Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE)


Please Note

We are a service company that can help you file with the Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE). We are not associated with this nor any other government agency. We offer paid services and software to help you file. You are not required to purchase our service to file - you may file directly with this agency without using our service.


Contact Information

Physical address:
2400 Mahan Dr
Tallahassee, FL 32308

Phone: (850) 521-0500
Fax: (850) 521-0521

Web: Home Name search File online
Email: BOARD@FBPE.ORG

Notes: Board hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Licenses

We track the following licenses with the Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE) in order to provide compliance services to our clients. As a client, you see this and other Compliance Core™ data in License Manager in-line with your licenses.

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Florida Engineering Business Registration

Agency:Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE)
Law:

Fla. Stat. § 471.023

Eligible Entity Types:
  • Business Corporations
  • Professional Corporations
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Professional Limited Liability Companies
  • Partnerships
  • Business Trusts
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Ownership Requirements:

Business Corporations:

  • At least one of the principal officers must be an engineer licensed in Florida.

Professional Corporations:

  • Shareholders of Florida PCs must be either licensed individuals, a professional corporation, or a professional limited liability company.

Limited Liability Companies:

  • At least one of the principal members must be an engineer licensed in Florida.

Professional Limited Liability Companies:

  • Members of Florida PLLCs must be either licensed individuals, a professional corporation, or a professional limited liability company.

Partnerships:

  • At least one of the partners must be an engineer licensed in Florida.
Notes:
  • A qualifying agent who leaves an engineering firm must notify the Board within 24 hours.
  • If the qualifying agent leaves the firm and was the only qualifying engineer for the business, the firm may no longer provide engineering services in Florida and must be qualified by another Professional Engineer within 60 days if it wishes to resume offering engineering services.
Qualifying Individual Requirements:
  • Each qualifying agent must notify the board within 30 days after any change in the information contained in the application with which the qualification is based. 
  • A qualifying agent who terminates an affiliation with a qualified business organization shall notify the management corporation of such termination within 24 hours.
  •  the event a qualifying agent ceases employment with a qualified business organization and the qualifying agent is the only licensed individual affiliated with the business organization, the executive director of the management corporation or the chair of the board may authorize another licensee employed by the business organization to temporarily serve as its qualifying agent for a period of no more than 60 days to proceed with incomplete contracts. The business organization is not authorized to operate beyond such period under this chapter absent replacement of the qualifying agent.
  • A qualifying agent shall notify the department in writing before engaging in the practice of engineering in the licensee’s name or in affiliation with a different business organization.

Initial Registration

Instructions:

See this page for detailed instructions on registration.

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Turnaround:

Within an hour

Notes:

Qualified individual 

  • Not required to be a principal officer or partner
  • Must be capable of answering questions relevant to the engineering decisions made during the engineer’s work on the project, in sufficient detail as to leave little doubt as to the engineer’s proficiency for the work performed and involvement in the work.
  • Engineers can perform services only in areas of their competence. (NSPE code of ethics)
Before you Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  • Identify a Florida licensed engineer to act as the qualifying agent for your firm and make sure they are registered and in good standing with the board.

Foreign Applicants:

  • Identify a Florida licensed engineer to act as the qualifying agent for your firm and make sure they are registered and in good standing with the board.
  • Ensure that your Florida entity meets ownership requirements.
  • Obtain a certificate of good standing from your business entity's home state (to be filed during the foreign qualification process). The certificate cannot be more than 90 days old when filing foreign qualification documents.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. File formation documents to form a Florida business entity with the Department of State.
  2. Register your engineering firm using the DBPR portal.
  3. Link your qualifying agent's license with the firm's registration in the DBPR portal.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. File a foreign entity qualification application to foreign qualify your entity with the Department of State (if applicable).
  2. Register your engineering firm using the DBPR portal.
  3. Link your qualifying agent's license with the firm's registration in the DBPR portal.

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Business registrations do not need to be renewed.

Amendment

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

If the qualifying agent is no longer with the firm, the board must be notified within 24 hours, and the agent must be replaced within 60 days. Changes to the application must be reported in 30 days.

Florida Engineering Intern Certificate

Agency:Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Form:

Application for EI Certificate

Filing Method:

Mail

Agency Fee:

$100

Notes:

Applicants must hold a board-approved engineering or engineering technology degree. If an applicant does not have a board-approved degree they must have their education reviewed by a Florida-approved evaluation company to demonstrate the education is substantially equivalent to an EAC/ABET or ETAC/ABET-accredited degree

Required Attachments:
  • Proof of education or submit a credential evaluation
  • Proof of passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Florida Professional Engineer License

Agency:Florida Board of Professional Engineers (FBPE)
Exam Required?Yes
Allow Digital Signatures?Yes
Digital Signature Guidelines:

(2) A professional engineer utilizing a digital signature to electronically sign and seal engineering plans, specifications, reports or other documents shall have their identity authenticated by a certification authority and shall assure that the digital signature is: (a) Unique to the person using it; (b) Capable of verification; (c) Under the sole control of the person using it; and, (d) Linked to a document in such a manner that the digital signature and correspondingly the document is invalidated if any data in the document is changed.

(3) The affixing of a digital signature to engineering plans, specifications, reports or other documents as provided herein shall constitute the signing and sealing of such items. (a) A digitally created seal as set forth in Rule 61G15‐23.002, F.A.C., may be placed where it would appear if the item were being physically signed, dated and sealed. (b) The date that the digital signature was placed into the document must appear on the document in accordance with subsection 61G15‐23.001(4), F.A.C., and where it would appear if the item were being physically signed, dated and sealed. (c) The engineering plans, specifications, reports or other documents being digitally signed and sealed shall include text to indicate the following and place it where an original signature would appear if the item were being physically signed, dated and sealed:

  1. The same information required by subsection 61G15‐23.002(2), F.A.C., if a digitally created image of the seal is not use;
  2. The item has been digitally signed and sealed; and,
  3. Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and all signatures must be verified on any electronic copies.

(d) Formatting of seals and text similar to that depicted below shall be used. While the formatting may be altered, the text must remain identical.

When a digitally created seal is not used:

[NAME], State of Florida, Professional Engineer, License No. [NUMBER]
This item has been digitally signed and sealed by [NAME] on the date indicated here.
Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and the signature must be verified on any electronic copies.

FL Admin Code 61G15‐23.004

Also see 61G15‐23.005 for rules related to SHA signature use.

Allow Digital Sealing?Yes
Digital Sealing Guidelines:

Formatting of seals and text similar to that depicted below shall be used. While the formatting may be altered, the text must remain identical.

1. When a digitally created seal is used:

This item has been digitally signed and sealed by [NAME] on the date adjacent to the seal.
Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and the signature must be verified on any electronic copies.

FL Admin Code 61G15‐23.004

Reciprocal Registration

Notes:

Florida does not license by reciprocity or comity.

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$98.75

Due:

By February 28th of odd-numbered years.

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