Click on the appropriate tab below to see the Initial Licensing Requirements, Process, Fees, Statutes and Administrative Rules for a Physician Assistant.
Applicants to become a licensed Physician Assistant must meet the following requirements:
- Be a graduate of a physician assistant training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs or its successor organization.
- Passed the proficiency examination administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
- Hold a current certificate issued by the NCCPA. If an applicant does not hold a current certificate issued by the NCCPA and has not actively practiced as a physician assistant within the immediately preceding 4 years, the applicant must retake and successfully complete the entry-level examination of the NCCPA.
A temporary license can be issued by the Department of Health to a recent physician assistant graduate who is deemed eligible and registered to take the first examination administered by the NCCPA.
The temporary license shall expire 30 days after receipt of the NCCPA examination scores. An applicant failing the proficiency examination is no longer temporarily licensed, but may reapply for a 1-year extension of temporary licensure.
An applicant may not be granted more than two temporary licenses and may not be licensed as a physician assistant until passing the NCCPA examination.
The Council on Physician Assistants may require an applicant who does not pass the NCCPA examination after five or more attempts to complete additional remedial education or training.
The Council on Physician Assistants shall prescribe the additional requirements in a manner that permits the applicant to complete the requirements and be reexamined within 2 years after the date the applicant petitions the Council to retake the examination a sixth or subsequent time.
Applicants who have not passed the NCCPA Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) within five (5) attempts and have not practiced as a fully licensed physician assistant shall be required to successfully complete a minimum of three (3) months in a full-time review course at an accredited physician assistant program approved by the Chair of the Physician Assistant Committee. Said completion shall be documented by a letter signed by the head of the program stating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed the course.
Effective July 1, 2012, section 456.0635, Florida Statutes, provides that health care boards or the department shall refuse to issue a license, certificate or registration and shall refuse to admit a candidate for examination if the applicant:
- Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under Chapter 409, F.S., (relating to social and economic assistance), Chapter 817, F.S., (relating to fraudulent practices), Chapter 893, F.S., (relating to drug abuse prevention and control) or a similar felony offense(s) in another state or jurisdiction unless the candidate or applicant has successfully completed a drug court program for that felony and provides proof that the plea has been withdrawn or the charges have been dismissed. Any such conviction or plea shall exclude the applicant or candidate from licensure, examination, certification, or registration, unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or plea ended:
- For the felonies of the first or second degree, more than 15 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
- For the felonies of the third degree, more than 10 years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
- For the felonies of the third degree under section 893.13(6)(a), F.S., more than five years from the date of the plea, sentence and completion of any subsequent probation;
- Has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony under 21 U.S.C. ss. 801-970 (relating to controlled substances) or 42 U.S.C. ss. 1395-1396 (relating to public health, welfare, Medicare and Medicaid issues), unless the sentence and any subsequent period of probation for such conviction or pleas ended more than 15 years prior to the date of the application;
- Has been terminated for cause from the Florida Medicaid program pursuant to section 409.913, F.S., unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with the Florida Medicaid program for the most recent five years;
- Has been terminated for cause, pursuant to the appeals procedures established by the state or Federal Government, from any other state Medicaid program, unless the candidate or applicant has been in good standing with a state Medicaid program for the most recent five years and the termination occurred at least 20 years before the date of the application;
- Is currently listed on the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities.
The section above does not apply to candidates or applicants for initial licensure or certification who were enrolled in an educational or training program on or before July 1, 2009, which was recognized by a board or, if there is no board, recognized by the department, and who applied for licensure after July 1, 2012.
Prevention of Medical Errors
Check the box to certify that you have completed a minimum of two (2) hours of Prevention of Medical Errors continuing medical education since June 1, 2002. The education must meet requirements defined in § 456.013(7), Florida Statutes, and be completed prior to the issuance of your license number. Please contact the Florida Medical Association (FMA) at (850) 224-6496 or www.fmaonline.org for a list of providers of CME. Other resources for CME are the American Medical Association (AMA) at (312) 464-5000, or Medical Education Group Learning Systems (MEGLAS) at 800-547-0308 or www.informed.cme.edu.
Please note: You will be required by Chapter 456, F.S., to take an HIV/AIDS course approved by the board for your first renewal and a two (2) hour Domestic Violence Course approved by the board prior to your third renewal.
General Information
If you have been named in any malpractice suits, or have answered “yes” to any of the questions in the application, anticipate the possibility that additional information be requested.
You can check the status of the application by clicking the “Check Status” link. Once you have submitted your application, it will take up to 15 days before the information on your status is up to date. You will need to know your File ID number and your date of birth to access the information. Your File ID number will be given to you once you start the application.
We recommend that you do not make any commitments based upon expectation of licensure until you are actually licensed. Some applicants suffer significant costs by signing mortgages and committing to a start date prematurely.
Read instructions before and while you complete the application. Failure to do so may result in delays in processing your application.
One application is not accelerated at the expense of another, particularly if there is a premature commitment to start practicing. All applicants are handled equally and fairly. The application process may take between two to six months to complete depending on your credentials.
Applicants can help expedite the application process by including all relevant materials with their application packets (physician assistant diploma, NCCPA certificate, etc). We will mail you a deficiency letter approximately 30 days after receiving your application. Please refrain from contacting our office until after you have received your initial deficiency letter. E-mail contact is more efficient. Time spent on the telephone impacts time available for staff to process applications. Please direct questions or comments to info@flboardofmedicine.gov. We process applications, mail, e-mails, and telephone calls in date order.
When issuing licenses, we have a strict policy of fairness. One application will not be accelerated at the expense of another. All applications will be handled equally and fairly. Also, the less time reviewers spend responding to duplicate e-mails and telephone calls, the faster applications can be reviewed.
The standard procedures for the reviewers are:
Return phone calls within 24 hours.
Check mail within one week from receipt date.
Respond to e-mails within one week.
It could take up to 14 days to issue your license after completion of your application. It will take approximately 10 business days to receive your license in the mail after issuance. To view your license before receiving the actual license in the mail, click LOOKUP. Your license number will appear on the web site 24 to 48 hours after it is issued.
The State of Florida operates under Chapter 286, Florida Statutes, commonly referred to as the “Sunshine Law.” This law requires that board and Council meetings are public. All information that you provide to the Department is public record and shall be open to public inspection as required by 119.07 F. S., except financial information, examination records, and patient records.
Personal Appearances before the Council on Physician Assistant may be required for a variety of reasons: e.g., malpractice, health history, conviction, disciplinary actions, etc. If an appearance is required, we will notify you by mail including the date, time, location, and reason(s) for the appearance.
Section 456.013(1)(a), Florida Statutes, and Chapter 64B8-4.016, Florida Administrative Code, provides that a licensure application and application fee are valid for one year. Application fees are non-refundable.
To practice medicine in the state of Florida, you must have a valid Florida physician assistant license. The licensing process involves the collection of credentials from the applicant and from other sources. Once all materials are submitted, an application specialist will review them; however, it may be necessary for the application specialist to request additional information. Our goal is to review materials as quickly as possible, but we must be thorough.
Submit your application, supporting documentation and applicable fee payment to the following address:
Department of Health/ HMQAM
P.O. Box 6330
Tallahassee, Florida 32314-6330
Receiving your application and logging in your check usually takes about 7-10 days. Once the application is logged in, it is then forwarded to the board office. NOTE: The reason you must use the above address is because of the fees enclosed.
Mail additional documentation or anything without a fee to the following address:
Department of Health
Medical Quality Assurance/Board of Medicine
HMQAM
4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN #CO3
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3253
All documents must have your name as listed on your application to ensure materials reach your application in a timely manner.
Again, we recommend that you do not make any commitments based upon expectation of licensure until you are actually licensed. Some applicants suffer significant costs by signing mortgages and committing to a start date prematurely. One application is not accelerated at the expense of another, particularly if there is a premature commitment to start practicing medicine. All applicants are handled equally and fairly.
Section 456.013(1)(a), Florida Statutes, and Chapter 64B8-4.016, Florida Administrative Code, provides that a licensure application and application fee are valid for one year. Application fees are non-refundable.
Our professions have a minimum licensure period of 5 months. Due to the fact that physician assistant licenses only expire in even years, some licensees end up with a much shorter licensure period, while others have a much longer licensure period, depending on when the licenses are issued. PA licenses that are issued before September in an odd year will have a renewal date of January 31 of the following year. Those issued after September of an odd year will have a longer initial licensure period before having to renew for the first time.
Application fee:
$100 (non-refundable)
Initial license fee:
$205.00
Make certified checks or money orders payable to: “Department of Health” (DOH); or pay by credit card when applying online.
Click on Chapter or Section Number to View
Florida Statutes
456.013 Department; general licensing provisions
458.347 Physician Assistant
459.022 Physician Assistant
456.035 Address of record
456.0635 Medicaid fraud; disqualification for license, certification, or registration
Florida Administrative Code
64B8-1.007 List of approved Forms
64B8-2.001 Definitions
64B8-30 Physician Assistant
64B15-6 Physician Assistant
Before practicing medicine in Florida, read Chapter 456, 458, and 766.301-.316 Florida Statutes (F. S.), and Rule Chapter 64B8, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C). You must know and comply with the laws and rules as they pertain to your professional practice. Laws and rules are subject to change at any time. For updated information refer to the following web-sites www.leg.state.fl.us (Florida Statutes) and www.flrules.org (Florida Administrative Code).
