I get this question a lot from clients. Natural, I suppose as both catagories tend to spill over a lot. I’m the Qualifier for my company and I tell you, that was a hard road to travel! We tend to get a little excited when some shade tree guy starts doing electrical work. After spending years learning over 22 books of codes and requirements, having to pass difficult exams and full disclosure all of our finances plus REGULATION at every turn–it is painful to see some fool get hired cheap, screw up, and make a bad name for the genuine professionals.
Simply put, an Electrician is a worker. An Electrical Contractor is a company.
But! Just because someone is an Electrician does not mean he can legally work on your home or business–or is technically qualified to do so. The Electrical Contractor is required to be qualified by a state licensee, the Qualifier. The Contractor also must carry the proper insurance and meet many other requirements both financial and technical.
The worker needs none of this and is limited to only work under a qualified electrical contractor.
So when your buddy tells you his pal Sam is an Electrician and will work on your home, beware. He probably isn’t licensed nor has any of the required insurances and certifications.
Check out your guy at myfloridalicense.com