Short answer
In Florida, a mold assessor evaluates conditions and, when needed, writes the remediation protocol; a mold remediator performs the physical cleanup. State law (Ch. 468, Part XVI, F.S.) licenses them separately and, under F.S. 468.8419, generally bars the same party from assessing and remediating the same property — keeping the two independent.
Updated July 24, 2026
Two different licensed roles
Florida licenses "mold assessors" (MRSA) and "mold remediators" (MRSR) as distinct professions under Chapter 468, Part XVI of the Florida Statutes. The assessor investigates and documents: find the moisture, evaluate the conditions, and, if remediation is warranted, define a clear scope of work. The remediator carries out that scope — containment, removal, cleaning, and drying.
Why the roles are kept separate
Under section 468.8419, Florida Statutes, a licensee generally cannot both assess and remediate the same project. An assessor may not remediate a structure they assessed within the prior 12 months, a remediator may not assess a structure they remediated, and the restriction extends to companies with a financial interest in both sides.
The reason is straightforward: the party that decides how much work is needed should not be the party paid to perform it. Separating the roles removes the incentive to over-scope the cleanup and gives you an independent opinion.
Who writes the protocol
When remediation is warranted, the assessor writes the remediation protocol — the scope of work, containment requirements, and the clearance criteria a later verification will check against. The remediation contractor then follows that protocol. This is why an independent assessment is valuable even when you already know you need cleanup: it defines the job before anyone is paid to do it.
Where Sterling sits
Sterling is assessment-only. We assess, write protocols, and perform independent post-remediation verification — but we do not perform remediation. That means our findings are never shaped by an interest in selling the fix, and our clearance is never a check on our own work. Requirements can change, so it is always worth confirming the current rules with the state.