Florida mold licensing explained for Jacksonville homeowners

What does the Florida mold license cover?

The Florida mold license covers two kinds of work: assessment, where a qualified person determines whether mold is present and how far it reaches, and remediation, where mold is removed or cleaned under containment. Both are regulated, and each has its own license category.

A mold assessor looks at the building, takes samples where appropriate, reads the moisture conditions and writes a report on the presence and extent of the growth. The assessor does not usually remove the mold, since that would be a conflict of interest for the findings.

A mold remediator removes or cleans the growth under containment, with protective equipment and controls that keep spores from spreading. The remediator's work is checked by a clearance process, and that process is also done by a licensed assessor.

A homeowner who is unsure which part of the work needs which credential can ask the company to write the answer down. The written answer, with the license number for each part, is the most useful document to keep at the start of the job, because it sets out who is responsible for what before any work is done.

Where does the mold license come from?

The license comes from Chapter 468, Part XVI of the Florida Statutes, which sets the framework for mold work, and from Rule 61-31 of the Florida Administrative Code, which carries the detail. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation administers both and issues the licenses.

The statute sets out who may perform mold assessment and remediation and what they must do. The rule supplies the detailed requirements that apply to the license categories. A reader who wants the exact requirements should read the statute and the rule themselves, since this guide summarizes them.

DBPR's website is at myfloridalicense.com, and it is the place to check whether a license is current and what category it covers. The check is the homeowner's responsibility, and the licensee's obligations are the licensee's to meet.

What does the mold license not cover?

The mold license does not cover water extraction, structural drying, dehumidification, plumbing or roof repair. Those are separate pieces of work that may need their own credentials, and a company holding a mold license may not be qualified or licensed for them.

Drying a wet wall is not mold work, even though mold can grow in a wet wall that has not been dried. A company may be very good at drying and still lack a mold license. Likewise, a mold license does not show that a company can repair a roof or a supply line.

When a job includes both drying and mold work, ask the company to show which credential covers each part. A company that cannot do that clearly should not be trusted with the mold part of the job.

What is the status of the 2015 proposed standards?

DBPR proposed mold assessor and remediator standards in 2015, and a legal-news summary reported that those proposals were withdrawn. Whether the rulemaking has resumed is not confirmed, and this guide does not state a current position beyond what is confirmed.

A reader who wants to know whether the standards are now in force should check DBPR's current rules and notices directly. The status of rulemaking can change, and a summary written at one time may not describe the position later.

The licensing framework in Chapter 468, Part XVI and Rule 61-31 is the basis for the license checks described here. The homeowner can confirm the license and its category with DBPR regardless of the state of any proposed standard.

What should a mold assessment report contain?

A useful report says where the growth is, how large the affected area is, what moisture conditions were found and what, if anything, was sampled. It should give a recommendation, and it should be written and signed by the person who did the assessment. Keep it, because the remediator and any clearance check depend on it.

The report should describe the location of the growth room by room and say whether it is on a surface or inside a material. A clear description, with photographs and the moisture readings that went with them, lets another person understand the job without visiting the house.

Be wary of a report that offers no details, that only recommends work without describing the problem, or that is written by the same company that will do the removal and be paid for it. An independent assessment is the safeguard that the homeowner is entitled to ask for.

How does containment work during mold removal?

Containment separates the work area from the rest of the house with sealed plastic and controlled airflow, so spores are not carried into clean rooms. The method is set for the job, and the remediator should explain it in writing before the work begins.

Plastic barriers are sealed at doorways and openings, and negative air equipment is used to draw air into the work area through filters. The air flow keeps any spores inside the containment and away from the rest of the building. Entry and exit are controlled through a defined route.

Containment does not replace the removal itself. Material that is heavily colonized is removed and bagged, surfaces that can be cleaned are cleaned with a HEPA vacuum and suitable products, and the work area is checked before the containment comes down. The remediator should record each step.

How do I check a mold license before work begins?

Ask the company for the license number and the name it is held under, then check the number with DBPR. Confirm that the license is current and that its category covers the work you need, such as assessment, remediation or both.

Write down the license number and the name, and keep a copy of anything the company gives you. Do not accept a verbal assurance in place of a license number, and do not accept a membership card or a training certificate as proof of a license.

If the company cannot give you a license number for the mold work, ask it to confirm in writing that the mold part of the job will be done by a licensed person. Hiring a company without a verified license for mold work exposes you to a poor result and to the risk of a repeat failure.

Why should the clearance check be done by someone else?

A clearance check confirms that the mold has been removed and the area is safe to reoccupy. It is best carried out by a licensed mold assessor who was not part of the removal, since the person who did the work has an interest in the result.

The clearance usually involves inspection, sampling where appropriate and readings of the area. The assessor compares the result against the standard set for the job and records it in a written report, which you keep.

Separating the removal from the clearance is a sensible safeguard, and it is the arrangement a homeowner can ask for. A company that objects to an independent clearance should be asked why.

What if I already have mold after a water job?

Stop the water source if it is still running, keep people away from large areas of growth, and call a licensed mold assessor for an assessment. Do not disturb large areas of visible growth yourself, since disturbing it spreads spores through the house.

Small areas of surface growth on a hard surface may be cleaned with care. Anything larger, anything inside a wall and any growth in a porous material should be left to a licensed remediator under containment.

Keep photographs of the growth and the readings from the water job. Those records help the assessor and the remediator understand how the growth developed, and they support any insurance claim you make.