Everything You Need To Know About Florida Nurse License Renewal
Per Florida Law a certified nurse assistant, or CNA, is required to renew their license every two years in order to maintain compliance with Florida state law. This is a relatively straightforward process for those who have provided CNA services for monetary compensation within the last 24 months, as they are able to simply renew their license online and remain active in the CNA registry. While this is by no means a challenging process, it is wise to review the steps outlined below before attempting to renew.
License Renewal Process
There are several ways to renew a CNA license remotely, either entirely online with a credit or debit card or with a check or money order through mail. To complete a CNA license renewal in Florida online, the following steps must be completed:
- Visit the Florida Healthsource site at www.flhealthsource.gov and click the button “Renew a License”.
- Enter personal information when prompted in order to login
- A prompt will appear to confirm that the MQA services account email is correct. If it is not then it can be updated, otherwise simply proceed by hitting confirm and continue.
- Once inside the dashboard, there is a button “Renew My License ONLY” if the license is set to expire within the next 90 days. If this button is not visible, come back to the site in a few days to check again.
- When the button is visible, click it and follow the prompts to pay license fees to the state and update any information as needed. If the renewal is late but still able to be processed through the online portal there will be a delinquency fee charged in addition to the regularly assessed fees.
In situations where a credit or debit card is not available, then the renewal process can be completed as per the steps above except that instead of paying online the form will be printed out and mailed in with a check or money order to the following address:
Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Office of the Secretary
4050 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0950
Get Directions
Once received it may take up to 10 business days for the renewal to be processed, a new license printed and all documentation mailed back to the CNA license holder. It is important to be sure to complete the renewal process no later than midnight of the date of the expiration of the license in order to maintain uninterrupted licensure. If this deadline is not met then the license will be placed into delinquent status which if not remedied will ultimately result in it becoming null and void.
CNA Inactive in Last 24 months
Individuals holding a Florida CNA license who have not been actively working in the last 24 months will still have a license on file with the state but it will show as inactive. Unfortunately if two biennial renewal cycles pass without the CNA license being renewed, the licensee will need to sit through a competency exam and/or reapply for their CNA license following the current rules and regulations in order to regain their license with the state of Florida. For those who are struggling with the renewal process or feel that they have had their license unjustly revoked, it is wise to contact an experienced healthcare law attorney to ensure the best possible outcome.