An official website of the State of Florida 
Section 456.013(1)(a), Florida Statutes, requires an applicant to complete and submit a board-approved application to be considered for licensure. To expedite your application for licensure, you may apply online for a temporary certificate to practice in an approved area of critical need at https://mqa-vo.doh.state.fl.us/datamart/voservicesportal. All initial applications are processed in date order. An incomplete application shall expire one year after initial filing.
After an initial review, if it is determined that additional supporting documents are required to complete your application for licensure, a deficiency letter will be emailed or mailed to you within 30 calendar days outlining all outstanding supporting documents to complete your application.
The licensing process involves the collection of supporting documents to complete your application. Once all supporting documents are received and reviewed, your online status will be updated, and an initial license number will be issued within three to five business days.
Some applicants may have to appear before the Council on Physician Assistants at one of their regularly scheduled meetings before a license can be issued. Reasons for an appearance may include previous disciplinary action in another state, malpractice history, criminal history that impacts the practice of medicine or your ability to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety, health history and other application deficiencies. Having one of these issues does not automatically require an appearance as each application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Chair of the Council on Physician Assistants. You will be notified in writing if a personal appearance is required.
This temporary and restricted license allows you to practice as a physician assistant in:
- Area of critical need as determined by the State Surgeon General
- County health department
- Correctional facility
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs clinic
- Community health center funded by section s. 329, s. 330, or s. 340 of the United States Public Services Act
- Another agency or institution approved by the State Surgeon General that provides health care services to meet the needs of underserved populations in Florida
- Area for a limited time to address critical physician-specialty, demographic, or geographic needs for Florida’s physician workforce as determined by the State Surgeon General
Visit the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) website for more information: https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/hpsa-find.
A recipient of a temporary certificate for practice in an area of critical need must, within 30 days after accepting employment, notify the Board of all approved institutions in which the licensee practices and all approved institutions where practice privileges have been denied.
Supporting Documents for Licensure:
- A complete application for licensure.
- Background screening results from an approved Livescan provider.
- An official verification of your physician assistant or medical degree.
- An official license verification from a state board of licensing authority of any state or territory.
- Letter of intent from an employer who intends to employ you in an approved area of critical need.
- Copy of your self-query of the National Practitioner Data Bank.
- Documentation pertaining to affirmative response(s) on application for licensure.