IMPORTANT NEWS...
Division of Hotels and Restaurants Completes Reorganization to Accelerate Licensing Process
February 6, 2009
TALLAHASSEE—The Division of Hotels and Restaurants has completed the reorganization of the plan review process to Tallahassee. All restaurants that are under new construction or being remodeled must submit a plan of the facility before receiving a license. Centralized plan review accelerates the licensure process by reducing the time required to complete a plan review, allowing electronic submission of plans and streamlining the process by accepting applications and licensing fees along with the plan review.
“We are pleased to announce the completion of our move to centralized plan review for the Division of Hotels and Restaurants, a process which took approximately two years to complete,” said Secretary Charles W. Drago. “The time spent to implement this change will result in better service for our licensee and a cost reduction for the department of nearly $300,000 over the next five years.”
Plan review was formally completed in the seven district offices statewide. The process to centralize plan review began in May of 2007 and was completed this January with the final district, Miami, moving to Tallahassee. Each district plan review office was moved to Tallahassee in a staggered implementation which helped ensure a proper, smooth implementation and effective customer communication.
The average number of days to review and approve plans has been reduced by four days per review. This reduction of processing time allows licensees to complete the restaurant construction and begin operating in less time, thereby having a positive effect on the economy and workforce.
By centralizing plan review in Tallahassee, the division has been able to reduce costs and streamline processes. By electronically storing documents, office space was reduced for a savings of more than $12,000. Centralization reduced the need for shipping and saved an additional $45,000. This effort also resolved numerous workload inequities, substantially improved customer service response time, and ensured greater statewide consistency.
The Division of Hotels and Restaurants is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of the public through education in partnership with the industry. The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly.
The Department licenses more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from real estate agents, veterinarians, and accountants to contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit MyFloridaLicense.com.
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