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What does the Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act mean for licensed professionals in Florida?

On Behalf of | Apr 13, 2021 | Blog

Residents of Florida may want to learn about the recently passed Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act that was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. It removes barriers to certain professions, making it easier to meet requirements and easing payment of required fees.

According to the state government, certain professions licensed by the state of Florida will see changes. Savings of time and money result from these reforms, according to Governor DeSantis. This new Florida law has now made having a professional license easier.

What are some changes?

The following will be some of the changes made by the act:

  • Addition of endorsement and reciprocity provisions
  • Removal of supplemental business licenses and corresponding license fees
  • Reduction of licensure education requirements
  • Elimination of other licensure and registration requirements.

How will some professions benefit?

The new law affects certain professions specifically because it:

  • Endorses all current and active out-of-state barber and cosmetologist licenses in Florida
  • Adds endorsement of building administrators, inspectors, and plans examiners or the equivalent certification of another U.S. state or territory
  • Removes examination requirements for landscape architects applying for endorsement, requiring only that they hold a license offered by another state or U.S. territory
  • Provides licensure by endorsement for electrical and alarm system contractors who have had licensing in another state for at least 10 years
  • Allows licensure of veterinarians by endorsement if they successfully completed a state, regional, national, or other exam that is equivalent to or tougher than the examination required by the board

Removal of duplicate license fees and licenses

Separate business licenses of architects, geologists, and landscape architects will no longer be necessary if they already hold a license. This results in the removal of barriers. For example, yacht and shipbrokers will only need one license at each principal branch. They will no longer need separate licenses at each location.

Affected are educational requirements

For certain professions, it reduces pre-licensure and continuing education hours in order to alleviate the cost barrier. A host of professions, including barbers and nail specialists, will see changes to these and other license requirements.

If you have concerns and questions regarding a professional license in Florida, it is smart to consult an attorney who may help you protect your livelihood and reputation.