Florida Respiratory Therapist License Renewal Requirements

ByAllied License Guide Editorial Team

Editorial Note: This page is editorially reviewed by an ARDMS-credentialed sonographer as part of AlliedLicenseGuide.com’s allied health licensing database. Primary source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care — Respiratory Therapist Licensing & Renewals.

Who This Guide Is For

  • Licensed Florida respiratory therapists approaching a biennial renewal deadline who need to confirm CE requirements, renewal fees, and the May 31 expiration date.
  • CRT and RRT holders navigating Florida’s CE Broker reporting system and the Board’s approved provider list for the first time.
  • Travel respiratory therapists maintaining an active Florida license between assignments and tracking the state’s fingerprint retention renewal requirement.

Florida Respiratory Therapist License Renewal — At a Glance

Renewal Cycle Biennial (every 2 years)
License Expiration May 31 (fixed biennial date)
Renewal Fee (Active, on time) $95.00
Late Fee (after expiration) $185.00 (after expiration); $310.00 (120-day delinquent)
CE Hours Required 24 hours per biennium
Mandatory CE Topics 2 hrs medical errors; 2 hrs FL laws & rules; 3 hrs HIV/AIDS (first renewal only)
Online/Home Study Limit No limit
Renewal Method Online (MQA Services Portal) or mail
Null & Void Rule 2 years after expiration — must reapply
Compact Renewal Not applicable — Florida not an RCIC member
Renewal Contact MQA.RespiratoryTherapy@flhealth.gov / (850) 488-0595

Florida respiratory therapist licenses operate on a fixed biennial cycle, expiring on May 31 of each odd-numbered year. Renewal requires completing 24 hours of continuing education, submitting the completed renewal application and fees through the MQA Services Portal or by mail, and — for licensees whose fingerprint retention record is expiring — paying the FDLE fingerprint retention fee at renewal time.

Florida uses CE Broker for CE tracking, and the Board checks CE records automatically when a licensee initiates the renewal process. If records are complete, renewal proceeds without interruption. If records are incomplete, the system prompts the licensee to enter remaining hours before the renewal can be finalized.

Renewal Requirements

The four components required for renewal are: completed continuing education reported to CE Broker, a completed renewal application, the applicable renewal fees, and background screening compliance. Licensees whose FDLE fingerprint retention is expiring during the current licensure cycle are charged a separate $43.25 FDLE retention fee at renewal, as required under section 456.0135(6)(1), Florida Statutes. If the retention expires in the next 60 days and has not been paid, it must be handled separately through the Clearinghouse Applicant Initiated (CHAI) system rather than at renewal.

The Board sends renewal notices to the mailing address on file, but the licensee bears responsibility for ensuring the license is renewed regardless of whether a notice is received. Licenses that are not renewed by the May 31 expiration date move to delinquent status immediately; a delinquent license that is not renewed before the close of the licensure cycle becomes Null and Void — requiring a full reapplication under current laws and rules, not a routine renewal.

Continuing Education Requirements

Florida requires 24 CE hours per biennium. Of those, 20 are general hours completed through Board-approved providers, 2 hours must address medical errors (as required under Rule 64B32-6.006, F.A.C.), and 2 hours must cover Florida respiratory care laws and rules (per Rule 64B32-6.001(5), F.A.C.). There is no cap on the number of hours earned through online or home study courses — the previous 12-hour limit was removed in 2016, and all formats now count equally provided the provider is Board-approved.

At the first renewal only, licensees are required to complete 3 hours in HIV/AIDS education. Licensees who were first licensed in the second half of the biennium (on or after June 1 of an even year) are exempt from the 20 general CE hours but must still complete 7 hours: the 2 medical errors, 2 laws and rules, and the 3-hour HIV/AIDS course. Licensees who were first licensed in the first half of the biennium must complete all 24 hours plus the HIV/AIDS requirement.

BLS training does not count toward any of the required CE hours.

Board-Approved CE Providers

The following organizations are approved to provide CE credit for Florida respiratory therapist renewal, as established by Board rule:

  • American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC)
  • Florida Society for Respiratory Care
  • Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
  • American and Florida Thoracic Societies
  • American College of Cardiology
  • American College of Chest Physicians
  • American and Florida Societies of Anesthesiologists
  • American and Florida Lung Association
  • National Society of Cardiopulmonary Technologists
  • American Heart Association
  • American Nurses Association and Florida Nurses Association
  • Florida Board of Nursing
  • Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)

Additional CE credit is available through Board meeting attendance (up to 8 hours per biennium, with no more than 2 credited toward laws and rules), college or university respiratory care courses, ACLS/PALS/neonatal resuscitation certification or NBRC courses (up to 16 hours), NBRC re-credentialing exam completion, and lecturing or authoring a Board-approved course (up to 12 hours). Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education.

To search for Board-approved CE courses, CRT holders can use CE Broker’s CRT search and RRT holders can use CE Broker’s RRT search.

Renewal Fees

Florida’s renewal fees vary by status change and by whether the license is renewed on time, after expiration, or after reaching 120-day notified delinquent status. The table below shows Active-to-Active fees; see the Board’s licensing page for the full schedule covering inactive and retired status transitions.

Renewal Timing Active to Active Fee
Before expiration $95.00
After expiration (delinquent) $185.00
120-day notified delinquent $310.00

Payment is accepted online by credit or debit card through the MQA Services Portal, or by mail with a check or money order made payable to the “Department of Health” sent to: Division of Medical Quality Assurance, P.O. Box 6320, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6320. Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care — Renewal Fees.

How to Renew

  1. Complete your CE hours through Board-approved providers before the May 31 deadline. Ensure courses are reported to CE Broker — Florida checks CE records automatically at renewal, and incomplete records will pause the renewal process.
  2. Log in to the MQA Services Portal at flhealthsource.gov using your personal identifying information. The “Renew My License” option will appear no earlier than 90 days before the expiration date.
  3. Confirm or update your mailing address in your account profile. Renewal notices are sent to the address of record.
  4. Address fingerprint retention if applicable. A $43.25 FDLE fee is required at renewal when your fingerprint retention is expiring this cycle. If it expires in the next 60 days, pay through the CHAI system separately.
  5. Submit payment. Renewal fees are shown in the table above. Online renewals accept credit or debit card. To pay by mail, print the application summary from the portal and mail it with your check or money order.
  6. Allow processing time. The renewal process typically takes 7–10 business days to complete. Do not call to confirm receipt before that window has passed.

Practical Notes

  • CE Broker does the verification work for you — if your providers report. Florida’s auto-check at renewal means your CE must already be in the system before you start. Confirm with your CE provider that courses were reported to CE Broker, not just completed.
  • The fingerprint retention fee is separate from the renewal fee. The $43.25 FDLE charge appears at renewal when your retention record is expiring. If it expires within 60 days, you’ll be directed to the CHAI system to pay it separately before renewal can proceed.
  • First-time renewers: the HIV/AIDS requirement is real and easy to miss. The 3-hour HIV/AIDS course is mandatory for the first renewal only, but it’s in addition to — not in place of — the other CE requirements for full-biennium licensees.
  • The May 31 deadline is a hard line. Florida’s license moves to delinquent status immediately at midnight on May 31. There is no grace period stated on the Board’s renewal page. Renewing after the deadline means higher fees; waiting too long means Null and Void status and a full reapplication.

Related Pages

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CE hours does Florida require per renewal period?

Florida requires 24 CE hours per biennial renewal period. The breakdown is 20 general hours, 2 hours in medical errors prevention, and 2 hours in Florida respiratory care laws and rules. All courses must be completed through Board-approved providers and reported to CE Broker. Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education.

Are AARC courses accepted for Florida CE credit?

Yes. The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) is specifically listed as a Board rule-approved CE provider for Florida respiratory therapist renewal. Courses offered by AARC and reported to CE Broker count toward the 24-hour requirement. Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education.

What happens if my Florida respiratory therapist license expires?

A license that is not renewed by the May 31 expiration date becomes delinquent immediately. Delinquent licenses can still be renewed during the current biennium, but at higher fees ($185.00 Active-to-Active after expiration; $310.00 at 120-day notified delinquent status). A delinquent license that is not renewed before the end of the current licensure cycle becomes Null and Void — at which point the licensee must reapply for licensure under current requirements rather than renewing. Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care.

Is there a limit on how many CE hours I can earn online or through home study?

No. Florida removed its 12-hour cap on home study and online CE courses in August 2016. All 24 required CE hours can now be completed through online or home study formats, provided the courses are offered by a Board-approved provider and reported to CE Broker. Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education.

Does Florida automatically verify my CE at renewal, or do I need to submit documentation?

Florida uses CE Broker to verify CE completion automatically when you initiate the renewal process through the MQA Services Portal. If your CE records in CE Broker are complete, renewal proceeds without interruption. If records are incomplete, you’ll be prompted to enter the remaining hours before the renewal can be finalized. You do not need to submit CE certificates directly to the Board unless audited. Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care.

What is the first-renewal HIV/AIDS requirement?

At the first renewal only, Florida requires a 3-hour HIV/AIDS education course in addition to the standard CE requirements. Any HIV/AIDS course approved by any profession regulated within the DOH Division of Medical Quality Assurance is acceptable. Licensees first licensed in the second half of the biennium (on or after June 1 of an even year) are exempt from the 20 general CE hours but must still complete the 2 medical errors, 2 laws and rules, and this 3-hour HIV/AIDS course. Source: Florida Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education.

Fees and CE requirements listed on this page are based on information published by the Florida Board of Respiratory Care and verified on the date shown in the change log below. Renewal fees, CE hour requirements, and approved provider lists can change without notice — confirm current details directly with the Florida Board of Respiratory Care before your renewal deadline.

Change Log
2026-06-12 — Page created. Renewal data verified from Florida Board of Respiratory Care official website (floridasrespiratorycare.gov). CE hours, fee schedule, and expiration date confirmed. Compact status: Florida not an RCIC member as of verification date.

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