A Comprehensive Guide to Obtaining a Florida Professional Engineering License
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.
What Is Florida Professional Engineering License
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.
Florida Engineering Business Registration Requirements
To offer engineering services in Florida, your firm must first register and receive approval from the FBPE. There are two key steps involved in securing the legal permit to practice engineering in the state:
- Registering the firm
- Adding the qualifying agent
Registering the Firm
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.
Adding the Qualifying Agent
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.
How To Maintain an Active Florida Engineering Business Registration
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:
- 30 days—When there are any changes to your firm’s registration application.
- 24 hours—If they decide to leave the firm.
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:
- 12 hours on topics relevant to the practice of engineering
- Four hours focused on their specific area of practice
- One hour dedicated to professional ethics
- One hour dedicated to Florida laws and rules governing the engineering profession
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.
Reduce Your Florida Engineering Business Registration Workload With Harbor Compliance
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.
Advantages of Utilizing Harbor Compliance’s Services To Secure or Renew Your Florida Engineering Business Registration
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:
- Providing a dedicated team of experts who can support you during the entire application process.
- Helping you keep track of Florida’s professional engineering licensing renewal deadlines to ensure your qualifying agents never miss a renewal window.
- Providing access to our Software Suite, which includes comprehensive information on Florida’s state requirements for a professional engineering license powered by our proprietary Compliance Core™ algorithm.
Ordering Harbor Compliance’s Architecture & Engineering Compliance Solutions
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:
- Enter the required information (your name, email address, and phone number)
- Choose Engineering from the drop-down menu
- Hit the Submit button
Harbor Compliance’s Additional Services
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:
- Registered agent service—As your registered agent, we can receive legal and government documents on behalf of your firm and forward them to you timely.
- Business licensing support—Whether you have a single office in one state or multiple offices across various states, we can assist you in obtaining general business licenses in all the states in which you are registered.
- Beneficial ownership information reporting—We assist you in reporting beneficial ownership information (BOI) by offering filing support for initial, updated, and corrected reports. We will also send proof when the filing is complete.
- Entity lifecycle management—We support you throughout your entity’s lifecycle by submitting filings to form your corporation and for withdrawal and dissolution when you are ready to wind down your operations.
- Nonprofit formation—We assist in handling the paperwork required to form your nonprofit corporation. Additionally, we can help you apply for a nonprofit tax exemption, whether you’re already incorporated or trying to reinstate it if it has been revoked.
- Document filing and retrieval—We offer assistance with in-person drop-off filing at secretary of state offices nationwide, obtaining certified copies required for business license management, and filing articles of reinstatement.
- Tax registration—We can help you secure your Employer Identification Number (EIN) and complete the registration process for payroll and sales and use tax.
Company Licenses
Florida Engineering Company Licenses
Florida Certificate of Authorization (Land Surveying)
| Agency: | Florida Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers |
| Law: | |
| Eligible Entity Types: |
|
Initial Registration
| Form: | |
| Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
| Agency Fee: | $255 by mail or $261.38 online |
| Original Ink: | Not required |
| Notarization Required?: | Not required |
| Required Attachments: |
|
Registration Renewal
| Filing Method: | |
| Agency Fee: | $350 renewal fee and $5 unlicensed activity fee + $8.88 convenience fee |
| Due: | By February 28 of odd-numbered years. |
| Original Ink: | Not required |
| Notarization Required?: | Not required |
| Penalties: | The late renewal penalty is $150. |
Florida Engineering Business Registration
Initial Registration
| Instructions: | See this page for detailed instructions on registration. |
| Filing Method: | |
| Agency Fee: | $0 |
| Turnaround: | Within an hour |
| Notes: | Qualified individual
|
| Before you Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
|
| How to Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
|
Renewal Not Required
Not required
Business registrations do not need to be renewed.
Amendment
| Agency Fee: | $0 |
| Due: | 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. |
Florida Geology Business Registration
| Agency: | Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation - Board of Professional Geologists |
Initial Registration
| Filing Method: | |
| Agency Fee: | $0 |
| Notes: | 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. |
Renewal Not Required
Not required
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.
Individual Licenses
Florida Individual Engineering Licenses
Florida Engineering Intern Certificate
| Agency: | Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE) |
| Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
| Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
Initial Registration
| Form: | |
| Filing Method: | |
| Agency Fee: | $100 |
| Notes: | 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 |
| Required Attachments: |
|
Renewal Not Required
Not required
Florida Geologist In Training Registration
| Agency: | Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation - Board of Professional Geologists |
Initial Registration
| Form: | Geologist In Training – Initial Registration by Examination (PG 4706) |
| Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
| Agency Fee: | $190 |
Renewal Not Required
Not required
Florida Professional Engineer License
| Agency: | Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE) |
| Exam Required? | Yes |
| Allow Digital Signatures? | Yes |
| Digital Signature Guidelines: | (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] Also see 61G15‐23.005 for rules related to SHA signature use. |
| Allow Digital Sealing? | Yes |
| Digital Sealing Guidelines: | 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. |
Initial Registration
| Form: | |
| Agency Fee: | $180 |
Reciprocal Registration
| Notes: | Florida does not license by reciprocity or comity. |
Registration Renewal
| Filing Method: | |
| Agency Fee: | $98.75 |
| Due: | By February 28th of odd-numbered years. |
Florida Professional Geologist License
Initial Registration
| Form: | Professional Geologist – Initial license by Examination (PG 4701)
|
| Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
| Agency Fee: | Depends on application type:
|
Reciprocal Registration
| Form: | Professional Geologist – Initial License for Out-of-State Applicants (Endorsement) (PG 4701)
Professional Geologist – Initial License by Endorsement (10 Years of Licensure) (PG 4701)
|
| Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
| Agency Fee: | Depends on application type:
|
Registration Renewal
| Filing Method: | |
| Agency Fee: | $125 |
| Due: | By July 31 of even-numbered years. |
Florida Surveyor and Mapper License
| Agency: | Florida Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers |
Initial Registration
| Form: | Surveyor and Mapper - Initial Licensure by Examination or Endorsement |
| Agency Fee: | $255 |
Reciprocal Registration
| Form: | Surveyor and Mapper - Initial Licensure by Examination or Endorsement |
| Agency Fee: | $255 |
Registration Renewal
| Filing Method: | |
| Agency Fee: | $255 + 2.5% convenience fee. |
| Due: | By February 28 of odd-numbered years. |
Florida Professional Engineer FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Florida professional engineer (PE) license. For more details on licensing processes and requirements, visit the Harbor Compliance Information Center.
No. Even if you hold a professional engineering license in another state, you’ll need to apply for licensure to practice as a professional engineer in Florida.
If your firm has only one qualifying agent, and they decide to leave, you will no longer be able to practice engineering in the state. To maintain your practice, you’ll need to find another agent to qualify your firm within 60 days.
Yes, it’s possible. In Florida, a qualifying agent can qualify for more than one engineering firm.
Streamline Your Florida Engineering Business Registration Process With Harbor Compliance
As a registered engineering firm in Florida, you’ll enjoy privileges like signing and sealing engineering designs and offering engineering services to the public in your name. However, you must stay informed about changing regulations to maintain your permit.
Harbor Compliance’s Architecture and Engineering Compliance Solutions simplify this process by assisting you in tracking renewal dates and changing requirements through its portfolio management software and team of licensing experts. Additionally, you can check if you’re meeting regulatory requirements with our free Harbor Compliance Score™.
If you would like to learn more about our licensing solutions, you can schedule a demo to see our software in action and select any of our three service options.
Need help navigating engineering license requirements in other states? You can explore the articles listed below:
Design Firm - Engineering firm registration is sometimes grouped with architecture and land surveying on a single “design firm” application form.
EI (Engineering Intern) - A term also used to describe an Engineer in Training.
EIT (Engineer in Training) - A professional designation granted upon having completed at least 3 years of school at an ABET-accredited university and having passed the FE exam.
FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) - An exam testing on basic engineering principles that is required to become an engineer in training.
PE (Professional Engineer or 'Principles and Practice in Engineering') - Means either Professional Engineer or refers to the Principles and Practice in Engineering exam that is a prerequisite for an engineering license.
Reciprocity - When a licensed engineer in one state can provide documentation (often an NCEES Record) to more easily apply for a license in another jurisdiction.
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
Accrediting board that sets standards for university programs in a variety of applied science disciplines.
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
Engineering, architecture, and land surveying advocacy group.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Organization that provides continuing education, professional conferences, and advocacy efforts to the civil engineering community.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Mechanical engineering organization that focuses on education and professional development.
Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC)
Reviews accreditation requirements and makes final decisions regarding the accreditation process.
National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying (NCEES)
Develops, administers, and scores the exams used for engineering licenses.
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
NSPE is an advocacy group for professional engineers.
