(1) A licensee may practice a profession only if the licensee has an active status license. A licensee who practices a profession without an active status license is in violation of this section and s. 455.227, and the board, or the department when there is no board, may impose discipline on the licensee.

(2) Each board, or the department when there is no board, shall permit a licensee to choose, at the time of licensure renewal, an active or inactive status.

(3) Each board, or the department when there is no board, shall, by rule, impose a fee for an inactive status license which is no greater than the fee for an active status license.

(4) An inactive status licensee may change to active status at any time, provided the licensee meets all requirements for active status, pays any additional licensure fees necessary to equal those imposed on an active status licensee, pays any applicable reactivation fees as set by the board, or the department when there is no board, and meets all continuing education requirements as specified in this section.

(5) A licensee shall apply with a complete application, as defined by rule of the board, or the department when there is no board, to renew an active or inactive status license before the license expires. Failure of a licensee to renew before the license expires shall cause the license to become delinquent in the license cycle following expiration.

(6)(a) Failure by a delinquent status licensee to become active or inactive before the expiration of the current licensure cycle shall render the license void without any further action by the board or the department. The board, or the department if there is no board, shall, by rule, establish a reinstatement process for void licenses.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of the professional practice acts administered by the department, the department may, at its discretion, reinstate the license of an individual whose license has become void if the department determines that the individual failed to comply because of illness or economic hardship. The individual must apply to the department for reinstatement and pay an applicable fee in an amount determined by rule. The department shall require that such individual meet all continuing education requirements prescribed by law, pay appropriate licensing fees, and otherwise be eligible for renewal of licensure under this chapter.

This subsection does not apply to individuals subject to regulation under chapter 473.

(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of the professional practice acts administered by the department, each board, or the department when there is no board, shall, by rule, impose an additional delinquency fee of $25 on a delinquent status licensee when such licensee applies for active or inactive status.

(8) Each board, or the department when there is no board, shall, by rule, impose an additional fee, not to exceed the biennial renewal fee for an active status license, for processing a licensee’s request to change licensure status at any time other than at the beginning of a licensure cycle.

(9) Each board, or the department when there is no board, may, by rule, impose reasonable conditions, excluding full reexamination but including part of a national examination or a special purpose examination to assess current competency, necessary to ensure that a licensee who has been on inactive status for more than two consecutive biennial licensure cycles and who applies for active status can practice with the care and skill sufficient to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Reactivation requirements may differ depending on the length of time licensees are inactive. The costs to meet reactivation requirements shall be borne by licensees requesting reactivation.

(10) The board, or the department if there is no board, may not require an inactive or delinquent licensee, except for a licensee under chapter 473 or chapter 475, to complete more than one renewal cycle of continuing education to reactivate a license.

(11) The status or a change in status of a licensee shall not alter in any way the board’s, or the department’s when there is no board, right to impose discipline or to enforce discipline previously imposed on a licensee for acts or omissions committed by the licensee while holding a license, whether active, inactive, or delinquent.

(12) This section does not apply to a business establishment registered, permitted, or licensed by the department to do business or to a person licensed, permitted, registered, or certified pursuant to chapter 310 or chapter 475.

History.—s. 14, ch. 94-119; s. 1, ch. 2005-249; s. 2, ch. 2009-54; s. 3, ch. 2012-61; s. 5, ch. 2012-72; s. 8, ch. 2012-208; s. 1, ch. 2017-29; s. 2, ch. 2019-86.