Chair’s Corner: Looking Forward to a New Year

BY KENNETH TODD, PE, FBPE CHAIR (2019)

I am very much looking forward to this year, while leaving 2018 behind and all the challenges I had last year. We have now entered a new year, 2019. All Professional Engineers licensed in Florida know what that means.

Because it is an odd year, 2019 is a license renewal year. So, I thought it would be helpful to remind all Florida licensed engineers of some key components required as part of the license renewal process.

First, renewal of your engineering license and your firm’s Certificate of Authorization, if that applies, must be done before the end of February and done online.

All licensed engineers should have received a letter and email from the Florida Board of Professional Engineers back in November reminding them that the renewal process was starting and would run online between Nov. 5, 2018, and Feb. 28, 2019.

All current/active Professional Engineer licenses and Certificates of Authorization will become delinquent if not renewed by Feb. 28. All Professional Engineer licenses and Certificates of Authorization that are currently delinquent and not renewed by that date will go null and void on March 1. Florida licensees can update their license account at myfloridalicense.com.

This year, in an effort to eliminate the mad rush that generally occurs at the end of every renewal cycle, the Board is offering a $10 discount on the renewal fee if a licensee who is current/active renews by Jan. 15. This will help reduce the backlog of renewals that tend to overload the system and slow down the renewal process. So, the cost would be $88.75, instead of $98.75, if renewed early. The renewal fee for Certificates of Authorization (and PEs with delinquent licenses) remain at $98.75.

Also, please note that PE licenses and Certificates of Authorization will no longer be mailed to the licensee or certificate holder. They must be downloaded and printed from myfloridalicense.com after they have been renewed. You can obtain detailed information pertaining to the renewal process on the FBPE website, fbpe.org.

All licensees should remember that you are attesting, as part of the renewal process, that you have met or will meet by Feb. 28 all of the current continuing education requirements for engineering licensure in Florida. The current criteria in Rule 61G15-22.001(1), Florida Administrative Code, are 18 hours for each license renewal biennium. One other item a licensee should remember is that Rule 61G15-22.001(2) states that there is no carryover of hours from one renewal biennium to the next.  The CE criteria in that rule also states that of the 18 hours taken, one hour must be of Florida laws and rules, one hour must be on ethics, four hours must be taken in your specific area of practice, and the other 12 hours can be taken in any subject that pertains to the practice of engineering. Please remember that the Florida laws and rules course and the ethics course must be taken from an FBPE-approved provider.

Although accomplishing nine hours each year could be considered ideal, it is not mandatory. Licensees just need to have taken 18 hours before the Feb. 28 deadline. Failure to do this will place the licensee in violation of the Continuing Education rule, 61G15-19.001(6)(s), F.A.C. The Board has in the past and will continue to do so in the future, prosecute all violators of the CE requirements. They are mandated as part of Section 471.017, Florida Statutes.

So, I want to wish all the engineering licensees a safe and prosperous new year, and encourage all to renew your license early.

About the Author

Kenneth Todd is a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida. He recently retired as water-resource manager for Palm Beach County and plans to begin consulting. Mr. Todd is serving his second term on the Florida Board of Professional Engineers and has been Board Chair since December 2017.