered online and social media ads and met suspects while posing as homeowners.
- A first offense under Florida Statute 489.127 is a first degree misdemeanor: up to 1 year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
- A repeat offense, or one during a Governor's state of emergency, is a third degree felony: up to 5 years and a $5,000 fine.
- Checked against the Florida Statutes (2026) and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office release on October 23, 2026.
If you are new to licensing in this state, start with the Florida contractor license requirements, and for every other state see how to get a contractor license in each state.
What happened in Operation Bad Builder
Detectives in the Sheriff's Construction Fraud Unit spent four months working the case. They searched online and social media ads, followed up on tips and complaints from residents, and set up undercover meetings with the people behind the ads.
FOX 13 reported that detectives set up a location in Riverview and posed as residents who needed home repairs. Some of the people they met had already drawn complaints for unfinished jobs, poor work, or taking deposits and never coming back.
The cases cover the trades that matter most to a homeowner's safety. One man was arrested for electrical work without a license. Another was accused of home projects that left houses in worse shape than before and needed costly repairs to fix, and the Sheriff's Office said he had been arrested for the same conduct in 2023.
Sheriff Chad Chronister put the point plainly: "A contractor's license is more than a piece of paper." His office tied the sting to safety, warning that unlicensed work on wiring, roofs and foundations puts families at risk.
The timing is not an accident. FOX 13 reported that demand for construction work is rising as Hillsborough County residents recover from back to back hurricanes, and that is when people offering quick starts with no permits show up in the ads.
What Florida law says about unlicensed contracting
Florida Statute 489.127 lists what a person may not do without a state certification or registration. The two lines most of these cases turn on are short:
- Section 489.127(1)(f): no person may engage in the business or act in the capacity of a contractor, or advertise themselves or a business as available to do so, without being duly registered or certified.
- Section 489.127(1)(h): no person may start or perform work that needs a building permit without that permit in effect.
Two details in the statute surprise people. First, the advertisement alone is a violation, which is why answering ads worked so well for detectives. Second, a business tax receipt from the county is not a contractor license, and a person working on an inactive or suspended license is treated as unlicensed.
The penalties
| Situation | Florida charge | Maximum jail | Maximum fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| First unlicensed contracting offense | First degree misdemeanor | 1 year | $1,000 |
| Repeat offense after a prior conviction | Third degree felony | 5 years | $5,000 |
| Offense during a declared state of emergency | Third degree felony | 5 years | $5,000 |
| Licensee lets an unqualified business use their number | First degree misdemeanor | 1 year | $1,000 |
Notes:
- The charges come from Florida Statute 489.127(2) and 489.127(4). The jail limits come from 775.082 and the fines from 775.083.
- The emergency rule applies whenever an executive order of the Governor has declared a state of emergency. We cover it in unlicensed contracting during a Florida state of emergency.
- The Department of Business and Professional Regulation can also issue a stop work order on any project where unlicensed work is found, under 489.127(3).
The contract cannot be enforced by the unlicensed contractor
Florida Statute 489.128 makes a contract signed by an unlicensed contractor unenforceable by that contractor. A business counts as unlicensed if it does not have a qualifying agent for the scope of the work. In plain terms, an unlicensed contractor who is not paid has no contract to sue on.
For how these penalties compare in other states, see our guide to penalties for unlicensed contracting.
How homeowners can check a contractor before hiring
The Sheriff's Office gave residents a short list, and every step takes minutes:
- Look up the contractor's license on the state's license search at MyFloridaLicense.com and make sure the name and the trade match the work.
- Ask for proof of insurance.
- Be careful with ads on social media and online marketplaces.
- Get the job, the price and the timeline in writing.
- Never pay the full amount up front.
- Make sure the contractor pulls the permit, which a licensed contractor must do for permitted work.
Our guide on how to verify a contractor license in all 50 states has the official lookup for every state.
If you do the work but your company is not licensed
Most people caught in a sting like this know how to do the work. What they do not have is a Florida license for the company that signs the contract. If that describes you, there are legal ways to fix it, and each one starts with stopping the ads, because the ad itself is a violation.
- Stop advertising and stop taking new permitted jobs until the company is licensed for that scope.
- Get licensed yourself. A Florida certified license comes from the Construction Industry Licensing Board, with a trade exam and the Business and Finance exam. Our Florida general contractor license guide and Florida Business and Finance exam guide walk through both.
- Have the company qualified by a licensed qualifying agent. Under Florida Statute 489.119, a business organization is licensed through a qualifying agent who signs an affidavit that they have final approval authority for all construction work and for the company's business matters, including contracts and payments.
- Pull every permit the job needs before work starts.
A qualifying agent qualifies the company as an owner or full time W-2 employee who supervises the work, and the state holds that person responsible for it. Florida law also forbids a licensed contractor from letting an unqualified business use their certification or registration number, which is the fourth row in the table above. That is why the arrangement has to be real. Learn what a qualifying agent is, how to hire a qualifying agent, and how our contractor qualifier services work.
A licensed company also has a deadline to protect. Under 489.127(1)(g), a business may not keep contracting more than 60 days after its only qualifying agent leaves without designating another one. Our contractor qualifier contingency plan covers what to do if that happens.
Frequently asked questions
What was Operation Bad Builder?
It was an undercover operation by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Construction Fraud Unit that ran from June 1 to October 2, 2026, and led to 50 arrests of people accused of working as unlicensed contractors.
Is unlicensed contracting a felony in Florida?
A first offense is a first degree misdemeanor. It becomes a third degree felony for a repeat offender, or when the work happens while a state of emergency declared by the Governor is in effect.
Is advertising without a license illegal in Florida?
Yes. Florida Statute 489.127(1)(f) makes it a violation to advertise yourself or a business as available to work as a contractor without being registered or certified.
Does a county business tax receipt count as a contractor license?
No. Florida Statute 489.127 says a business tax receipt is not a license for this purpose.
Can a company with no licensed owner still get licensed in Florida?
Yes, through a qualifying agent who meets the state's requirements and has final approval authority over the company's construction work and business matters, as Florida Statute 489.119 requires. Whether a given arrangement qualifies is not a promise; the board decides.
Work legally in Florida
The contractors in this sting were not caught because the work was hard. They were caught because the company doing the work had no license. Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, the founders of The Licensing Company, both hold general contractor, master electrician, master plumber and master mechanical licenses, and they built the company to help contractors get licensed the right way.
If your company does the work but does not hold the Florida license for it, call us at 615-219-2110 or start at hire a qualifying agent.
Sources
- Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office: Operation Bad Builder Leads to 50 Arrests of Unlicensed Contractors, October 22, 2026, retrieved October 23, 2026
- FOX 13 Tampa Bay: 50 unlicensed contractors busted in Hillsborough County during Operation Bad Builder, October 22, 2026, retrieved October 23, 2026
- Florida Statutes 489.127, Prohibitions and penalties, retrieved October 23, 2026
- Florida Statutes 489.128, Contracts entered into by unlicensed contractors unenforceable, retrieved October 23, 2026
- Florida Statutes 489.119, Business organizations and qualifying agents, retrieved October 23, 2026
- Florida Statutes 775.082, Penalties and 775.083, Fines, retrieved October 23, 2026
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation license search, retrieved October 23, 2026
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.