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How to Verify a Professional's License in Port St. Lucie?

The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation is the state agency responsible for regulating professionals who operate in Port St. Lucie. This Department issues over 30 types of licenses to professionals, and you need to confirm the licensing status of these professionals before you hire them. To authenticate a professional's license in Port St. Lucie, you can use the online licensee search platform provided by the Department of Business & Professional. In addition to state-issued licenses, building professionals are required to obtain city-issued licenses from the Port St. Lucie Contractor Licensing Division, and you can verify these city-issued licenses by using the city's contractor search tool.

In Port St. Lucie, hiring certain professionals, as well as the nature of your intended projects, may require you to obtain permits from the city. For instance, if your planned projects involve the construction of residential and commercial buildings, you need to apply for a building permit through the Permit Applications & Checklists Office of the Port St. Lucie Buildings Department. Questions concerning Port St. Lucie's permitting procedures and requirements can be directed to the city's Building Department by contacting at (772) 871-5132. You can also make in-person inquiries about the city's permitting processes at:

• City Hall Municipal Complex-Building B
• 121 S.W.
• Port St. Lucie Boulevard,
• Port St. Lucie, FL 34984
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Mondays to Fridays

Do Port St. Lucie Neighborhood Councils
Issue Permits?

Port St Lucie's Neighborhood Improvement & Community Engagement (NICE) Program builds community engagement and improves the community members' bonding. However, it doesn't have the authorization to issue permits to the city's residents or any other interested parties. The NICE program gives the community members a platform to share their concerns, questions, and comments on neighborhood developmental projects. The program also encourages, facilitates, and maximizes community member's input and participation in events that will improve the community. For instance, the NICE program hosted a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design information meeting to provide the community members with inexpensive ways to reduce crime threats within the neighborhoods. As part of its targets for its 2020/21 Fiscal Year, the Neighborhood Improvement & Community Engagement (NICE) Program has also promised to keep engaging neighborhoods through neighborhood meetings and working on neighborhood improvement projects.

You can use the city's neighborhood map with subdivisions to learn more about the neighborhood you live in. You can also use the city's neighborhood meeting groups map to get information on the meeting group that your neighborhood falls into.

How to File an Unfair Business
Complaint in Port St. Lucie?

Residents of Port St. Lucie can file complaints relating to unfair business practices or fraudulent acts by professionals in the city with the Consumer Protection Office of the Florida Attorney General's Office. You can complete an online complaint form or download a Consumer Complaint Form to file a complaint with this office. Upon completion of the downloaded complaint form, it can be sent to the Attorney General's Office via the mailing address indicated on this form. While the Attorney General's Office is responsible for investigating consumer complaints, it may forward some of these complaints to a more appropriate agency for proper regulatory action.

Note that the Attorney General's Office cannot guarantee you restitution and is also not allowed to give you legal advice. However, you can consider retaining the services of a private attorney to advise you on the available legal options that you can use to claim restitution from a deceptive business or professional in Port St. Lucie. You can get referrals to private attorneys by completing the online contact form provided by the St. Lucie County Bar Association. You can also file a Port St. Lucie small claims action if your claim does not exceed $8000 at the Saint Lucie County Civil & Small Claims Division. Retaining the services of an attorney also has the advantage of providing you with proper legal advice on how to proceed with this small claims action.