Handyman or licensed contractor? How to tell what your Dunedin project needs

Florida's $2,500 handyman rule, which jobs need a licensed contractor, what Dunedin requires permits for, and how to check a license in a minute.

By Patrick & Dylan · Florida Certified General Contractor, Lic. #CGC1541672 · Updated October 8, 2026

Homeowners often aren't sure whether to call a handyman or a contractor. The honest answer is that it depends on the job. In Florida, it's also a legal question, and getting it wrong can cost you. Dunedin homes are worth a median of about $396,000, according to the Census Bureau, so it pays to protect that investment with the right person for the work.

The short answer

Small, simple jobs under $2,500 that don't need a permit: a handyman is usually fine.
Anything structural, anything that needs a building permit, or bigger repair and remodeling work of $2,500 or more: you need a licensed contractor. (Finish work like painting, flooring and cabinets is the exception; see below.)
Electrical, plumbing, air conditioning and roofing: you need a contractor licensed in that specific trade.

Florida's $2,500 rule

Florida law (Statute 489.103) exempts work that is "casual, minor, or inconsequential" when the total price for labor, materials and everything else is less than $2,500. That's the legal room a handyman works in.

The exemption doesn't apply if:

the job is part of a larger project, even if someone else is doing the rest;
a bigger job is split into smaller contracts to stay under $2,500;
the person advertises as a contractor or says they're qualified to do contractor work.

So a handyman can patch drywall, fix a sticking door or hang shelves. But "I'll redo the whole bathroom, I'll just bill it in pieces" is a red flag.

Jobs that need a licensed trade

Florida licenses certain trades separately. Electrical contractors are licensed under one part of the law, and plumbing, air conditioning, mechanical, roofing, pool and several other trades under another. Even a general contractor like us has to hire a licensed electrician, plumber, A/C or roofing contractor for that part of the job unless we hold that license ourselves (Statute 489.113). That rule protects you, and it's why we coordinate licensed trade partners on our projects.

On the other side, a 2021 state law stopped cities and counties from requiring their own local licenses for work like painting, flooring, cabinets, tile, stucco, pressure washing and handyman services. Those jobs don't need a state license either, as long as they don't include work that does.

What Dunedin requires permits for

The City of Dunedin's "Permitting 101" guide says permits are needed for most work, including:

additions and renovations
window, door and garage door replacement
decks, fences and driveways
reroofing
electrical service upgrades
water heater and A/C replacement
solar

The city says you don't need a permit for carpet, vinyl or ceramic tile flooring, painting, wallpaper or "ordinary minor repairs." Dunedin also reminds residents that anyone you hire for permitted work must be a licensed contractor, and that a business tax license is not a contractor license. Building permit fees in Dunedin start at 0.80% of the job's value, with a $60 minimum.

A quick test: if the job needs a permit, it needs someone licensed to pull it. If someone tells you to pull the permit yourself as an "owner-builder" so they can do the work, be careful. Florida's owner-builder rules require you to personally supervise the work, and you take on the legal responsibility.

Why it matters

Unlicensed work is a crime. In Florida, unlicensed contracting is a first-degree misdemeanor for a first offense and a third-degree felony for a repeat offense. During a declared state of emergency, like after a hurricane, it's a felony from the first offense.

You lose a safety net. Florida's Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund can pay homeowners who lose money because of a licensed contractor's misconduct. For contracts signed on or after July 1, 2024, it pays up to $100,000 per claim for general, building and residential contractors, and up to $30,000 for Division II trade contractors like roofing, plumbing, A/C and pool contractors. If the contractor wasn't licensed when you signed, you can't recover from the fund.

Permits protect you. Unpermitted work can cause trouble when you sell, refinance or file an insurance claim, and an inspector catches problems before they're covered up.

How to check a license in one minute

State licenses: search by name or license number at myfloridalicense.com, or call 850-487-1395. Make sure the license is active and matches the business name on your contract.
Pinellas County: the county's Contractor Licensing department has a "Verify Your Contractor" lookup.
Ask for proof of insurance. A licensed contractor should be able to send a current certificate.

Why we do both

Patrick's Handyman and Remodeling is a handyman company and a Florida Certified General Contractor (Lic. #CGC1541672). So whether you've got a punch list of small fixes or a remodel that needs permits, you can call one team. If part of your project needs a specialty licensed trade, we'll tell you and coordinate it under one plan.

See our handyman repairs and renovations and permitted work pages, or request a free estimate.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Licensing rules change, so check with your local building department for your specific project.