Escambia County After Isaias: Some Contractor Rules Eased, the Unlicensed Warning Stands

On October 22, 2026, Escambia County, Florida, posted a notice that the state has temporarily changed some contractor licensing rules for repairs after Hurricane Isaias. The change comes from an emergency order issued by Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). It covers 30 counties, Escambia among them, and it runs until December 5, 2026, or sooner. WEAR-TV also reported warnings about unlicensed contractors from the county's director of building services.

This article covers what the county's notice says, what the DBPR order changes and what it leaves in place. It also covers what homeowners are being told to watch for. For how Florida licenses contractors in normal times, start with the Florida contractor license page. For a line by line reading of the order itself, see our guide to the DBPR emergency order on roofing.

At a glance

• Who issued it: DBPR, in Emergency Order 2026-01 (filed October 10, 2026), amended by Emergency Order 2026-02 (October 11, 2026). Escambia County posted a notice about it on October 22 and runs its own registration packet.
• Where: 30 Florida counties, Escambia among them.
• What eased: certified and registered general, building and residential contractors are not required to subcontract roofing work. Registered contractors, and registered electrical and alarm system contractors, may work outside the area their registration normally covers.
• Ends: December 5, 2026, or earlier if the Governor's Executive Order 26-202 ends or is rescinded.
• What did not change: the county's notice says "State contractor licensing requirements still apply."

What changed in Escambia County

The change is the state's, not the county's. DBPR issued the order under the Governor's Hurricane Isaias emergency declaration. The county's October 22 notice describes it: DBPR "has temporarily modified contractor licensing requirements for repairs related to Hurricane Isaias, expanding the requirements to allow registered and state-certified contractors to perform work in Escambia County and other affected counties."

The notice lists three groups. State certified or registered general, building and residential contractors "may perform roofing work for the repair or installation of any roof type when providing contracting services." Registered contractors may work outside the geographic limits that Florida law normally sets. Electrical and alarm system contractors get the same geographic relief.

WEAR-TV reported the story the same day. Tim Tolbert, the county's director of building services, told the station that after a windstorm "we need roofing contractors." He said "a lot of times we don't have enough," and that the work is open to "Division I contractors so they can do re-roofs." Under section 489.105(3) of the Florida Statutes, Division I is made up of general, building and residential contractors, the same three categories the order names.

What the county asks contractors to do

The county's notice says that contractors who want to do Isaias repairs in Escambia County must complete its Temporary License Registration Packet. The packet, revised October 14, is titled for registered contractors under the emergency order. It asks for:

• A registration form, a letter of authorization and a hold harmless agreement.
• A copy of the state registered license certificate from DBPR.
• A Business Tax Receipt.
• A certificate of general liability insurance and a certificate of workers' compensation, or a workers' compensation exemption.
• The license holder's driver's license.

The packet says signatures must be hand signed and notarized, and that electronic signatures will not be accepted. It also says all licenses will be required to reciprocate after the order ends to continue permitting. Questions go to the county's Contractor Licensing Division.

What did not change

The contractor relief is for people who already hold a Florida certification or registration, and the county's notice says state licensing requirements still apply.

Permits stay in the picture too. The order says its roofing and geographic relief continues to apply to projects with a building permit applied for or obtained while the order is in effect. On emergency tarps, the order says "This shall not abrogate any local ordinances regarding permits or inspections that may exist."

Section 489.127 of the Florida Statutes, the unlicensed contracting law, is unchanged, and the Governor's emergency declaration matters to it. Under that section:

• First offense: an unlicensed person who violates the section, such as by acting as a contractor or advertising as available to, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree.
• After a prior finding of guilt: a felony of the third degree.
• During a state of emergency declared by executive order of the Governor: a felony of the third degree.

The statute also says a business tax receipt is not a license. Section 489.13 adds that a person working outside the geographical scope of a registration is guilty of unlicensed activity. That is the rule DBPR's order sets aside, for registered contractors who comply, while the order is in effect. How any one case is charged is up to prosecutors.

What homeowners are being told

Escambia County published a warning for homeowners on October 13, and its October 22 notice points back to it. Its advice for choosing a contractor:

• Ask to see the license and verify it with the county's Contractor Licensing Division or DBPR. The county's website and DBPR's license search both let you look up a license number.
• Get written estimates from several licensed contractors. The county adds: "An abnormally low bid could lead to trouble later on."
• Check with your insurance company before signing if the work is storm repair.
• Be careful with contractors who want cash or large payments up front, and pay in stages as the work is finished.
• Make sure the contractor pulls the permit and posts it on the property.

The county says an occupational license is not enough in the construction trades. It also points residents to the county tax collector's site to check a business tax receipt as an extra layer.

Tolbert named the signs to WEAR. A contractor who asks for a lot of money up front is "a huge red flag." A contractor who asks the homeowner to pull the permit instead of pulling it is "a big one." He added that a licensed contractor is required to put a license number on all advertising, including a business card. The county also says unlicensed contractors do not have insurance coverage, so an injury on your property becomes a claim against your own insurance.

For companies that want to work in Florida

The order is written for certified and registered Florida contractors, so a company without a Florida license is not covered by it. Florida licenses a contracting business through a qualifying agent, a licensed individual with final approval authority over the company's construction work. A certified license is issued by the state and lets the holder contract anywhere in Florida. A registered license is tied to a local jurisdiction.

An owner with the experience can qualify the company personally. A company whose owner does not yet have the experience or the exams can be qualified by a licensed qualifying agent who is a real employee of the company. The Florida contractor license page covers the classifications and the rules when a qualifier leaves. Contractor qualifier services explains how The Licensing Company helps. A temporary order does not replace the license. The practical lesson is to have the license in place before the next storm.

Frequently asked questions

Did Escambia County ease its own contractor rules? No. DBPR issued the emergency order for 30 counties. Escambia County posted a notice about it on October 22 and set up a Temporary License Registration Packet for contractors who want to do Isaias repairs there.

When does the change end? DBPR's order expires December 5, 2026, or earlier if the Governor's Executive Order 26-202, as amended, expires or is rescinded.

Which contractors can do roofing under it? Under paragraph 1, a certified or registered general, building or residential contractor in a covered county is not required to subcontract roofing work for the repair or installation of any roof type. The relief applies to projects with a building permit applied for or obtained while the order is in effect. DBPR or a Florida construction attorney can confirm how it applies to a specific job.

Does the contractor relief cover someone with no Florida license? No. Paragraphs 1 to 3 of the order are for certified and registered contractors, and the county's notice says "State contractor licensing requirements still apply."

How can a homeowner check a contractor's license? Through the county's Contractor Licensing Division, the license lookup on MyEscambia.com, or DBPR's license search at myfloridalicense.com.

This article is general education, not legal advice. DBPR, Escambia County Building Services or a Florida construction attorney can confirm how the order applies to a specific job.

Marshall Schofield, one of the nation's leading contractor exam prep instructors, has helped thousands upon thousands of contractors get licensed. Jeremiah Jaskulski is a licensed contractor who has lived the licensing process across multiple states. Together they founded The Licensing Company, and they help contractors get licensed the right way in Florida and nationwide. Sources: Escambia County notice, October 22, 2026, DBPR Emergency Order 2026-01, DBPR Emergency Order 2026-02, Escambia County warning, October 13, 2026, WEAR-TV, October 22, 2026, and sections 489.105, 489.13 and 489.127 of the Florida Statutes.