State guide · Florida · Licensing
Florida licensing requirements
Medical license application, controlled-substance registration, Medicaid enrollment, telehealth rules, and CME for Florida.
Medical board
Florida Board of Medicine
License timeline
30–60 days (longer for international applicants)
IMLC member
No
CME hours
40 per 2 yrs
Renewal cycle
2 years
Separate CS registration
No
The information on this page is provided for general reference only and may not reflect recent regulatory or legislative changes. State licensing requirements, fees, and timelines change frequently. Always verify requirements directly with the relevant state agency or a qualified legal or compliance professional before making practice decisions. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice.
State medical license
Florida physicians apply to the Florida Board of Medicine through the Department of Health's online MQA Services portal. Florida is not currently an IMLC member (Verify — Florida passed enabling legislation but implementation was pending as of recent updates).
Florida requires medical school graduation, 1 year of postgraduate training (2 years for IMGs), USMLE/COMLEX passage, and HIV/AIDS, prevention of medical errors, and other course completions.
- •Apply through MQA Services online portal
- •Mandatory pre-licensure courses: HIV/AIDS, prevention of medical errors, Florida laws and rules
- •Minimum 1 year postgraduate training (2 years for IMGs)
- •USMLE or COMLEX passage required
- •Initial license fee approximately $355 (Verify current)
Worth knowing
Verify — Florida passed IMLC enabling legislation but implementation status has been variable. Confirm current Compact participation before relying on it for cross-state licensure.
Controlled-substance registration
Florida does not require a separate state-level Controlled Substance Registration beyond the federal DEA registration. Florida physicians prescribing controlled substances must register with E-FORCSE (the Florida PDMP) and check it before prescribing Schedule II controlled substances in most circumstances.
Medicaid enrollment
Agency: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)
Florida Medicaid provider enrollment is administered by AHCA. Most physicians enroll through the Florida Medicaid Provider Enrollment portal. Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) program requires separate credentialing with each managed care plan.
Estimated timeline: Verify — typically 60–120 days for fee-for-service; managed care credentialing varies
- •Apply through Florida Medicaid Web Portal
- •Most beneficiaries are in SMMC managed care — credential separately with each plan
- •Background screening (Level 2) required for most providers
- •Revalidation required every 5 years
Telehealth notes
Florida permits telehealth broadly. Florida law (Florida Statutes §456.47) requires out-of-state telehealth providers to register with the Department of Health (Out-of-State Telehealth Provider Registration) — they cannot treat Florida-located patients without either a Florida license or an OOS Telehealth Registration.
- •Florida license OR Out-of-State Telehealth Provider Registration required
- •OOS Telehealth registrants cannot prescribe controlled substances
- •Audio-only telehealth permitted for many services
- •Establishing physician-patient relationship via telehealth permitted with limited exceptions
CME requirements
Florida requires 40 CME hours per 2-year renewal cycle, with multiple mandatory topic courses. At least 25 hours must be in AMA PRA Category 1.
Total hours: 40 per 2-year cycle
Mandatory topics:
Official resources
Bookmark these official agency portals for Florida licensing, controlled-substance registration, and Medicaid enrollment.
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