A Florida DFS Stop Work Order means your business must cease all operations immediately. Every day you wait costs you money — and every day you work in violation is a $1,000 fine and a potential felony charge. Comp Ninjas gets Florida contractors workers' comp coverage the same day — including hard-to-place industries like construction, roofing, and towing that standard carriers decline. Comp Ninjas issues the Certificate of Insurance (COI) the same business day so you can submit proof to the Florida DFS immediately and begin the Order of Conditional Release process.
From the date your Florida DFS Stop Work Order is served under Florida Statute §440.107, you have 21 days to pay the penalty or enter a payment agreement. Miss this deadline and the DFS reinstates the order. Getting coverage through Comp Ninjas today starts the clock on lifting it — Comp Ninjas can bind coverage and issue your COI the same business day.
Official-source evidence
These Florida compliance and safety notes are linked to the governing source. They are educational information, not legal, safety, or underwriting advice.
Florida DFS states that operating without required workers’ compensation coverage can result in a stop-work order requiring the business to cease operations until it complies and pays a penalty.
Source: Florida Department of Financial Services Florida workers’ compensation enforcement
Florida DFS describes the stop-work-order penalty as two times the amount the employer would have paid in manual premium during the preceding 12 or 24 months. DFS also identifies concealed payroll, concealed duties, and premium avoidance as possible bases for an order.
Source: Florida Department of Financial Services Florida workers’ compensation enforcement
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A Stop Work Order (SWO) is issued by the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) Division of Workers' Compensation when an investigator finds that an employer is operating without the required workers' compensation insurance coverage. Under Florida Statute §440.107, the DFS has authority to conduct job-site inspections at any time — and they do, especially in construction, roofing, and other high-risk trades.
When a SWO is issued, the employer must immediately stop all business operations. The order is served on-site and takes effect immediately — there is no grace period. The employer must then obtain valid workers' comp coverage, pay a penalty assessment, and receive an Order of Conditional Release from the DFS before resuming work.
Every Florida Stop Work Order is logged in the DFS public compliance database at dwcdataportal.fldfs.com. General contractors, project owners, and bonding companies can look up your business. An active SWO can disqualify you from bids and contracts — another reason to act immediately.
The penalties compound fast. Here is what you are actually facing:
The DFS calculates what you should have paid in workers' comp premium over the past 12–24 months and doubles it. For a 5-person roofing crew, this can easily reach $20,000–$60,000.
Every day you operate under an active SWO is a $1,000 fine. Working for even one week after the order is served adds $7,000 to your penalty — on top of the base assessment.
Working in violation of a SWO is a criminal offense in Florida. A third-degree felony conviction can affect your contractor's license, your ability to bid on public projects, and your personal record.
You have 21 days from the date the SWO is served to either pay the full penalty or enter a payment agreement. Miss this window and the DFS reinstates the order and the clock resets.
| Scenario | Estimated Penalty |
|---|---|
| 2-person painting crew, $80K annual payroll, 12 months uninsured | ~$8,000–$14,000 |
| 5-person roofing crew, $250K annual payroll, 12 months uninsured | ~$40,000–$80,000 |
| General contractor, $500K annual payroll, 24 months uninsured | ~$120,000–$200,000 |
| Any employer — additional $1,000/day for each day worked in violation | +$1,000/day |
Estimates based on Florida DFS penalty formula (2× manual premium). Actual amounts depend on payroll, class codes, and investigation period. This is not legal advice.
The DFS process is straightforward, but speed matters. Here is exactly what happens:
Contact Comp Ninjas immediately. Tell us about your business — industry, number of employees, payroll. We assess your situation and confirm we can cover you.
We handle the paperwork fast. PEO enrollment for most Florida contractors takes 1–3 hours. You pay the $875 setup fee and your first payroll cycle deposit.
Once enrolled, we issue your Certificate of Insurance (COI) the same day. This is the proof of coverage DFS requires to begin the SWO release process.
Present your COI to the DFS investigator, pay the $1,000 penalty down payment, and enter a payment plan for the balance. DFS issues the Order of Conditional Release and you can resume operations.
Most Florida contractors get their COI the same day they enroll. We know you need to move fast.
Construction, roofing, towing, landscaping, home health — we cover the trades most carriers won't touch.
No large deposit. No year-end audit surprise. PEO pay-as-you-go means you pay as your crew works.
A Stop Work Order (SWO) is issued by the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) when an employer is caught operating without required workers' compensation coverage. It legally requires you to immediately cease all business operations until you obtain coverage and pay the assessed penalty.
The penalty is 2 times the amount you would have paid in workers' comp premium over the preceding 12 or 24 months — whichever period the DFS investigator uses. On top of that, continuing to work in violation of the SWO carries a $1,000 per day fine and is a third-degree felony.
To lift a Florida SWO you must: (1) obtain valid workers' comp coverage and provide proof to the DFS, (2) pay a $1,000 down payment toward the assessed penalty, and (3) enter into a payment agreement for the remaining penalty balance. Once DFS confirms coverage and receives the down payment, they issue an Order of Conditional Release that allows you to resume operations.
Through Comp Ninjas' PEO program, most Florida contractors can get coverage bound and a Certificate of Insurance (COI) issued the same business day — often within a few hours of completing enrollment. Comp Ninjas specializes in hard-to-place industries like construction, roofing, towing, and staffing that standard carriers decline. Comp Ninjas issues the COI the same day so you can immediately submit proof of coverage to the Florida DFS and begin the Order of Conditional Release process.
Yes. Having an active Florida DFS Stop Work Order does not disqualify you from obtaining workers' comp coverage. In fact, getting coverage is the first required step to lifting the order under Florida Statute §440.107. Comp Ninjas works with Florida contractors who have active SWOs — Comp Ninjas understands the urgency and can bind coverage and issue a COI the same business day.
Construction and its sub-trades — roofing, framing, concrete, drywall, painting, electrical, plumbing — account for the majority of Florida SWOs. Towing, landscaping, and home health are also frequently targeted in DFS compliance sweeps.
Working in violation of a Florida SWO is a third-degree felony and carries a $1,000 per day fine. The DFS can also reinstate the SWO if you fail to pay the penalty down payment within 21 days. Do not work under an active SWO — the consequences compound quickly.
A Florida DFS Stop Work Order does not permanently disqualify you from workers' comp coverage. The SWO creates a record in the DFS public compliance database at dwcdataportal.fldfs.com, but Comp Ninjas' PEO program evaluates your current situation rather than penalizing you for past compliance issues. Comp Ninjas has helped many Florida contractors get covered after an SWO and maintain continuous compliance going forward.
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