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Individuals looking to practice engineering in Florida must acquire a professional engineer (PE) license beforehand. Earning this credential indicates that you have the technical expertise needed to provide engineering services, bid for government contracts, and seal engineering designs. To safeguard lives and property, you must fulfill specific requirements before receiving this permit. Moreover, the journey doesn’t end after receiving the license—periodic renewals are crucial to maintaining your ability to practice in the state. In this article, we’ll explore the steps and prerequisites for obtaining and renewing the Florida professional engineering license. We’ll also discuss how Harbor Compliance’s Architecture and Engineering Compliance Solutions can ease your licensure workload.
A professional engineering license is a credential that gives individuals the legal authority to practice engineering in a specific state. In addition to granting licensed individuals the title of professional engineer (PE), this permit denotes an engineer’s qualifications and competence. Any company looking to offer engineering services in Florida needs a qualifying agent who is a licensed professional engineer in that state. Given the significant privileges and responsibilities associated with the title of a professional engineer, each state in the U.S. has a regulatory body that establishes a set of requirements that must be met before a legal permit can be issued to practice. In Florida, the Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE) sets the standards and handles the issuance and renewal of all professional engineering licenses.
To kickstart the process, you’ll need to register your firm with Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) by creating an account on their website. You’ll be expected to provide details about your firm, such as its name, address, tax identification number, and contact information. Once the process is complete, a listing will be created for your company in the DBPR system.
After registering your firm and creating a listing for it in the DBPR system, the final step is to qualify your firm. This is done by adding your firm’s qualifying agent and linking their information to your company.
Only a Florida-licensed professional engineer can qualify your firm. Once your firm is qualified, you can start offering engineering services in the state.
After registering your firm with the DBPR, you are not required to renew your registration or print any licenses. However, certain requirements must be met to continue practicing in the state. This typically involves the qualifying agent notifying the board within the following timeframes:
Additionally, if your firm has only one qualifying agent, and they decide to leave the company, you will no longer have the legal permit to practice engineering in Florida.
While your firm won’t need to renew its registration, qualifying agents must renew their professional engineering licenses every two years to maintain an active status. To qualify for renewal, they must complete 18 hours of continuing education, which includes:
If your qualifying agent does not renew their professional engineering license on time, the license will become delinquent. To renew a delinquent license, they’ll need to pay the delinquent fee in addition to the standard renewal fee.
If the engineering license remains delinquent beyond the renewal period, it becomes null and void. In this case, the agent will have to undergo a reinstatement process, which involves reapplication and payment of associated fees to regain active licensure status.
Staying updated on changing state regulations is crucial to maintaining your firm’s ability to practice engineering in Florida. Your qualifying agents must also track continuing education requirements and renewal dates to keep their licenses active.
Balancing these responsibilities and managing your firm’s core operations can be overwhelming. That’s why organizations like Harbor Compliance offer services to alleviate this burden and free up precious time.
At Harbor Compliance, we understand the challenges engineers and firms face in obtaining, managing, and renewing their professional licenses. As such, we developed the Architecture and Engineering Compliance Solutions to provide the support and resources necessary to address your licensing needs and remain in good standing with your state’s regulatory body.
We offer an extensive and continually updated database with in-depth insights into engineering licensing requirements. Backed by a team of licensing experts, we provide firsthand experience in navigating the complexities associated with obtaining and renewing licenses like the engineering business, geoscience, and land surveying firm registrations.
Rather than handling the responsibilities of obtaining and maintaining your firm’s engineering license in Florida alone, you can opt for professional assistance by partnering with Harbor Compliance. We can step in and streamline the licensing process by:
At Harbor Compliance, we offer flexible service options, allowing you to decide how much of your licensing workload you want to outsource. Our service options include:
| Option | Service |
|---|---|
| Self-managed | With this option, you gain access to our proprietary software solution and its extensive database of requirements, enabling you to manage and renew your license independently. |
| Fully managed | Our team of experts will assist you in submitting initial licensing applications and tracking renewals. We’ll also provide updates on any regulatory changes. This service option applies only to company licenses. |
| Hybrid | This option combines features of self-managed and fully managed services. You can leverage the extensive database of our software solution while benefiting from expert guidance and support from our licensing professionals. |
To order the service, all you have to do is complete the form at the bottom of this page:
Apart from assisting individuals and firms in obtaining engineering licenses, we can help you meet all your statutory requirements regardless of the number of jurisdictions you operate in. Our rich portfolio includes services like:
$255 by mail or $261.38 online
$350 renewal fee and $5 unlicensed activity fee + $8.88 convenience fee
By February 28 of odd-numbered years.
The late renewal penalty is $150.
Business Corporations:
Professional Corporations:
Limited Liability Companies:
Professional Limited Liability Companies:
Partnerships:
See this page for detailed instructions on registration.
Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
Business registrations do not need to be renewed.
If the qualifying agent is no longer with the firm, the board must be notified within 24 hours, and the agent must be replaced within 60 days. Changes to the application must be reported in 30 days.
| Agency: | Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation - Board of Professional Geologists |
There is no firm registration application. Instead, the qualifying individual should list the firm in the qualifying business section of the geologist license application to qualify the firm.
Geology business registrations do not need to be renewed. As long as the qualifying individual(s) maintain their license(s) the firm registration will not expire.
| Agency: | Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE) |
| Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
| Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Applicants must hold a board-approved engineering or engineering technology degree. If an applicant does not have a board-approved degree they must have their education reviewed by a Florida-approved evaluation company to demonstrate the education is substantially equivalent to an EAC/ABET or ETAC/ABET-accredited degree
| Agency: | Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation - Board of Professional Geologists |
(2) A professional engineer utilizing a digital signature to electronically sign and seal engineering plans, specifications, reports or other documents shall have their identity authenticated by a certification authority and shall assure that the digital signature is: (a) Unique to the person using it; (b) Capable of verification; (c) Under the sole control of the person using it; and, (d) Linked to a document in such a manner that the digital signature and correspondingly the document is invalidated if any data in the document is changed.
(3) The affixing of a digital signature to engineering plans, specifications, reports or other documents as provided herein shall constitute the signing and sealing of such items. (a) A digitally created seal as set forth in Rule 61G15‐23.002, F.A.C., may be placed where it would appear if the item were being physically signed, dated and sealed. (b) The date that the digital signature was placed into the document must appear on the document in accordance with subsection 61G15‐23.001(4), F.A.C., and where it would appear if the item were being physically signed, dated and sealed. (c) The engineering plans, specifications, reports or other documents being digitally signed and sealed shall include text to indicate the following and place it where an original signature would appear if the item were being physically signed, dated and sealed:
(d) Formatting of seals and text similar to that depicted below shall be used. While the formatting may be altered, the text must remain identical.
When a digitally created seal is not used:
[NAME], State of Florida, Professional Engineer, License No. [NUMBER]
This item has been digitally signed and sealed by [NAME] on the date indicated here.
Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and the signature must be verified on any electronic copies.
Also see 61G15‐23.005 for rules related to SHA signature use.
Formatting of seals and text similar to that depicted below shall be used. While the formatting may be altered, the text must remain identical.
1. When a digitally created seal is used:
This item has been digitally signed and sealed by [NAME] on the date adjacent to the seal.
Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and the signature must be verified on any electronic copies.
