The Florida Senate

481.215  Renewal of license.--

(1)  Subject to the requirement of subsection (3), the department shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application and renewal fee.

(2)  The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses.

(3)  No license renewal shall be issued to an architect or an interior designer by the department until the licensee submits proof satisfactory to the department that, during the 2 years prior to application for renewal, the licensee participated per biennium in not less than 20 hours of at least 50 minutes each per biennium of continuing education approved by the board. The board shall approve only continuing education that builds upon the basic knowledge of architecture or interior design. The board may make exception from the requirements of continuing education in emergency or hardship cases.

(4)  The board shall by rule establish criteria for the approval of continuing education courses and providers and shall by rule establish criteria for accepting alternative nonclassroom continuing education on an hour-for-hour basis.

(5)  Each licensee shall provide to the board proof of completion of the core curriculum courses, or passing the equivalency test of the Building Code Training Program established by s. 553.841, within 2 years after commencement of the program or after initial licensure, whichever is later. Hours spent taking core curriculum courses shall count toward the number required for license renewal. A licensee who passes the equivalency test in lieu of taking the core curriculum courses shall receive full credit for such core curriculum course hours.

(6)  The board shall require, by rule adopted pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, a specified number of hours in specialized or advanced courses, approved by the Florida Building Commission, on any portion of the Florida Building Code, adopted pursuant to part VII of chapter 553, relating to the licensee's respective area of practice.

History.--ss. 9, 19, ch. 79-273; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 11, 23, 24, ch. 88-383; s. 1, ch. 90-84; s. 22, ch. 90-228; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 156, ch. 94-119; s. 14, ch. 98-287; s. 120, ch. 2000-141; s. 35, ch. 2001-186.