By performing an online renewal, you can wait until later in the renewal cycle to actually submit your renewal. You'll save time by not having stop by our offices or mail forms into the department. In addition, you may use an electronic check or your credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express) to pay.
The date your renewal is due does not change if you renew online. It is important to note, however, that the deadline for renewing is based on the current time in Florida's Capital, Tallahassee. Tallahassee follows Eastern Standard Time.
After you have logged into your account, you will see the Maintain Account page, which lists all your licenses registered with DBPR. Find the licenses/permits/registrations you wish to renew from the list and click on the Maintain/Renew This License link. A new web page will open with that allows you to perform multiple functions on your license. One of the functions listed will be Renew This License. Click on that link and complete the checklist steps.
There are several possible reasons why a renewal cannot be performed online: (1) The license is not in a renewal period, (2) Your license has already been renewed through a different course of action (e.g. you mailed back the renewal notice) or (3) there is an outstanding issue with your license that cannot be fully addressed via the Online Services website. If you suspect #3 is the case, please contact the Customer Contact Center via email at CallCenter@dbpr.state.fl.us
Each profession has different business rules governing its renewal period. Your first notification of when to your license is on your license itself - there is an expiration date printed on each license.
Also at the beginning of each renewal period, the department mails out a renewal notice to your current address on file. This notice is another indication that your license's expiration date is approaching and that you must complete your continuing education requirements and renew in order to retain your license.
Q:
What if I
want to change my status on this license (e.g. change from Active to
Inactive)?
If you wish to change the status of your
license but still remain current with the department, please
contact the Customer Contact Center via email at CallCenter@dbpr.state.fl.us.
Chapter 455, Florida Statutes, now requires the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to monitor all continuing education activities of licensees. This initiative ensures 100% compliance through monitoring. If proof of required continuing education is not submitted prior to renewal of the license, the licensee will be denied renewal. By "Accepting" the affirmation statement you are stating legally that you have completed your continuing education requirements.
After completing all of the steps on your renewal checklist (including payment, if applicable), you will submit your online renewal for processing. If the renewal is successfully processed, a confirmation page will be provided. In addition, when you click on the Maintain Account link, the expiration date of the associated license will be updated to reflect the success of the online renewal.
The department will also mail you a new license with an updated expiration date. This should be delivered within 1-2 weeks depending on the other changes that you requested during your renewal (e.g. Change in Status).
No. At the beginning of each renewal cycle the department mails out renewal notices. If you successfully renew online, there is no reason to also mail in this renewal notice.
We are always interested in your feedback and suggestions. Please send your comments to our email address: CallCenter@dbpr.state.fl.us.
From the Online Services homepage or the side navigation bar, clicking on the Search for a License, Permit or Registration link will launch the search function.
You may use the information from the person/organization's license or simply use their name.
License data from every DBPR-regulated area can be found in the search results, including License Type, Name, License Number, License Status, Expiration Date and City.
Once your results are returned, click on the name to find more detailed information, such as Main Address, Location Address, Alternate Name (if applicable), Related License Information (if applicable) and License Complaints (if applicable).
You can perform a search either by the name of an Individual or an Organization/Establishment. You cannot perform a search using both the name of an Individual and an Organization/Establishment.
The following are a couple of tips for searching by name:
- If you do not know the spelling of the last name, try entering the first 4 or more letters of the last name. The search will always return names that begin with the letters you have entered. If you enter 3 or fewer letters of the last name, then the search will look for exact matches.
- If you do not know the spelling of the first name, try entering the first letter of the first name to limit the number of names returned by the search.
- If you do not know the name of the Organization/Establishment/Business, try entering several of the words that you know are contained in the name. If you use a word that is 3 letters or less, then the search will only look for that word exactly.
- If you enter both a Last Name and the name of an Organization/Establishment/Business, then the search only uses the Last Name. You cannot search using both name types.
- If you receive too many licenses for your search, try using some of the Alternate Search Parameters such as License Category, License Type, and City. This will reduce the number of licenses returned by the search.
When searching by License Number, you can search by either the number part of the license number, or you can enter the entire license number, including the letters. If you know the specific License Category and License Type, you can select these from the drop down to limit the search results. Selecting the License Category and License Type is not required.
You can search for licenses by License Type within a City or County. You must always select a License Category, License Type, and a City/County. This search will always return licenses for the selected type within the city or county.
No. A name can be entered in either mixed case, all lower case or all upper case and still be a valid search criteria.
After you select View License Complaint, a listing of public complaints regarding the person or organization is displayed. The only complaints that appear on this screen are complaints for which probable cause has been found or where the subject of the complaint has waived his/her right to confidentiality and complaints against unlicensed persons and Community Association Managers (CAM).
A public complaint is a complaint for which probable cause is defined pursuant to Florida Statute 455.225(10), which states: “The complaint and all information obtained pursuant to the investigation by the department are confidential and exempt from S. 119.07(1) until ten (10) days after probable cause has been found to exist by the probable cause panel or by the department, or until the regulated professional or subject of the investigation waives his or her privilege of confidentiality, whichever occurs first.”
Search Unlicensed Complaints [return to the top]
Q: Which link takes me to the Search Function?
From the Online Services home page, clicking
on Search Unlicensed Complaints will launch the search function.
Q: What criteria do I use to find an individual?
You must enter the individual's last name. Also entering a first
initial will make the search faster. Optionally, you may enter the
county and/or board to narrow your results.
Q: What type of information is provided in the search results?
The first set of results you see will show you the complaint number,
the name of the individual against whom the complaint was lodged,
the county of activity, the city of activity, the state of activity,
and the profession. Clicking on the name of the individual against
whom the complaint was lodged will pop up another window which shows
you the Respondent's Name, County, Address (including 3 street address
lines and City, State, Zip), the Complaint ID, the Profession, the
Complaint Number, the Complaint Class, the date the complaint was
entered, the disposition date of the complaint and the complaint
disposition.
Q: How do I Search?
You must enter the individual's last name in the text box provided.
You may also enter the first initial in the text box provided.
Entering the first initial will make the search run faster.
You may select a county from the dropdown list provided.
You may select a board from the dropdown list provided.
Click the "Search" button to initiate the search.
Q: Are name searches case sensitive?
No. A name can be entered in either mixed case, all lower case or
all upper case and still be valid.
Q: I see that the Respondent Name on the results page is a link. What will this show me?
Clicking on the name of the individual against whom the complaint was
lodged will pop up another window which shows you the Respondent's
Name, County, Address (including 3 street address lines and City,
State, Zip), the Complaint ID, the Profession, the Complaint Number,
the Complaint Class, the date the complaint was entered, the
disposition date of the complaint and the complaint disposition.
File a Complaint [return to the top]
Q: What
information is required to file a complaint?
To consider a complaint complete, you
must provide us with a full complaint description and the First &
Last Name or Organization Name of the subject of the complaint.
Other sections of the complaint form are considered optional. You have
the option of providing the department with contact information
for yourself, a second contact person, your private
attorney, the private attorney for the subject of the complaint, and two
witnesses (if applicable).
Q: How do I file a
complaint against an Engineer?
Licensed and unlicensed professional engineers are regulated by the
Florida Board of Professional Engineers and Florida Engineers Management
Corporation (FEMC). If your complaint deals with a licensed or
unlicensed engineer, you should access FEMC's website.
Q: How do I file a complaint against an Architect or Interior Designer?
Licensed and unlicensed architects and interior designers are regulated
by the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design and their
complaints are investigated and prosecuted by the law firm of Smith,
Thompson, Shaw & Manausa, P. A. To file a complaint pertaining to
architecture or interior design, please visit Smith, Thompson, Shaw & Manausa, P. A. online.
Q: Will the department contact me regarding the status of my complaint?
If your complaint against a regulated licensee meets
the criteria of a public record you may view it through
this web site after performing a license search.
From the Online Services homepage or the side navigation bar, clicking on the Maintain Account link will launch the Account Summary page. This page will show you a listing of your licenses/permits/registrations and applications for those license types that are currently online.
The department has consolidated over 65 systems for Divisions of Real Estate, Boxing, Land Sales Condominiums and Mobile Homes, Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Certified Public Accounting, Professions, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and Hotels and Restaurants.
If you have multiple licenses within these areas and they are not all listed on the Maintain Account page, please contact the Customer Contact Center via email at CallCenter@dbpr.state.fl.us and provide your name, tax number and all license numbers.
Q:
What functions can I perform by clicking on the "Maintain Account"
link?
Clicking on the Maintain Account link will provide you with a listing of your
licenses/permits/registrations and applications that are currently supported online. Select which license,
permit or registration you wish to work with by clicking on its Maintain/Renew this License
link. This will provide you with more detailed information about the
selected license as well as those functions that can be performed (e.g.
Renewal, Relationship Maintenance, etc.).
Also, a listing of all applications filed for the previous year is displayed. If you have an open application, you may access the application checklist by selecting the "View Application Checklist " link. If you have outstanding fees for your application, you may pay your fees by electronic check or credit card by selecting the "work" button next the "Fees" checklist item. This feature is especially helpful if you've started an application online and would like to continue working on it.
A related license is one that is linked to another. For example, a sales associate is related to his or her employing broker or corporation and a qualifying broker is related to his or her corporation.
Corporations and brokers may add or remove their related licenses. Only real estate sales associate or broker sales associate licenses can be added or removed.
Not from their individual Online Services account. Related licenses can only be removed when the user is logged into the corporation’s Online Services account to remove a related license.
Yes. If the sales associate or broker sales associate has a valid Florida license, he or she can be added online using the brokerage or broker's online account. You can also mail your request to 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399 or fax to 850.488.8040. You may obtain a form by clicking here, select your license type, and then the transaction you wish to complete.
Once a license is added, the relationship with the previous broker or corporation is terminated and removed. A new relationship is then created under the new broker or corporation. Only one active relationship can exist between the broker/corporation and the sales associate or broker sales associate.
You may obtain a form by clicking here, select Real Estate Companies, and then "Designate Qualifying Broker for Company". You can mail your request to DBPR, Central Intake Unit, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399 or fax to 850.488.8040.
From the Online Services homepage or the side navigation bar, clicking on the Change My Address link will launch the Profile Maintenance page.
Your profile consists of several pieces of information: registered name(s), tax identification number, date of birth & gender if applicable and all current addresses. You can update most of this information with the exception of your name and tax identification. To perform a name or tax number change, legal documents must be provided to the department.
Because your tax identification number (e.g. SSN or FEIN) was never provided when you were originally licensed, we generated a number to identify your records. If this is the case, click on the tax number label in order to open a new web page that will allow you to provide your correct tax number information.
If the Social Security Number (SSN) or the Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) on file is incorrect, please mail copies of legal documents to the department at 1940 N. Monroe, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783 in order to update your records.
The department currently accepts electronic checks and Visa, American Express MasterCard and Discover credit cards as methods of online payment.
A bank debit card will also be accepted if it bears a Visa, Mastercard or Discover card logo. If you are unsure if your debit card can be used for online transactions, please contact your bank issuer before commencing any transaction on this site.
Q: How can I pay by electronic check?
From the Make a Payment page, click on Pay by Electronic Check. You will be prompted to enter your account owner ( personal or corporate), account type (checking or savings), bank name, bank routing numer and account number. After entering the information and clicking Pay, you will receive a reference number for your successful transaction.
Q: What is an electronic check?
Q: Is there an additional fee for using a credit card?
You may complete a transaction online and then mail in a check. Please realize, however, that your transaction will not be considered complete until the payment is received by the department. For example, if you were to complete all of the steps for an online renewal except payment because you were going to mail in a check, the renewal would not be considered timely until payment was received by the department.
Credit card payments are not processed until you click on the Pay button, which is on Step 2 of the payment process. If the information you entered is verified by the credit card company, your credit card will be charged at that time. You will receive a confirmation page that will provide you with a Payment Reference Number. This number is your indication that your credit card was charged. We will ask for your Payment Reference Number should you call about your credit card payment.
Yes. When you elect to Make a Payment, you will be provided with a list of any items currently owed to the department, associated with the licenses shown on your account summary. Please click on Maintain Account to get this listing of licenses.
If you have additional licenses that are supported online but not reflected in this listing, please contact the Customer Contact Center at callcenter@dbpr.state.fl.us to inquire about possible items that you may need to pay to remain compliant.
The easiest way to verify you were charged properly is to review your bank or credit card statement(s) against the confirmation page you receive after you have made a payment. The confirmation page would have a listing of those items that you paid for, as well as each item's amount.
If you need a copy of your online confirmation page, please look in your online Messagebox by clicking on the View Messages link on the side navigation bar.
Q: What is a routing number and where can I find it on my check?
The routing number was created by the American Bankers Association in 1910 to identify financial institutions (banks, credit unions, etc.). Each institution has its own nine-digit routing number. Locate your bank's nine-digit routing number in the bottom left corner of your check. Enter the number exactly as printed, including leading zeroes.
Q: What is an account number and where can I find it on my check?
Financial institutions (banks, credit unions, etc.) use account numbers to identify their customers. Individuals and businesses have their own private account number. Locate your account number immediately to the right of the nine-digit routing number on your check. Enter it exactly as printed, including leading zeroes.
Q: Can I also pay from my savings account?
Yes. Enter your bank's nine-digit routing number, then enter your savings account number (not the checking account number on your check). Enter it exactly, including leading zeroes.
A select group of interactive applications have been added to our Online Services. You can apply for your license online by clicking on the Apply for a License link and finding the appropriate application. If you are already a licensee, you will be prompted to activate your account before applying for another license in order to help standardize your registration with the department. If you do not currently hold a license/permit/registration, you may proceed with the application process.
In general, there are several steps to completing your online application:
- Step 1 - Activation of your account if you are already a DBPR license holder. If you are not, proceed to step 2.
- Step 2 - Select the type of license/permit/registration you are seeking.
- Step 3 - Complete your demographic information (e.g. name, address, date of birth).
- Step 4 - Complete any deficiencies on your application checklist (e.g. payment).
- Step 5 - Complete any additional forms that are necessary to supply to the department.
- Step 6 - Follow through on any remaining steps as indicated for the license type you selected. For example, the completion of a fingerprint card, the notarization of an attest statement or the submission of course completion information.
If you need additional information or would like to download the application forms, please click here.
The Find Exam Information feature is intended to help applicants determine if they have been approved to sit for an examination or learn the results of their examination. To find out exam schedule information and/or the locations of examinations, please click here.
Yes. You will receive an official notification from either the department or the approved vendor from whom you took the examination. For some divisions/boards, scores may be first reviewed and ratified prior to your final notification.
Clicking on the Apply to Retake Exam link provides you with a search feature that allows you to confirm your examination results. After confirming your exam results, proceed to the application process by clicking on the appropriate link. You will be provided with a list of applications that can be completed online that allow you to retake an examination. If you do not find your examination, please click here to go to the DBPR homepage to find additional information.
Q: What does a change in license status
mean?
A change in status, typically, means that you no
longer want to maintain the "current" status of your license. If you wish
to retain your license but not practice, you may petition to have your
license placed in an inactive status. Each division/board has its
own rules and regulations relating to this "inactive"
status.
Online applications for a change of status are available for the Board of Accountancy, Construction Industry Licensing Board and Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board. For these boards, you may apply online to become inactive, pay the associated fee by electronic check or credit card and fill out the change of status form.
Q: What information do I need to view the
status of my application?
You must
provide us with a correct combination of a Social Security Number/Tax
Number and Last Name/Organization Name to view your application
status. If you have multiple applications, you can narrow your
search by choosing a board/area and profession/industry from the drop down
select boxes. You can then click "Search."
Q: What information do
the search results provide?
You will retrieve a list of all
applications filed within the previous year. Each
application will display with the name filed, the application
number, profession, application type, date filed and the status of your
application. Read our glossary for a
definition of date filed
and what each status
means.
At this point you can choose to view the application checklist and the status of each checklist item. The status will show as "Complete" if all requirements for that item have been satisfied. If the status is "Deficient," a deficiency will display further explaining why this checklist item is not complete.
Q: What should I do if a checklist item is
deficient?
The Online Services checklist
shows the status of each required step in processing your application
according to DBPR's records. Because an item shows a status of “deficient”
does not necessarily mean that you have not provided this information to
the department or that the department has not received the needed
information. DBPR's application processing staff work through applications
and documents received in chronological order based on date received.
During peak periods it is possible that the workload volume may delay
information from being processed and updated in the system. As a general
guideline, processing on new applications usually begins within 3 weeks of
application receipt.
Common deficiencies
1) Fees / Insufficient money received – A deficiency will show when:
a. Your received payments have not been linked in the system to your application. Payments are linked to applications when the application is worked by department staff.
b. Your payment has not been received.
c. Your payment is not sufficient to cover your application cost. This can occur if you mailed in a check for the exact application amount, but have outstanding fines or charges that must be paid before application fees can be processed.
It is possible that a payment you have made has been received and a payment by check has been cashed, without this status being updated. There is no need to contact the department about this situation unless you receive a written notification from the department that your application fees have not been received.
2) Transaction suitability / No modifier has been specified – A deficiency will show to indicate that internal systems need to do a final check that rules have not changed or an applicant’s status has not changed during the course of the application process.
If you need clarification about the requirements for a license application, contact the DBPR Customer Contact Center at callcenter@dbpr.state.fl.us or 850-487-1395. The information displayed on the website is the same information that is available to the Customer Contact Center agents. Special requests to provide the status of application information that has not yet been processed or entered in the system are discouraged since these cannot be easily accommodated and generally do not alter the sequence in which application processing work is performed. For additional information you can also review the glossary which contains an abbreviated list of checklist items and a brief description of each.
The Messagebox is used by the department to provide information to a licensee such as the status of license/permit/registration(s)/applications as well as confirmations of transactions that were performed through the self-service phone system, this website or via the Customer Contact Center.
Forwarding department emails to your personal email account would compromise your security. The online Messagebox allows the department to communicate sensitive information (e.g. credit card confirmation) to you in a way that minimizes the risk of someone else viewing this information. The online Messagebox is one of the many User Services which requires a valid User ID and PIN to be provided prior to accessing the information.
When the department logs a new message for you to review, an email will be sent to your the email address you have provided on your "Main" address telling you that you have new messages to review. To verify which email address we have on file, click on the Change My Address link on the side navigation bar.
In addition to this notification, the Maintain Account page you see after you first log into your account will tell you how many unread messages you have in your online Messagebox.
Unread messages will remain in your Messagebox until you have had a chance to read them. After a message has been read, you have the ability to delete that message out of your Messagebox.
The department may occasionally delete expired messages (e.g. newsletters) in an effort to help you keep your Messagebox cleaned out.
Q: How do I
access the "View My Continuing Ed" page?
After activating your account, click View Continuing
Education at the lower left. Or, select a license on the Maintain Account
page, then click View My Continuing Ed to view this feature. Click on the
to see details of the courses for each
requirement.
Q: What
information do I see on the "View My Continuing Ed" page?
The View My Continuing Ed page lists the continuing
education (CE) requirements for your license(s) and credits earned for the
current renewal cycle. For a detailed list of the courses you completed,
simply click on the .
Q: When I view my continuing education credits
online, I notice a discrepancy in the hours I obtained. How can I correct this
information?
If you notice a discrepancy in the continuing education
credit hours posted to your account, please contact your continuing education
provider first. Providers must electronically submit licensee course completion
information to the department no later than 30 calendar days thereafter or
prior to the licensee's renewal date, whichever occurs sooner. If the provider
has submitted the course attendance information, you may send a copy of your
certification of completion to the DBPR Bureau of Education and
Testing--Continuing Education, 1940 N. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399.
(Note: CPA licensees self-report their CPE hours and
should contact the Department’s Bureau of Education and Testing if they notice
a CPE discrepancy).
Q: I am a
continuing education provider. How do I report licensees’ attendance for
completing my approved courses?
Providers must electronically submit licensee course completion information to the department
no later than 30 calendar days thereafter or prior to the licensee's renewal date, whichever occurs
sooner. You may access this software along with Technical and User guides at
www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/servop/testing/providers.html
(Note: Since CPA licensees self-report their hours, this requirement does not apply to CPA providers).
FOR CPA SELF-REPORTING ONLY
Q: When can I self-report my Continuing Professional Education (CPE)?
To report CPE, your CPA primary license status must be Current, Active. CPAs are required to submit
80 hours of credit prior to July 15 of the same year their license expires. For example, if the CPA license
expires on June 30, 2006, you can report your CPE starting July 1, 2004 up to July 15, 2006. CPAs must have
completed their hours by June 30 of the year their license expires to avoid any penalties.
Q: What if I miss the June 30 deadline to take my 80 hours of CPE?
You must submit 88 hours by September 15, or 96 hours by December 1 of the same year your license expires.
After December 1 you cannot report CPE online. Your license goes to a Delinquent status and must be re-instated.
