Verifiable. Current. On file.

Licenses, Certifications & Memberships

Florida's Best Pools is a Boca Raton-headquartered, family-owned pool service company, operating under the registered fictitious name Florida's Best Pool Service. We hold the credentials Florida law requires for both residential and public pool service — and we make them easy to verify.

Call Now: 954-347-1120 Request our credential packet

Palm Beach County Contractors Certificate of Competency issued December 1, 1989 to Jeffrey F. Balog of Able Pool Service, Boca Raton — certificate U-15730, swimming pool maintenance & repair, stamped Unlimited.

HeritageCert U-15730

Palm Beach County Certificate of Competency (1989)

Holder: Jeffrey F. Balog
Trade: Swimming Pool Maintenance & Repair
Classification: Unlimited
Issued: December 1, 1989
Issuer: Palm Beach County Construction Industry Licensing Board
Status: Expired (2019) — superseded by the modern credentials below

Florida's Best Pools didn't start in 2020. It started in 1989, in a Boca Raton garage, with this Palm Beach County Certificate of Competency stamped Unlimited. It belonged to Jeffrey F. Balog — Matt's father — and the company he ran for 30 years under the name Able Pool Service. From December 1989 through September 2019, Jeffrey serviced South Florida pools the same way he taught his son to: weekly routes, careful chemistry, no shortcuts.

When Matt partnered with Joe Ford, Ronnie Liddell, and Doug Santiago to build Florida's Best Pools, he didn't bring a résumé. He brought a craft — three decades of it, learned on the route alongside his dad. Different name on the truck. Same Boca zip code. Same standard. You're hiring generation two of a Boca Raton pool family.

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Active credentials

The licenses and certifications currently held by Florida's Best Pools.

DOH-APPROVED#600551

Florida Public Pool Specialist (FPPS)

Holder: Matthew Balog
Issued by: Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA)
Issued: March 5, 2026
Expires: March 3, 2031

Florida Department of Health-approved certification under Chapter 514, F.S. and Chapter 64E-9, F.A.C. Required by Florida law for any technician servicing public, condo, HOA, hotel, or commercial pools. Co-founder Matt Balog completed the 16-hour FSPA-administered course at the Everything Under the Sun Expo in Orlando.

Read full FPPS guide →

NATIONALC-105377

Certified Pool Operator (CPO)

Holder: Florida's Best Pools team
Issued by: Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA)
Status: Active
Renewal: Every 5 years

Nationally recognized certification covering water chemistry, filtration, equipment operation, sanitation, and pool safety. Issued by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (formerly the National Swimming Pool Foundation).

OWNER#W026874

FL Public Adjuster (3-20) — Owner Credential

Holder: Joe Ford
Issued by: Florida Department of Financial Services
License type: Florida All-Lines Public Adjuster (3-20)
Affiliation: Owner, Dolphin Claims

Co-owner Joe Ford holds an active Florida All-Lines Public Adjuster (3-20) license through his separate firm, Dolphin Claims. Listed here for owner-credential transparency. Useful adjacency when storm damage, equipment loss, or homeowners-insurance claims intersect with pool service — Florida's Best Pools does not provide adjusting services.

Industry memberships

Active trade-association memberships — continuing education, peer accountability, and industry-standard practice.

Trade AssociationMember #77999

Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA)

Status: Member in good standing
Member ID: 77999
Period: May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027
Authorizing officer: Keith Johnson, 2026 FSPA President

The Florida Swimming Pool Association is the statewide trade body for builders, service companies, and equipment professionals. FSPA administers the Florida Public Pool Specialist (FPPS) course on behalf of the Florida Department of Health, runs the annual Everything Under the Sun Expo, and sets continuing-education standards for the industry. Membership signals active participation in those programs — not a one-time credential but an ongoing commitment to current practice.

Visit fspa.com →

Why these credentials matter for Boca Raton, Delray Beach & HOA boards

South Florida is one of the densest concentrations of public pools in the country — condos, HOAs, hotels, country clubs, gyms, and apartment complexes are all required by Florida Administrative Code 64E-9.018 and Florida Statute Chapter 514 to use a Florida DOH-approved certified technician. The FPPS is one of only a handful of courses that satisfies that rule.

Hiring an uncertified technician for a public pool isn't just risky — it puts the property's DOH operating permit at risk. Property managers and HOA boards should verify certification before any vendor begins service.

Read the full guide to FPPS certification →

Need a certified pool service company in Boca Raton?

Free on-site evaluation. Flat-rate pricing. Same-tech weekly service. Credentials on file and ready to share with property managers, HOA boards, and condo associations.

Call Now: 954-347-1120 Request a quote