Effective July 1, 2025, all Florida-licensed physicians will be required to complete electronic fingerprinting prior to their next license renewal. This change comes as a result of HB 975 (2024), which removes the previous exemption for physicians licensed before January 2013. Previously, only those applying for initial licensure had to meet background screening requirements.
The Department of Health has reported significant delays in processing licensure applications and renewals due to the increased number of healthcare professionals now subject to background checks. Physicians whose licenses are set to renew in January are advised by the Department to begin the process early. The Department will send notifications 90 days before license expiration, and practitioners are encouraged to verify that their contact information is current ahead of this window. Renewal applications cannot be approved until all requirements, including background screening, have been satisfied.
A step-by-step guide is available for initiating and tracking the background screening process, along with a video tutorial. Physicians who have already completed Level II background screening do not need to resubmit fingerprints.
After submitting fingerprints, physicians will not need to provide new sets at each renewal because the data is stored in Florida’s Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. However, licensees must retain their stored fingerprints every five years. The Department will notify them by mail and email about 60 days before the retention deadline. If fingerprints are not retained within this period, they will be deleted automatically from the system; if new prints are not submitted within 30 days after notification of deletion, disciplinary action may follow.
Employers should ensure that all healthcare staff—including physician assistants, midwives, dieticians, occupational and physical therapists, psychologists, and others—comply with these new requirements. Noncompliance could prevent employees from renewing licenses and disrupt patient care.
“We understand these new requirements create additional administrative burdens, costs, and inconvenience. Please know that resources are available through the Department of Health and that the FMA is here to help guide you through the process,” said Mary Thomas, Esq., executive director of the Council of Florida Medical School Deans.
Mary Thomas previously served as assistant general counsel for over a decade at the Florida Medical Association (FMA) and continues representing FMA before state regulatory boards.
