Florida Budget Deal Would Fund Crackdown on Unlicensed Realtors, Contractors

Florida lawmakers are moving to spend more than $1 million cracking down on unlicensed real estate agents, construction workers, and accountants — a proposal with sharp relevance to the Treasure Coast, where rapid development and a hot housing market have drawn scrutiny over unlicensed work.

The funding, hammered out during an ongoing Special Session budget conference in Tallahassee, would be routed to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the state agency that issues licenses and oversees regulated industries in Florida. Both the House and Senate have agreed to the allocation, according to public budget documents.

The breakdown: $500,000 for enforcement against unlicensed real estate practitioners, $500,000 to investigate unlicensed construction work — including what budget language describes as "stings and sweeps" — and $100,000 targeting unlicensed certified public accountants.

For Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River county residents, the stakes are concrete. Construction booms in Port St. Lucie and along the U.S. 1 corridor have brought an influx of contractors, some operating without valid state licensure. Homeowners who hire unlicensed workers typically have little recourse when work is defective and are often ineligible to file claims against the state's contractor recovery fund.

The DBPR must report its findings to the Senate President, the House Speaker, and the Governor's Office of Policy and Budget by Nov. 2 under the proposal. The report must include "a detailed breakout of activities, revenues and expenditures by board and/or profession," according to budget documents.

The Special Session was called after the 2026 Regular Session ended in March without a completed budget — the Legislature's only constitutionally required task. Budget talks are expected to continue through this month as the two chambers reconcile their spending plans.

No vote on a final budget has been scheduled, officials said. Treasure Coast residents can track the DBPR enforcement outcomes through the Nov. 2 report once it is submitted to legislative and executive leadership.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.