Frequently Asked Questions

Your due date to take Domestic Violence for the first time is based on the date you were initially licensed.

The chart below will assist you in determining when you will be required to complete this training.

If you were initially licensed prior to 8/1/06 you would follow the chart above because you were licensed prior to the implementation of the statute that requires domestic violence. Once you have taken the course for the first time, you have 6 years to complete it again.

If you were initially licensed after 8/1/06 you have 3 bienniums (6 years) to complete the course.

Example: A Physician expiring 1/31/13 initially licensed 5/31/08 would not have to complete Domestic Violence until the 13/15 biennium and would not follow the chart above.

Whenever you chose to take Domestic Violence within the timeframe above, you have 6 years from that date to complete it again.

According to Rule 64B8-13.005(1)(c),F.A.C., a course on the prevention of medical errors which includes a study of root cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety, and which is approved by any state or federal government agency, or nationally affiliated professional association, or any provider of Category I or II American Medical Association Continuing Medical Education. One hour of a two hour course which is provided by a facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 395, F.S., for its employees may be used to partially meet this requirement. The course must include information relating to the five most mis-diagnosed conditions during the previous biennium, as determined by the Board. While wrong site/wrong procedure surgery continues to be the most common basis for quality of care violations, the following areas have been determined as the five most mis-diagnosed conditions: cancer related conditions; surgery complications; respiratory related conditions; OB/GYN related conditions; cardiology related conditions.

The cost to change an active status license to an inactive status at the time of renewal is $389, and $460 if not at renewal. Physicians with an inactive status license must still renew the license every two years during each biennium, are obligated to update their profile, but are not authorized to practice in the state of Florida. In addition, the physician is required by law to pay the annual $250 assessment fee to the Neurological Injury Compensation Association (NICA) unless they qualify for a NICA exemption outlined in s.766.314, FS. If the license is not renewed after two consecutive biennial licensure cycles, the license will expire and the physician will have to reapply for licensure meeting the current licensure requirements. If the physician has not practiced for 2 out of the previous 4 years, the physician will be required to take the SPEX. For more information, please see “How do I reactivate an inactive license”.

The cost to change an active status license to a retired status at the time of renewal is $55, and $155 outside of the renewal period. The preferred method of payment is either a cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Department of Health. The licensed practitioner with a retired license is not authorized to practice in the state of Florida, but still holds a license. The practitioner is not obligated to update his/her profile data.

The documentation needed to change the status from active to retired during the renewal period is a paper renewal form and a check-mark in the box that says; “Change to Retired Status”. No other documents are needed for retirement during renewal. Mail the renewal form and the payment to the Department of Health, P.O. Box 6320, Tallahassee, Florida 32314-6320.

The documentation needed to change the status from active to retired outside of the renewal period is a signed written statement from the licensee requesting the retired status. The statement must include your full name, license number and mailing address.

No other documents are needed for retiring. Mail the signed request and payment to the P.O. Box listed above.

The retired status license cannot be renewed by the normal renewal process and you will no longer receive notifications from the Department of Health. Please be aware that physicians choosing to change the retired status to active status will be required to pay all past renewal fees and if the physician has not practiced within the past 5 years the SPEX will be required for reactivating the license. For more information, please see “How do I reactivate a retired license.”

Section 458.336, F.S. grants the Board of Medicine the authority to adopt rules to establish the practice guidelines for drugs used to treat obesity. These practice guidelines can be found in Rule 64B8-9.012, F.A.C.

Name changes require legal documentation showing the name change. To change your name, please submit supporting documents, which must be one of the following:

1. A copy of a state issued marriage license that includes the original signature and seal from the clerk of the court.
2. A divorce decree restoring your maiden name.
3. A court order showing the name change (adoption, legal name change, federal identity change).
4. A copy of a certificate of naturalization or H1B Employment Visa (Note: Foreign applicants and/or licensees may not have state issued documents)

Any one of these will be accepted unless the department has a question about the authenticity of the document.

The Division of Medical Quality Assurance is now issuing electronic licenses, which enables you to download a PDF copy of your license within two business days. The license can be retrieved in the License Documents menu of your MQA Online Services Portal, https://mqa-vo.doh.state.fl.us/datamart/voservicesportal account. To learn more, please visit the electronic licensing webpage at https://flhealthsource.gov/electronic-licensing/.

For requests by mail, please include your full name as it appears on your license, profession, license number, your new name, your date of birth, the last four digits of your social security number, and your signature. Please submit your name change along with supporting document(s) 5-7 business days to allow processing if you need to renew online.

If you do not require a new license to reflect your new name, you may submit your request online or by mail along with legible supporting document(s) to one of the following:

•  Log onto your MQA Online Services Portal account , select “Request Name Change” from the “Manage My License” dropdown menu
• Mailing address – DOH, Division of Medical Quality Assurance, Post Office Box 6320, Tallahassee, Florida 32314-6320

Although  tattoo artists and tattoo establishments are regulated by Environmental Health, there are no laws and rules in the Florida Medical Practice Act that directly address tattoo removal.

The registration and inspection of radiation devices, such as x-ray machines, is handled by Radiation Control. Radiological Personnel is regulated by the Council on Radiation Protection.

The laws and rules in the Florida Medical Practice Act do not specifically state whether or not a physician must display his or her license in the waiting area of their practice. The guidelines for the disclosure of licensure status can be found in Rule 64B8-11.003, F.A.C., which states:

All persons licensed pursuant to Chapter 458, F.S., and not exempt pursuant to Section 456.072(1)(t), F.S., shall identify the license under which he or she practices in one of the following manners:

1. The wearing of a name tag which identifies the licensee as either a medical doctor (M.D.), a physician assistant (P.A.), or an anesthesiologist assistant (A.A.);
2. The wearing of an article of clothing on the upper body which identifies the licensee as either a medical doctor (M.D.), a physician assistant (P.A.), or an anesthesiologist assistant (A.A.);
3. By orally disclosing to the patient, upon the licensee’s initial in-person contact with the patient, that the licensee is either a medical doctor, a physician assistant, or an anesthesiologist assistant;
4. By providing, upon the licensee’s initial in-person contact with the patient, a business card or similar document which identifies the licensee as either a medical doctor (M.D.), a physician assistant (P.A.), or an anesthesiologist assistant (A.A.); 
5. By placing notification in the lobby or waiting area of the location where the licensee practices, which contains a photo of the licensee and which identifies the licensee as either a medical doctor (M.D.), a physician assistant (P.A.), or an anesthesiologist assistant (A.A.).

The State of Florida does not offer reciprocity as an avenue for licensure. If you hold a medical license in another state and have practiced medicine in at least two of the last four years, we can offer licensure by endorsement.

I have been disciplined by a medical board in another state. Am I required to report it to the Florida Board of Medicine?

Yes. According to s. 458.331(1)(kk), Florida Statutes, a physician must report to the board, in writing, within 30 days if an action has been taken against one’s license to practice medicine in another state, territory, or country. The reporting physician should provide enough detail for the board to be able to locate and obtain the disciplinary documents. It is helpful for the physician to provide supporting documents; however, it is not required.

Per s. 456.042 Florida Statutes, the physician is also required to update her/his practitioner profile within 15 days after a change of any occurrence in each section of the profile.

A physician can perform acupuncture under his/her medical license as long as he/she is properly trained and educated in the field of acupuncture.

Chiropractors are licensed and regulated by the Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine.