Registered Nurse (RN)


Click on the appropriate tab below to see the Renewal Requirements, Process, Fees and Continuing Education (CE) for a Registered Nurse.

Registered Nurses (RN) are renewed by the department in three groups:

Group 1 – current license will expire at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, April 30, 2024

Group 2 – current license will expire at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, July 31, 2024

Group 3 – current license will expire at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, April 30, 2025

The department will renew your license upon receipt of:

  1. Completed CE requirements – reported into CEBroker.com (see CEU tab regarding CE Exemption)
  2. Completed renewal application
  3. Required fees (see Fees tab)

Licensees requesting to reactivate their license from inactive or retired status are required to pay additional fees and comply with specific continuing education requirements. Please contact the board office at  MQA.NursingAppstatus@flhealth.gov to request your reactivation requirements.

Licensees who fail to meet these requirements must reapply for licensure and comply with current laws and rules. Licensees who have become Null and Void or elected to Voluntarily Relinquish their RN license must reapply for licensure and meet current requirements.

Military Exemption

If you are a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty who was in good standing with the board at the time of becoming active and was entitled to practice or engage in the practice of medicine in Florida, you may be eligible to be exempted from renewal requirements for the duration of active duty, and for a period of six months after discharge, but not practicing the profession in the private sector for profit.

If you are the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, you may be eligible to be exempted from licensure renewal requirements, but only in cases of absence from the state because your spouses’ duties with the Armed Forces.

Volunteer Health Services Exemption

If you volunteer your services to the medically indigent residents of Florida with incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, you may be eligible for a waiver of your biennial renewal fee and some of the continuing education hours (no more than 25%) required for license renewal; however, the continuing education requirements for domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and medical errors cannot be waived.

Public School Health Volunteer Exemption

If you volunteer your services in public schools for a minimum of 80 hours a year or if retired, at least 400 hours a year, you may be eligible for a waiver of your biennial renewal fee and some of the continuing education hours (no more than 25%) required for license renewal; however, the continuing education requirements for domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and medical errors cannot be waived.

Options for Non-Renewal of your license

Options:

  1. Retire – Pay a one-time $55 fee. The license remains in a dormant state and can be reactivated by the licensee if needed.
  2. Voluntarily Relinquish – Submit a formal request in writing to the Board. Relinquishment of the license, the license number is discontinued and cannot be reactivated.
  3. Delinquent & Null/Void – Take no action. The license will go delinquent after the expiration date and Null/Void 2 years after the expiration date. Once Null/Void, the license cannot be reactivated.

Renewal Instructions:

  1. Go to www.flhealthsource.gov and click the “Renew A License” button.
  2. Enter your Personal Identifying Information (PII), then click the Login button.
  3. Confirm or update your MQA Services Account email address, then click the “Continue” button.
  4. You are now in the Dashboard. During renewals, a “Renew My License” option will populate no later than 90 days prior to your license expiration date. (Note: If you do not see the “Renew My License” option, please check back at a later time.)

*** If the “PII Failed” screen displays, click the “Other Login Option” button and enter your existing User ID and password to access your account.***

Additional Information:

  • You may renew online if you have a credit or debit card to complete the transaction. Please note that you can now renew online, print a copy of your application summary and mail it with your cashier’s check or money order to:
    Division of Medical Quality Assurance
    P.O. Box 6320
    Tallahassee, FL 32314-6320
  • If you are renewing your license after the expiration date and your status still indicates Clear/Active or Clear/Inactive, you will be assessed a delinquency fee. The delinquency fee will be in addition to your renewal fees.
  • If your license is Delinquent/Active or Delinquent/Inactive you may still renew prior to the renewal deadline. The following actions must be taken prior to renewing your license:
    • Prior to renewing your license, you must report your continuing education (CE) hours to the Department of Health’s tracking system.
    • To renew a delinquent license, you will need to report your CE hours for your current cycle, as well as your previous cycle.
    • If you did not complete CE courses in your last renewal cycle, you may complete them now and report them to the CE tracking system.
    • To report course completion, log onto your MQA Online Account.  From your dashboard, go to “Additional Activities” and select Report CE/CME.

    Please note, when renewing your license, a delinquent fee will be assessed in addition to all applicable renewal fees.

  • If your license was Delinquent/Active or Delinquent/Inactive before the renewal deadline, it will be moved to Null and Void status after the renewal deadline. You should contact your board office for further instruction.
  • A licensee who remains on inactive status for more than two consecutive biennial licensure cycles and who wishes to reactivate the license may be required to demonstrate the competency to resume active practice by sitting for a special purpose examination or by completing other reactivation requirements.
  • If you are reactivating your license, please refer to the laws and rules governing your practice for additional requirements.
  • APRNs are not required to renew their Florida RN license; it is optional.
  • Note: Do not submit certificates of completion of continuing education hours to the Florida Board of Nursing. Please report continuing education credits to the Department of Health through our CE tracking system at www.cebroker.com.

Name Change

If you are renewing online and need to change your name, please follow these instructions prior to renewing your license:

Name changes require legal documentation showing the name change. Please log into your MQA Online Services Portal account to submit your request and enter your full name as it appears on your legal documentation. If you are submitting your request online, please attach/upload supporting documents, which must be one of the following:

  • A copy of a state issued marriage license that includes the original signature and seal from the clerk of the court
  • A divorce decree showing the name change
  • A court order showing the name change (Adoption, legal name change, federal identity change)
  • A copy of a certificate of naturalization or H1B Employment Visa (Note: Foreign applicants and/or licensees may not have state issued documents)

Any one of these will be accepted unless the department has a question about the authenticity of the document.

NOTE: Please allow 5-7 business days for your request to be processed. If you are requesting a name change outside of renewal and wish to receive a new license reflecting the name change, you must request a duplicate license.

If renewing BEFORE your license expires, your fees will be:

Active to Active$75.00
Inactive to Inactive$65.00
Active to Inactive$65.00
Inactive to Active$130.00
Active to Retired$55.00
Inactive to Retired$55.00

If renewing AFTER your license expires, your fees will be:

Active to Active$130.00
Inactive to Inactive$120.00
Active to Inactive$175.00
Inactive to Active$240.00
Active to Retired$165.00
Inactive to Retired$165.00

If renewing 120 day Notified Delinquent, your fees will be:

Active to Active$205.00
Inactive to Inactive$185.00
Active to Inactive$185.00
Inactive to Active$260.00
Active to Retired$185.00
Inactive to Retired$175.00

 

*Pursuant to s. 456.065(3), Florida Statutes, a $5 fee to fund efforts to combat unlicensed activity will be assessed of each licensee upon initial licensure and at each renewal. This fee is included in the renewal fee.

*Pursuant to s. 1009.66(6), Florida Statutes, a $5 fee to carry out the provisions of the Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness Program will be assessed at renewal and is included in the renewal fee.

Continuing Education (CE/CEU) Requirements

To locate board approved CE Courses for this profession, please click here

A nurse who is certified by a health care specialty program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification is exempt from continuing education requirements. This must be reported to the Department’s tracking system powered by CE Broker.

Please note: The CE exemption based on certification does not apply to the 2 hr Human Trafficking course requirement.

*Please note: All mandatory courses must be offered by a Florida Board of Nursing approved provider, with the exception of the 2 hour Human Trafficking course.

All courses can be live or home study.

REQUIRED SUBJECT AREAREQUIRED NUMBER OF HOURSIMPORTANT INFORMATION
General Hours16Must be approved by a state or national organization empowered to accredit nursing continuing education.
Prevention of Medical Errors2Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com.
Florida Laws & Rules2Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com.
Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace2Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. 2-hour course completion is required every other renewal.
Human Trafficking2This course does not have to be a Florida Board of Nursing approved course. The course must meet criteria outlined in S. 464.013, F. S. (Became effective October 1, 2017, licensees expiring after January 1, 2019 are required to complete the Human Trafficking course every renewal/biennium).
Domestic Violence2Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. Domestic Violence is required every third biennium and the hours are in addition to the 24 hours required for renewal.
HIV/AIDS1Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. HIV/AIDS is a one-time requirement prior to the first renewal.

sm_divider

First Biennium Renewal: LPNs and RNs initially licensed by examination during the current biennium are exempt from the general CEU requirements for the first renewal. Those licensees must complete 2 hours of Medical Error, 2 hours in Florida laws and rules, 2 hours of Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace, 2 hours of Human Trafficking, and 1 hour of HIV/AIDS.

LPNs and RNs initially licensed by endorsement during the current biennium and took the exam in another state within the biennium are exempt from general CEU hours. Those licensees must complete 2 hours of Medical Error, 2 hours in Florida laws and rules, 2 hours of Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace, 2 hours of Human Trafficking and 1 hour of HIV/AIDS. Initial licenses that were issued for less than 24 months are required to complete 1 hour for each month that the license was valid for; these hours must include the required hours listed above.

First licenses are not generally valid for a full two years. If your Florida license was not issued for the full two year biennium you must complete 1 hour of CE for each month that you hold the license.

Florida Statutes

Section 464.013: Renewal of License or Certificate

Florida Administrative Codes

Chapter 649B-5: Continuing Education Requirement

Section 64B9-3.013: Renewal of Licenses