Florida DBPR Reports Emergency Suspension of Alcoholic Beverage Vendor License in Orange County

For Immediate Release

June 22, 2020

 Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981
 

Florida DBPR Reports Emergency Suspension of
Alcoholic Beverage Vendor License in Orange County

 

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) reported the emergency suspension of an alcoholic beverage vendor license related to:

Licensee Name:     Publife Mac, LLC, d/b/a The Knights Pub
License Number:    BEV500349
License Type:         Series 4COP
County:                   Orange

Thirteen of the suspended licensee’s employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Additional contact tracing by the Florida Department of Health has determined that at least 28 patrons tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting the suspended licensee’s address of record.

Upon the entry of the order of Secretary Halsey Beshears, the license is suspended, effective immediately, until further administrative proceedings seeking formal discipline of the license may be instituted pursuant to chapter 120, Florida Statutes.

This emergency license action is based on a finding that immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare requires suspension of the license to avoid future harm.  The attached agency order, as filed on June 22, 2020, provides additional information regarding the circumstances and findings prompting the emergency suspension of License Number BEV500349.

For more information see the attached suspension order.

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements.  The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly.  For more information, please visit www.myfloridalicense.com.

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.
June 23, 2020 /  
DBPR Hosts Celebrating Women in Business Event

 

For Immediate Release

March 6, 2020

 Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981
 

DBPR Hosts Celebrating Women in Business Event

Event Highlighted Professional Perspectives from Dynamic Women Leading Florida Businesses

 

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) hosted the 2020 Celebrating Women in Business event, featuring entrepreneurial and career insights from women who have formed and managed successful businesses in Florida. DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears gave remarks on the impacts of exemplary women in business, followed by businesswomen, Carolyn Gosselin (Franchisee, Chicken Salad Chick), Yuh-Mei Hutt (President, Golden Lighting), and Kim Rivers (CEO, Trulieve Cannabis Corporation) who spoke on starting a business, entrepreneurship and successful leadership.

 

“At DBPR, we have the privilege to support and observe the incredible aspirations and achievements of women in business every day,” said DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears.  “These women are putting their voice, their values, and their vision into the hard work it takes to build successful businesses, and their stories are an important part of this current chapter of women’s history.”

 

The program aligned with the ongoing recognition of Women’s History Month and served as a forum for young professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs, business leaders, and other interested parties to learn about the experiences of women whose ideas, passion, leadership, and work have shaped successful businesses across multiple industries.

To view the event, please see The Florida Channel. For more information and to view additional photos, visit the event webpage at: http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/celebrating-women-in-business/.

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements.  The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly.  For more information, please visit www.myfloridalicense.com.

 

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.
March 6, 2020 /  
DBPR Launches More Than 650 Online Application Transactions

For Immediate Release

February 11, 2020

 Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981
 

DBPR Launches More Than 650 Online Application Transactions

Additional Online Services Improve Convenience and Efficiency of State’s Licensing Process

 

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) announced the launch of more than 650 additional online transactions for license applications across 32 professional and business categories, resulting in greater efficiency and significant time savings for licensure. This is the result of a year-long agency effort to improve the online availability of business and professional licenses and complements Governor DeSantis’ occupational license reform initiative by improving the online licensing process. These new online transactions will enable convenient filing at any hour of any day and allow applicants the ability to upload any additional documents needed for application processing. The online application options reduce processing time by minimizing manual data entry needed prior to application review.

 

“DBPR licenses more than 1.4 million businesses and professionals in the state and has worked to provide these applications online and in the most efficient manner to enable more of our citizens to open the doors to their own businesses,” said DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears. “Time is money in business, and now we make it easier and faster to get a professional or business license in the Sunshine State.”

 

With the updated licensing process, an applicant can begin an application and return, as needed, to update or complete the application conveniently at any time. Eligibility and pre-screening questions are designed to improve efficiency by providing a self-inventory of requirements to gather before beginning an application. A summary screen is provided prior to submission, allowing the applicant a final review.  Applicants are also able to attach necessary supporting documents, make immediate payment and receive a receipt for application and renewals. Once approved by the Department, the license is emailed to the applicant for self-printing and is available for display in the DBPR mobile app, speeding up the time the licensee can start working in the occupation.

 

For more information, please visit www.myfloridalicense.com or DBPR’s mobile app.

 

 

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements.  The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly.  For more information, please visit www.myfloridalicense.com.

 

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.

 

February 11, 2020 /  
PR Reporting 2019 Increases in DRE-CILB-DHR License Populations

 

For Immediate Release

January 31, 2020

 Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981
 

 

DBPR Reports Increases in Business and Occupational Licenses During 2019 Calendar Year

Growth in Real Estate, Construction, and Lodging and Food Service Correlates

with Other Favorable Economic Indicators in Florida

 

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) announced business and occupational license populations increased over the past calendar year, aligning with favorable economic indicators in corresponding facets of Florida’s economy. Occupational licenses for construction and real estate as well as business licenses for public lodging and food service each reflected year-over-year growth between December 2018 and December 2019.

 

“The increase in real estate licenses, construction licenses, and hotel and restaurant licenses over the past year shows there is strengthening demand for real estate transactions and more housing, traveling and dining options for Floridians and visitors to our state,” said DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears. “Our economy continues to improve thanks to Governor DeSantis’ leadership and the agency’s initiatives to streamline processes and provide better online services for license holders.”

 

Real Estate

Occupational licenses for the real estate profession increased 2.7% from 405,459 in December 2018 to 416,710 in December 2019.  Similarly, occupational licenses for real estate appraisers increased 3.2% from 8,429 to 8,701 during the same time period. Under Florida’s occupational licensing program, real estate professionals continue to represent the largest license population regulated by DBPR.

 

Licensure growth in real estate correlates with other favorable indicators of Florida’s housing market in 2019:

  • Existing home sales volume in 2019 was anticipated to join the past five calendar years in exceeding the 2005 peak year for sales, according to Florida’s Long-Range Financial Outlook (September 12, 2019).
  • Florida’s housing market reported more single-family home sales and higher median prices, as well as increased pending sales and pending inventory in December 2019 compared to the same measures one year prior, according to housing data published by the Florida Realtors.

 

Construction

Occupational licenses for the construction profession increased 5.6% from 87,264 in December 2018 to 92,188 in December 2019. Within this license population, general contractor licenses represented 32,446 of the total licenses, up by 1,656 from the prior year.

 

Licensure growth in construction correlates with other favorable indicators of Florida’s construction industry in 2019:

·         Single-family building permit activity, an indicator of new construction, remained in positive territory with continued growth in 2019 based on the January 2020 economic overview prepared by the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research. Total private housing starts are expected to shift upward in the current and upcoming fiscal years.

·         Employment gains of approximately 25,500 jobs in the construction industry supported a growth rate of 4.6 percent for this profession between December 2018 and December 2019 according to state workforce research published by FDEO.

 

Public Food Service and Lodging

Business licenses for public food service and lodging establishments increased 4.1% from 100,688 in December 2018 to 104,905 in December 2019, including growth in the license population across all geographic regions.

 

Licensure growth in public food service and lodging correlates with other favorable indicators of Florida’s tourism industry which supports strong demand for public food service and lodging in the state:

  •  VISIT FLORIDA shows an increase of visitors to the Sunshine State, with more than 101 million visitors reflected in currently available data for the first three quarters of 2019.
  • State economists reported in September 2019 that tourism continues to show its strength as a major component of Florida’s economy with Accommodation & Food Services employment being among the fastest growing sectors, at times outpacing overall employment growth in the state.
  • Strong tourism growth is projected by state economists to continue moving upward by an average of 2.1 percent per year for the next three fiscal years.

 

As Florida’s economy continues to support growth in these occupations and businesses, employment in these sectors likewise has contributed to Florida’s historically low unemployment rate, reported at 3.0 percent in December 2019 by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FDEO). The December 2019 FDEO jobs report emphasized that Florida’s year-over-year job growth has been supported by positive gains in particular industries, including leisure and hospitality, construction, real estate, and rental and leasing.

 

To support these expanding populations of license holders, the Department continues to advance the processes through which businesses and professionals obtain and maintain a state license with the agency. At the turn of the year, the Department deployed more than 650 online transactions for initial licensure that now allow applications to be conveniently filed electronically at any hour of any day. Additionally, licensees are afforded options to directly print and immediately receive a license or duplicate copy of a license at their convenience and with no additional fees through secure, online accounts.

 

For more information please go to www.myfloridalicense.com.

 

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements.  The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly.  For more information, please visit www.myfloridalicense.com.

 

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.
 

 
 
January 31, 2020 /  
DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears Applauds Governor DeSantis’ 2020 State of the State Address

 

For Immediate Release

January 14, 2020

 Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981
 

DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears Applauds Governor DeSantis’ 2020 State of the State Address

Agency Remains Committed to Accomplishing the Governor’s Agenda on Regulatory Reform

 

Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Secretary Halsey Beshears applauded Governor Ron DeSantis’ 2020 State of the State address and continued commitment to occupational license reform. As a result of the Governor’s Deregathon initiative and efforts by DBPR and Florida’s professional licensing boards over the past year, Florida’s approach to occupational licensing and the regulatory channels that facilitate licensure and compliance for more than 1.4 million state license holders continues to improve. As the 2020 legislative session begins, DPBR remains committed to improving Florida’s regulatory environment and reducing the barriers to professional licensure.

 

DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears said, “I applaud Governor DeSantis on his State of the State address and commitment to removing burdensome regulations for hardworking Floridians. His leadership on occupational licensing reform is resulting in real improvements to the state’s business and professional climate. I look forward to continuing our work on these issues together in 2020 and throughout the legislative session.”

 

Secretary Beshears also highlighted some of the 2019 accomplishments to build upon, in collaboration with Governor DeSanits’ 2020 initiatives, including:

 

·         The Department established a roadmap for occupational license reform in collaboration with the seventeen professional licensing boards, which resulted in more than 50 administrative rules being repealed or changed to resolve unnecessary regulatory burdens during the past year.

·         Rule modifications reduced barriers of professional entry into many of the department’s regulated occupations by reducing license fees, reducing minimum-hour requirements of pre-licensure and continuing professional education, and easing restrictions on frequency of examination and application that have previously delayed Floridians from achieving the licensure required for them to begin practicing in their respective professional field.

·         Some of the regulatory improvements include:

    • Reduction in pre-qualifying education and experience required for licensure by more than 1600 hours across several regulated professions, including residential appraisers, restricted barbers and community association managers
    • Streamlined veterinarian licensure to a single step process, allowing applicants to submit all required fees upfront with their application resulting in automatic issue of the license upon the department’s receipt of a passing exam score, which results in a license to be issued within 48 hours of the applicant passing the exam
    • Revised a rule to allow for continuous testing for the certified public accounting exam
    • Capped the continuing education requirement to reinstate an inactive Certified Public Accounting license at 120 hours

·         These efforts resulted in fee reductions for many of the professions regulated by DPBR, including:

    • Reduction in  the biennial renewal fees by 50 percent for all real estate licensees, which will result in an $8.8 million dollar savings to licensees
    • Lowering of the athlete agents application fee by 50% from $500 to $250
    • Reduction in the continuing education provider fees by 50% for the mold and home inspector professions from $250 to $125
    • Reduction in all individual and business initial licensure fees for architecture and interior design that were over $50.00 by $25.00 each
    • Reduction of the reactivation fee for architecture and interior design licenses from $100.00 to $75.00, the examination review fee from $75.00 to $50.00, and the renewal fees for individual and business licenses from $125.00 to $100.00

 

DBPR is committed to these bold initiatives in order to license efficiently and regulate fairly. For more information please go to www.myfloridalicense.com.

 

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements.  The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly.  For more information, please visit www.myfloridalicense.com.

 

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.
 
January 14, 2020 /