Florida law requires the board, or the department if there is no board, to allow licensure by endorsement for applicants who meet specified requirements.
455.2135 Interstate mobility.—(1) When endorsement based upon years of licensure or endorsement based upon satisfaction or completion of multiple criteria that include passage of a licensure or registration examination, completion of internship requirements, or the holding of a valid certificate issued by a national accrediting agency board along with holding a valid license, registration, or certification issued in another jurisdiction is not otherwise provided by law in the practice act for a profession, the board, or the department if there is no board, shall allow licensure by endorsement for any individual applying who:(a) Has held a valid, current license to practice the profession issued by another state or territory of the United States for at least 5 years before the date of application and is applying for the same or similar license in this state; (b) Submits an application either when the license in another state or territory is active or within 2 years after such license was last active; (c) Has passed the recognized national licensing exam, if such exam is established as a requirement for licensure in the profession; (d) Has no pending disciplinary actions and all sanctions of any prior disciplinary actions have been satisfied; (e) Shows proof of compliance with any federal regulation, training, or certification, if the board or the department requires such proof, regarding licensure in the profession; (f) Completes Florida-specific continuing education courses or passes a jurisprudential examination specific to the state laws and rules for the applicable profession as established by the board or department; and (g) Complies with any insurance or bonding requirements as required for the profession. (2) If the practice act for a profession requires the submission of fingerprints, the applicant must submit a complete set of fingerprints to the Department of Law Enforcement for a statewide criminal history check. The Department of Law Enforcement shall forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history check. The department shall, and the board may, review the results of the criminal history checks according to the level 2 screening standards in s. 435.04 and determine whether the applicant meets the licensure requirements. The costs of fingerprint processing are borne by the applicant. If the applicant’s fingerprints are submitted through an authorized agency or vendor, the agency or vendor must collect the required processing fees and remit the fees to the Department of Law Enforcement. (3) This section does not apply to harbor pilots licensed under chapter 310.