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With so many companies selling solar panels and solar panel services, it can be difficult to choose a licensed Florida solar contractor. How can you trust the contractor's actually licensed? Some may choose to just take their word but it's really best to have proof of their educational background and experience by seeing proof of their license. Don't go out on a wing and hope the person you hired is telling you the truth about their past work experience and qualifications. More importantly, if something were to go wrong and damages occurred, the unlicensed individual would end up sticking you with the costs for repair.
License Requirements
Your Florida solar contractor has to go through many different tests and a special educational background in order to qualify for a license to work on solar panels and solar panel repair. These include a screening for a potential criminal background history, passing specific educational requirements, and passing a competency exam before being allowed to practice in the field.
What to Look for in a License
The fastest way to verify a contractor's license is to look it up online at: www.myfloridalicense.com. Just type in the license number from the business card to bring up all the applicable information.
Certain forms of ID are not proof of a license. These include: Certified Solar Contractor (i.e. CV for short) and Residential Solar Water or Heating Specialty Contractor (CW for short). The difference between the two is pretty simple. A contractor with the CV license is covers both residential and commercial solar water heating, solar pool heating, and photovoltaic systems (solar panel installations). They aren't allowed however to subcontract certain jobs on residential installations. A CW license limits the contractor to work on residential solar water heating and solar pool heating only. This license does not allow the contractor to work on or install photovoltaic systems. So if you want PV solar panels installed on your home do not hire a contractor with a CW license only.
Non-Licensed Contractors and Your Rights
If in the event you should find yourself having or have had work performed on your house by a non-licensed contractor you have every right to press charges against the individual that performed said work on your home if damages should occur.
FlaSEIA (Florida Solar Energy Industries Association) requires all Florida solar contractor members to hold a license that is active with the non-profit group of companies that make up FlaSEIA.
