Florida license status, explained
Florida agencies describe a license with up to two parts: a primary status (is the license in good standing?) and a secondary status (is the holder allowed to practice right now?). Here is what each one means.
Can practice
- Current, active · Clear, active · Valid
- The license is in good standing and the holder can work. DBPR says "Current", the Department of Health says "Clear" and the Department of Financial Services says "Valid".
- Probation
- The holder can work, but under conditions the board set after a disciplinary case: supervision, extra courses, reports or restrictions on what they can do.
- Military active
- The holder is on active military duty, and Florida keeps the license in good standing while they serve.
- Conditional or temporary
- A license with limits or an end date, such as a temporary certificate for an area of critical need.
Can't practice right now
- Current, inactive · Clear, inactive
- The holder chose inactive status. The license is kept up, but they can't practice until they reactivate it, usually by paying a fee and finishing continuing education.
- Delinquent
- The license wasn't renewed on time. The holder can't practice until they renew it. After one renewal cycle, a delinquent license usually becomes null and void.
- Involuntary inactive
- DBPR's term for a license that wasn't renewed. Like delinquent, the holder can't practice until it's fixed.
- Null and void
- The license lapsed for good. To work again, the holder has to apply for a new license.
- Retired · Voluntarily relinquished
- The holder retired the license or gave it up. They can't practice under it.
Disciplinary statuses
- Suspended · Emergency suspension
- The board or the agency head suspended the license, sometimes immediately to protect the public. The holder can't practice until the suspension ends.
- Revoked
- The board took the license away permanently.
- Relinquished during discipline
- The holder gave up the license while a disciplinary case was open. Florida treats this like a revocation.
- Board action
- The Department of Health's file flags licenses with any board action on record. The documents are on the department's license search.
Before you hire
A status is a snapshot. Confirm it with the agency's own search the day you hire, and ask for the license number so you can check it yourself. How to verify a Florida license.