Florida

Board

of

Optometry

The profile contains required and optional information from the practitioner. Required information includes: • The practitioner’s education and training, including other health-related degrees, professional and post graduate training specialty • The practitioner’s current practice and mailing addresses • The practitioner’s staff privileges and faculty appointments • The practitioner’s reported financial responsibility • Legal action taken against the practitioner • Board final disciplinary action taken against the practitioner • Any liability claims filed against Podiatric Physicians which exceed $5000 • Any liability claims filed against M.D.s and osteopathic physicians which exceed $100,000 Optional information may include committees/memberships, professional or community service awards, and publications the practitioner has authored.

Profiles can be accessed by on our License Verification screen. If the health professional is licensed in one of profiled professions, a “Practitioner Profile” tab will be available.

No; however, Licensure Verification is available for all health care professionals currently or previously licensed in Florida.

If this feature is currently available for your profession, you may check the status of your application in real time via our Online Services. You will need your User ID and password in order to log in. If you lose your User ID and password, you can log in alternatively using the ‘Get Login Help?‘ link located below the login fields.

Yes.

With a free Basic Account you can view your basic course history, which will list the course name, educational provider name, date of completion and hours reported. It would then be up to you to determine whether all of the courses that have been reported will complete all of your specific continuing education requirements. You can also self-report any continuing education that may be missing. A Professional Account (paid subscription) provides you with all of the tracking tools that CE Broker offers. Your transcript will display what your specific CE requirements are and will calculate what requirements have been met and what may still be outstanding. A Professional Account is a subscription service and is not a requirement but it can be a useful tool in managing your Florida continuing education requirements should you chose to subscribe.

You will be able to view your course history free of charge. Your course history will show all the courses that have been reported.

No, subscriptions remain optional. There are a number of services you can receive by subscribing, however, it is optional. You can always search for courses, report your hours, and view your course history free of charge by creating a Basic Account

No, you can report your hours free of charge anytime during the biennium. For more information please visit www.CEatRenewal.com. Please note, if you take a course from a Florida Board approved Provider they are required to report on your behalf. If you take a course from a National organization it is your responsibility to report completion. There may be other ways for you to obtain credit towards continuing education required for license renewal. For specific approved methods of obtaining continuing education for your profession please review the Board rules by visiting www.flhealthsource.gov .

Beginning in 2015 you will not be able to renew a license without having your continuing education reported into the continuing education tracking system. If you do not have the hours to report, your license will move to a delinquent status at expiration. In order to renew a delinquent license you will be required to complete the continuing education requirements. Additional fees may apply.

Beginning with licenses expiring May 31, 2013, practitioners will be prompted to report continuing education credits during the renewal process.

Continuing Education is a requirement to renew a professional license. Section 456.025(7), F.S. requires the Department to implement an electronic continuing education tracking system for each biennial renewal cycle and to integrate such system into the licensure and renewal system.

1. If applicant has been convicted of or pled nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, any felony or misdemeanor related to the practice of a health care profession.
2. If applicant has had a health care provider license revoked or suspended from another state, the District of Colombia, or a United States Territory.
3. If applicant has been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, unless the applicant has successfully appealed to have his or her name removed from the data bank.
4. If applicant has previously failed the Florida examination required to receive a license to practice the profession for which the applicant is seeking a license.
5. The board or department if there is no board may revoke a temporary license upon finding that the individual violated the profession’s governing practice act.

1. Fees
2. Proof of marriage to an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States and that the applicant’s spouse is assigned to a duty station in this state based upon the member’s official active duty military orders.
3. Proof of a valid license in another state, the District of Columbia, a possession or territory of the United States, or a foreign jurisdiction and eligibility to take the Florida licensure examination.

The temporary license is valid for 12 months after the date of issuance and is not renewable.

The applicant must provide proof that he or she would otherwise be entitled to full licensure under the appropriate practice act, and is eligible to take the respective licensure examination as required in Florida.

The applicant can download the regular application to include the supplemental page from the board’s webpage (http://www.floridahealth.gov/licensing-and-regulation/index.html).

This bill amends section 456.024, Florida Statutes, (F.S.), creating a temporary license for health care practitioners who are spouses of active duty members of the Armed Forces.

1. Login to online services by selecting your profession from the dropdown menu and entering your User ID and Password. The survey must be completed by allopathic and osteopathic physicians only.

a. Your User ID and Password were mailed with your initial license. Please look at the center section and refer to the Online Services Instructions, item #5.

b. If you do not have your User ID and Password, click on “Get Login Help“.

2. Select “Physician Workforce Survey” on the left side of the page

3. Complete Physician Workforce Survey

LICENSEES:

UPDATE ADDRESS ONLINE:

• Login to online services by selecting your profession from the drop down menu and entering your User ID and Password

• Your User ID and Password were mailed with your initial license. Please look at the center section and refer to the Online Services Instructions, item #5.

• If you do not have your User ID and Password, click on “Get Login Help“.

• Select “Update Addresses” on the left side of the page

• Enter the new address information

• Once you have entered your new address, click on “Process”. You will receive a confirmation page that displays the updated address.

UPDATE ADDRESS BY MAIL: Please complete the Change of Address form. Written requests for address changes must include your name, profession, license number, old address, new address, date of birth, last four digits of your social security number, and your signature.

Please Note: An updated license will not be automatically sent. A duplicate license request must be submitted.

About Your Practice Location Address

The practice location address will display on the Internet and your license. Your practice location must be a physical location address and must not include a Post Office box. The mailing address will only display on the Internet if you have not provided a practice location address to us.

Establishment/Facility Name or Address

If the name or address change is for a facility that has changed location, a licensure application must be submitted. See your profession’s web page for additional information.

APPLICANTS:

UPDATE ADDRESS BY MAIL: Please complete the Change of Address form. Written requests for address changes must include your name, profession, old address, new address, date of birth, last four digits of your social security number, and your signature.

PROCESSING TIME: If you are submitting an address change request by mail, please allow 5-7 business days for processing. Online requests will be processed within 48 hours.

At the following address: Department of Health MQA Agency Clerk’s Office 4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin CO1 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3251

Please note that Account Id and Password are case-sensitive. You must enter the values exactly as they were provided. Use the “Shift” key to capitalize letters, not the “Caps Lock” key.

Yes. After you have successfully logged in, you can modify your password by selecting Update Login located on the side navigational menu.

Yes. After you have successfully logged in, you can modify your account id by selecting Update Login located on the side navigational menu.

Once you are logged into Online Services, select Update Address link from the side navigational menu.

There are many reasons why credit card information may not be accepted. Some suggestions for checking credit card data input are listed below.

• If you find that all data is complete and correct, but the card is still not accepted, try a different card.

• Be sure that you do not use any hyphens, “-“, underlines, “_”, or spaces when you type your credit card number.

• Do not type text in the space provided for your credit card type, be sure that you click on/select your credit card type from the drop down list of acceptable credit cards.

• Be sure to state the credit card expiration date correctly, with the slash and without spaces. An example of a month, year expiration would be: 09/03

• There is no comparison between the name on your license and the credit card name. When typing the name on the credit card, be sure that you type it just as it appears on the card that was used to complete the other credit card information.

• Be sure that all credit card data fields are completed.

The e-Renewal system will not allow you to change your status online. If you need to change your license status, you will be required to mail your renewal application and fee to the department for processing.

The department will mail a renewal notification to your last known address at least 90 days prior to the expiration of your license. Your license also indicates the date it will expire.

The Renew License link is only activated for practitioners who are in renewal. If you believe your license is in renewal and you do not have access to the online renewal system, please email the Department at MQALicensureServices@flhealth.gov or call (850) 488-0595. Our Licensure Support Services staff is available to assist you Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time

When you renew your license online, you will receive immediate confirmation that your renewal was received and processed successfully. In addition, online renewal allows you to use American Express, VISA, MasterCard or Discover to pay.

If you have any questions about renewing your license, call (850) 488-0595. Our customer service staff is available to assist you Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time. (Excluding state holidays)

For Internet Explorer users, the security setting must be set to medium and cookies must be enabled. To set Internet Explorer to medium security follow the instructions below:

• Open Internet Explorer and select ‘Tools’ from the top menu bar.

• Select ‘Internet Options’ from the drop down list.

• Once the ‘Internet Options’ window appears, select the ‘Security’ tab.

• From the ‘Security’ tab window click on/select ‘Medium’.

• To enable cookies, use the same ‘Internet Options’ window and select the ‘Advanced’ tab.

• From the ‘Advanced’ tab window, press the down arrow on your keyboard until the words ‘Always Accept Cookies’ are highlighted and use the scroll bar and click on/select ‘Always Accept Cookies’. Click ‘Apply’ and retry using the e-Renewal system.

No. If you receive confirmation of a successful renewal, submission of the renewal application is not necessary.

You will receive a confirmation message following a successful renewal. You are encouraged to print this message for your records.

No. The e-Renewal web site is a secure site and does not retain complete credit card information after the data is processed.

Online renewal does not change your renewal expiration date. You are still required to submit a renewal no later than midnight on the date the license is scheduled to expire

Yes, Florida health care professionals can seek assistance for impairment through the Department’s Impaired Practitioner Programs – the Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN) or the Professionals Resource Network (PRN). Impairment may be as a result of misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs, or both, or due to a mental or physical condition which could affect the licensee’s ability to practice with skill and safety. Intervention Project for Nurses, Inc. (IPN) (Contract Number: COMV5) Linda L. Smith, ARNP, M.Div, CAP, Chief Executive Officer P.O. Box 49130 Jacksonville Beach, FL 32240-9130 Toll Free: (800) 840-2720 Telephone Number: (904) 270-1620 FAX: (904) 270-1633 E-Mail: lsmith@ipnfl.org Professionals Resource Network, Inc. (PRN) (Contract Number: COMW3) P.O. Box 1020 Fernandina Beach, Florida 32035-1020 Toll Free: (800) 888-8PRN (8776) Telephone Number: 904-277-8004 Fax: 904-261-3996 E-Mail: admin@flprn.org

You are required to report all criminal activities after you receive your license. You may report the criminal offense(s) online via Online Services, by e-mail MQAOnlineService@flhealth.gov, or by mail:

Florida Department of Health
Licensure Support Services Unit, Bin #C-10
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3267

If reporting by e-mail or mail, provide the date of the offense, a description of the crime, and the county and state of jurisdiction.

Only the initial license fee and the unlicensed activity fee will be applied to the new application.

Once your request is received, it can take up to four weeks to receive your refund.

There is a three year statute of limitation for refunds so if the overpayment was made less than three years ago you are eligible for a refund.

You must submit your request in writing. Mail or fax your signed request to the Board Office. Please visit our Contact Information page for the mailing address and fax number.

The Board Office will refund your initial license fee and unlicensed activity fee. Your application fee is non-refundable and will not be refunded to you.

Mail your application and fees to:

Department of Health
Post office Box 6330
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6330.

By visiting your board’s Licensing page. Select your profession then click on Requirements.

The division’s call center at (850) 488-0595. We are open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. We’re closed on weekends and state holidays. You may email us at MedicalQualityAssurance@flhealth.gov.

We will send you notification about the status of your application within 30 days after we receive it.

You are required to report all criminal offenses to the Board. Each application will be evaluated on an individual basis. For more information on offenses that may prevent you from obtaining a medical license, see the links below:

Chapter 456, F.S.: Health Professions and Occupations: General Provisions
s. 766.301 through 766.316, F.S.: Medical malpractice and related matters

• If you have a criminal record, you must submit certified official court documents related to your criminal record, showing the date(s) and circumstance(s) surrounding your arrest(s)/conviction(s), sections of the law violated, and disposition of the case(s). Documents would normally consist of a complaint or indictment, a judgment, a docket sheet, or other documents showing disposition of your case. Some courts refer to these documents as an order of probation. A court clerk must certify these court documents before we can accept them.
• If you have received discipline against any license that you have held, you must submit certified copies of the documents related to the disciplinary action taken. The documents must come from the agency that took the disciplinary action and must be certified by that agency.
• You must submit a detailed description of circumstances surrounding your criminal record or disciplinary action.

Yes. Offenses must be reported to the board even if you received a suspended imposition of sentence and the record is now considered closed.

Each application is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The board considers the nature, severity, and recency of offenses, as well as rehabilitation and other factors. The board cannot make a determination for approval or denial of licensure without evaluating the entire application and supporting documentation.

All convictions, guilty pleas, and nolo contendere pleas must be reported, except for minor traffic violations not related to the use of drugs or alcohol. This includes misdemeanors, felonies, “driving while intoxicated (DWI)” and “driving under the influence (DUI).” Crimes must be reported even if they are a suspended imposition of sentence. All prior disciplinary action against any other professional licenses must be reported, whether it occurred in Florida or another state or territory.

Section 456.013(1)(a), Florida Statutes does not allow for an extension. An incomplete application is only valid for one year.

Your e-license will be issued within 2 business days once your licensure application has been approved.  Please login to your MQA Online Services account and navigate to ‘License Documents’ on your ‘My Dashboard’ page to retrieve your e-license. 

We encourage you to send as much information as possible to help expedite the licensure process.

Please mail all required supporting documents directly to the Board Office. For your Board’s mailing address, please visit the Contact page.

By visiting the board’s meetings page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on either past or upcoming meetings. Review the meeting dates to locate the agenda you need, and the board’s agenda should be posted on the right under Materials.

Board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. You may apply by contacting the Governor’s Appointment Office, LL10 The Capitol, Tallahassee FL 32399-0001; or by calling (850) 488-2183.

You can request a practitioner’s disciplinary history from our Public Records website under Disciplinary Records.

To view a list of actively licensed practitioners, use the License Verification Search and select the county and profession from the drop-down list.

Verify that you are using the email address: MedicalQualityAssurance@flhealth.gov

Also, If you have SPAM blocker on your computer, you will not be able to receive emails from Licensure Services without updating your SPAM blocker to allow emails from the Department.
Please update your SPAM blocker to receive emails from @doh.state.fl.us or contact our Licensure Support Services at (850)-488-0595, for Account ID and Password renewal information.

If a PDF file fails to download, shows up blank, or freezes your internet browser, the file was most likely corrupted during the download process. To correct the problem, you will need to first clear your browser’s cache, then close and restart the browser, which entails logging back into MQA Services to continue downloading the document. If the cache is not cleared the cached version of the document, which is likely damaged, will still appear.

Yes, Florida health care professionals can seek assistance for impairment through the Department’s Impaired Practitioner Programs – the Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN) or the Professionals Resource Network (PRN). Impairment may be as a result of misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs, or both, or due to a mental or physical condition which could affect the licensee’s ability to practice with skill and safety.

Intervention Project for Nurses, Inc. (IPN)
(Contract Number: COMV5)
Linda L. Smith, ARNP, M.Div, CAP
Chief Executive Officer
P.O. Box 49130
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32240-9130
Toll Free: (800) 840-2720
Telephone Number: (904) 270-1620
FAX: (904) 270-1633
E-Mail: lsmith@ipnfl.org

Professionals Resource Network, Inc. (PRN)
(Contract Number: COMW3)
P.O. Box 1020 Fernandina Beach, Florida 32035-1020
Toll Free: (800) 888-8PRN (8776)
Telephone Number: 904-277-8004
Fax: 904-261-3996
E-Mail: admin@flprn.org

Once you are logged into Online Services, select Update Address link from the side navigational menu.

Each year the Department of Health contracts with experts to review cases against medical professionals who may have failed to provide appropriate medical care such as is expected of a medical practitioner in the State of Florida. Being an expert witness for the Department not only helps to improve the efficiency of the disciplinary process, but also allows you to play an active role in helping to regulate your profession. Experts must:

• Have a current Florida license;
• Be actively practicing in Florida;
• Shall not have ever been the subject of any disciplinary action by the medical licensing authority of any state or jurisdiction, and is currently; and
• Shall remain in good standing with the respective healthcare profession for which his or her services are required. The Department offers two types of expert witness contracts.

If you wish to provide your services pro bono, Board rules provide an official recognition for time spent in the review of a case and written opinion by awarding Continuing Medical Education (CME) Credits of 5.0 hours per case, up to a maximum of 15 hours per biennial license renewal period towards risk management. For services other than case review and written opinion, such as deposition and trial services, you will be compensated at a modest rate of $160.00 per hour.

If you wish to be a paid expert, you will be compensated at a modest rate of $125.00 per hour for time spent in the review of a case and written opinion and $160.00 for deposition and trial services. Your deposition testimony would typically be paid by the opposing counsel at your requested fee. Additionally, the Department reimburses travel expenses in accordance with the Department of Health 40-1 (Official Travel of Department of Health Employees and Non-Employees.) If you are interested in becoming an expert witness for the Department and your board, please click on the link below to fill-out and submit your application: Board Expert Witness Application (PDF)

If you are an allopathic physician, osteopathic physician or dentist, licensed in another state but do not hold a Florida medical license, and you plan to provide expert witness testimony in Florida, you must register for an Expert Witness Certificate. If you are interested in becoming an Expert Witness, please complete this survey.

Verify that you are using the email address: MedicalQualityAssurance@doh.state.fl.usAlso, If you have SPAM blocker on your computer, you will not be able to receive emails from Licensure Services without updating your SPAM blocker to allow emails from the Department. Please update your SPAM blocker to receive emails from @doh.state.fl.us or contact our Licensure Support Services at (850)-488-0595, for Account ID and Password renewal information.

No. There is no additional cost for making a credit card payment online.

All medical doctors, osteopathic physicians, chiropractic physicians, podiatrists, and advanced registered nurse practitioners have profiles that list this information.

Five business days.

Print the Complaint Form with the Authorization for Release of Patient Records from ourEnforcement site or call 1-888-419-3456 or (850)414-1976 to request one by phone. Complete the form and mail it to the address given on the form.

Board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. You may apply by contacting the Governor’s Appointment Office, LL10 The Capitol, Tallahassee FL 32399-0001; or by calling (850) 488-2183.

All board meetings are open to the public.

License Verification

Information regarding the licensure status of a practitioner. This is for use by persons or organizations that do not require a document certifying this information under seal.

Licensure Certification

Specific document certifying licensure status and disciplinary history, prepared by a representative of the Division of Medical Quality Assurance and bearing a seal. This document is generally required for applicants seeking licensure in other states and for use in court proceedings. There is a $25 fee for this service in accordance with Rule 64B-4.001, 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

Scores are released within 14 days of the examination. Once all requirements are met and verified by board staff your license will be issued.

You will not be able to register with Prometric until you have received the Candidate Information Packet from Practitioner Reporting and Examination Services Unit (PRES). You may visit our examination pages at https://floridasoptometry.gov/resources/examination/ or contact PRES by telephone at (850) 245-4252 for information regarding the administration of the exam.

Yes. The initial biennium in which you are licensed, you will be required to complete one (1) hour of HIV/AIDS.

In order to re-take the laws and rules examination, there is an examination fee of $100.00.

Download the initial re-examination application from our Licensing page.

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=64B13-5

No, Florida offers licensure by examination only.

The 2013 legislative session brought very important changes for the practice of optometry. On April 19, 2013, Governor Rick Scott signed HB-239 into law, which significantly increased the scope of practice of optometry. One of those changes impacts when and how adverse incidents in the practice of optometry are reported to the Department of Health.

Effective January 1, 2014, certified optometrists will be required to report to the Department of Health any adverse incidents in the practice of optometry. An adverse incident is defined to mean, “any of the following events when it is reasonable to believe that the event is attributable to the prescription of an oral ocular pharmaceutical agent” by a certified optometrist:

• Any condition requiring a patient’s transfer to a hospital;
• Any condition that requires care and treatment from a physician, other than a referral or consultation;
• Permanent physical injury to the patient;
• Partial or complete permanent loss of sight by the patient; or
• Death of the patient.

The reports must be:

• Sent by certified mail; and
• Postmarked within 15 days after the adverse incident occurs.

Mail the completed Adverse Incident Form to:

Department of Health
Consumer Services Unit
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C75
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3275

As of March 13, 2014, Rule 64B13-16.002, F.A.C., was repealed and Optometrists no
longer are required to renew their Branch office license.

You would need to submit a written request to the Department, including a list of all
Branch Office locations

· First and last name
· Optometrist license number
· Date of birth
· Last 4 of social security
· Sign and date

Mail:
Department of Health
Bureau of Operations, Licensure Support Services
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin # C-10
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3260

Fax:
850-245-4791

Email:
Licensure_Services@doh.state.fl.us

We have updated our MQA Online Services Portal to be more user-friendly. Registration is a one-time process and you can use your email address or a user ID that you will easily remember to set up your account.

This commonly occurs when a user has already created an account. Please use the Forgot User ID link on the MQA Online Service Portal login page. If you cannot remember your password, you can select the Forgot Password link to have a new password emailed to you.

Please make sure you add MQAOperations@FLHealth.gov to your trusted/allowed email address list to ensure the temporary password email does not get sent to your spam, junk, clutter or trash folders or get filtered out of your email before it is received.

If you do not receive your temporary password email within a few minutes, check your email account’s junk, spam, clutter and trash folders. If the temporary password email is not in any of these folders, make sure you entered your valid email address correctly. If your email was entered correctly, please wait at least one hour to receive the email. (NOTE: Some email systems take longer to receive emails than others. Even though we send the email immediately, it make take some time for you to receive it.)

Accounts are locked after 5 failed login attempts. Please use the Forgot Password link to reset your password and log into your account.

You can update your email address by selecting the Update Account link within the MQA Online Services Portal. If you do not remember your password, please contact the MQA Customer Contact Center at 850-488-0595 for assistance in changing your email address.

Your email address is initially used to create your user account. We ask for your email address a second time when you renew as part of your renewal application’s contact information; however, providing your email address on an application is optional.

The email address provided at the time of registration is private and will not be provided to the public. If you provide an email address within an application’s contact information (e.g., when renewing), the address will be saved in our licensing database and becomes public information.

This is a known issue with some organizational security features in Mozilla Firefox. Try using another browser, such as Google Chrome or Internet Explorer, to register for a new user account and add your license/application.

Please verify that you have not already added your license/application to your account. You can do this by logging into your account, looking on your dashboard and verifying you see your application or license under either Manage My License or Manage My Application. If you do not have either of those options and you are sure this is the account you originally created, then please contact the MQA Customer Contact Center at 850-488-0595 or MQAOnlineService@FLHealth.gov

Please verify that the information you entered is correct. This includes the mailing address zip code currently on file with the Department of Health. You can find your mailing address zip code on your renewal postcard or your printed physical license. For applicants, please enter the mailing address zip code you submitted during the application process. If you are still unsure of the exact information we have on file for your license/application, please contact the MQA Customer Contact Center at 850-488-0595 or MQAOnlineService@FLHealth.gov.

You must enter the mailing address zip code that is currently on file with the Department of Health. You can find your mailing address zip code on your renewal postcard, your physical license or any mailed correspondence received from the Department of Health. If you are an applicant, enter the mailing address zip code you provided during the application process. If you need further assistance, please contact the MQA Customer Contact Center at 850-488-0595 or MQAOnlineService@FLHealth.gov.

Yes. When you register for a new MQA Online Services Portal account, you will be prompted to add any existing health care practitioner licenses or previously submitted applications to your account using your social security number, date of birth and mailing address zip code currently on file with the Department of Health. Follow the prompts to add your application to your account to easily submit supporting documentation and check the status of your application from your dashboard.

No. Medical errors training is not required upon initial licensing.

Licensees Only

You may update your address using Online Services.

Address changes for licensees may also be made by providing your name, old address and new address to:

Email: info@floridasoptometry.gov
Fax: (850) 922-8876

OR

U.S. Mail:

DOH, MQA
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Bin C01
Tallahassee, FL
32399-3251

Applicants Only

Address changes for applicants may be made by providing your name, old address and new address to:

Email: info@floridasoptometry.gov
Fax: (850) 922-8876

OR

Florida Board of Optometry
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Bin C07
Tallahassee, FL
32399-3257

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/.

Board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. You may apply by contacting the Governor’s Appointment Office, LL10 The Capitol, Tallahassee FL 32399-0001; or by calling (850) 488-2183.

You must submit your request in writing. Mail or fax your signed request to the Board Office. Please visit our Contact Information page for the mailing address and fax number.

Profiles can be accessed by on our License Verification screen. If the health professional is licensed in one of profiled professions, a “Practitioner Profile” tab will be available.

Log into your MQA Online Services Portal account and select Request Duplicate License from the “Manage My License Information” pulldown menu. Review your changes and click “Submit.”

NOTE: Your license should be retrievable through the MQA Online Services Portal within 2 business days after your order is complete. If your profession is pending renewal or in a current renewal cycle, you may be asked to renew your license instead of being issued a duplicate license.

Make cashier’s check or money order payable to the Board/Council to be researched, in the amount of $25.00, for each verification requested.

• • Include name and address where verification is to be sent
  • Verification of Licensure order form
  • Non-Licensure Verification order form

Mail your request and fee to:
Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Licensure Support Services Attn: License Verifications
P.O. Box 6320
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6320

Other Important Information:

• Requests for licensure verification received without the appropriate fee will be returned unprocessed to the sender.
• The Division of Medical Quality Assurance cannot guarantee your verification will meet the deadlines for other State Boards. The current processing time for licensure verifications is approximately 10 days from receipt. Please check your deadline dates before you submit your verification request.
• Release forms from the licensees are not required for verifications.

Exemptions: Financial information, medical information, school transcripts, examination questions, answers, papers, grades and grading keys, are confidential and exempt forms pursuant to Section 119.071, Florida Statutes, and will be withheld pursuant to Section 456.057, Florida Statutes. Social Security numbers will also be redacted pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C) (vii)(1).

If you need a written statement on a public record attesting to the record’s genuineness or that it is a true and correct copy, you may fill out the Online Request Form. Be sure to indicate you need a certified copy of the request form. A $25 fee will be charged, in addition to the public record Fees and Charges. Visit our Public Records page for information on how to request certified documents by mail.

You may learn more about the Complaint process and submit the appropriate complaint forms by visiting our online Enforcement website.

Intern hours are recorded on the Internship Affidavit Report form attached to the application.

You may check the status of your application in real time via our Online Services, using your User ID and password. If you lose your User ID and password, contact Licensure Support Services at (850) 488-0595 to get this information.

You may use our License Look-Up Search screen.

Any substantially affected person (i.e. a licensee or applicant) may seek a Declaratory Statement. Declaratory statements regarding an opinion of a board, or the department when there is no board, as to the applicability of a statutory provision, or of any rule or order of the board, or department when there is no board, as it applies to the licensees particular set of circumstances, pursuant to Section 120.565, Florida Statutes. The petition seeking a declaratory statement must state with particularity the licensees set of circumstances and must specify the statutory provision, rule, or order that the licensee believes may apply to the set of circumstances.

By visiting the board’s meetings page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on either past or upcoming meetings. Review the meeting dates to locate the agenda you need, and the board’s agenda should be posted on the right under Materials.

To view a list of actively licensed practitioners, use the License Verification Search and select the county and profession from the drop-down list.

Visit our Enforcement Website to download and complete our Unlicensed Activity Complaint Form. Before completing your complaint form, please be sure to review all instructions provided on the first page.

You may visit our online License Verification page.

You may utilize this service to see the status of your providers license and whether there are any disciplinary cases or public complaints against the licensee.

You can print a confirmation of license through the Practitioner Login feature of MQA Services.

The confirmation is available up to 30 days after you submit your online renewal request. After logging into the system with your User ID and password, select Print Confirmation of License from the navigation bar located on the left.

You can view, confirm, or make changes to the information that will be published in your practitioner profile by logging in to Online Services.

In carrying our legislative mandate to publish practitioner profiles, we want to ensure the information that we publish is accurate. Accordingly, we ask that you please review your profile for any changes, corrections, and/or omissions. If you see the statement “The practitioner did not provide this mandatory information”, please provide that information. We will not accept curriculum vitae or resumes in place of you providing specific information. Changes, excluding education and training, year began practicing, and liability claims, can be made to your profile electronically by following the instructions below.

You may also submit changes by mail to:

Department of Health
Licensure Support Services
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-10
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3260

Please note that Section 456.042, Florida Statutes, requires practitioners to update profile information within 15 days after a change of an occurrence in each section of your profile. Attention Newly Licensed Practitioners Section 456.041(7), Florida Statutes, requires you to submit changes to the department within thirty (30) days from receipt of notice. If you do not make changes within thirty (30) days, your profile will be automatically published. Once you have completed your review and made any necessary corrections, click on “Confirm Changes”.

The Practitioner Confirmation Page will display the information that will be published online, at which time you must “Confirm” the profile again before the changes will be implemented.

Note: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.

For Dentists, Medical Doctors and Osteopathic Physicians – To provide expert testimony concerning the prevailing professional standard of care, you must either be licensed in Florida OR you must possess an expert witness certificate.

To apply for an “Expert Witness Certificate”:

1. Go to our Online Application Login page
2. First time users must create an account by clicking on the “Create an Account button” and following the prompts
3. Once you have created an account, select your profession from the “Board/Council” drop down menu
4. Under the “Profession” drop down menu, select either “Dental Expert Witness Certificate”, “Medical Doctor Expert Witness Certificate” or “Osteopathic Physician Expert Witness Certificate”
5. Enter your email address and password and click “Login”

Below are the statutes and rules providing the requirements for requesting a Petition for (Variance from) or (Waiver of) Rule (Citation)

Florida Statutes – 120.542 Variances and waivers

Florida Administrative Code (Rules) Chapter 28-104: Variance OR Waiver