Landscape Architecture – FAQs

A qualifier is a Florida Registered Landscape Architect who is an officer, director or partner in the business who applies with the Department to qualify the business to perform Landscape Architectural services in the state of Florida.

A Florida Registered Landscape Architect can qualify a business if he is an officer or partner in the business.  The licensee should submit the application to Qualify a Business (LA 8), the form can be found under the Manage My License tab on the Board web page.

A business should not offer landscape architecture services without a qualifier unless they are licensed under another profession that permits such services.

Yes, a licensee may qualify more than one business as long as he/she is an officer or partner in each business.   The licensee should submit the application to Qualify a Business (LA 8), the form can be found under the Manage My License tab on the Board web page.

Effective July 1, 2020 Certificates of Authorization were eliminated.  Businesses that are qualified by a Registered Landscape Architect are listed online as “Landscape Architecture Business Information”.  The qualifiers license is linked under “View Related License Information”.

If you search for your name or license number using the online Verify a License tool the business information will be linked under “View Related License Information” link at the bottom of the page.

The license for a Registered Landscape Architect, who is the qualifier for a business, will now print with the name of the business below the licensee’s name. A licensee can reprint their license at any time from their online account. If a licensee qualifies more than 1 business all the business names will be listed on the license below the licensee’s name.

Officer or partner status is verified through the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations online at www.sunbiz.org, a Registered Landscape Architect would need to be listed there in order to be qualifier for a business.  There is not set a percentage of ownership a qualifier is required to have in the business, we rely on the corporate information on file at the Division of Corporations.

The license number of one the qualifying landscape architects should appear on any advertising that requires a license number per as required by 481.321, F.S. and rule 61G10-15.003, F.A.C.

Your company should send a letter to the Department notifying us you are employed as a Landscape Architect in responsible charge of the practice of Landscape Architecture with the company. Your license will not be linked as a qualifier.

If you have any questions or need assistance completing your application, please contact the department’s Customer Contact Center at 1.850.487.1395.

• Department of Business and Professional Regulation
• Central Intake Unit – License Maintenance
• 2601 Blair Stone Road
• Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783
• Fax: 850.488.8040

You need to renew your license by November 30 of every odd-numbered year.

Registered Landscape Architect (Active) – $230 (fee includes $225 renewal fee + $5 Unlicensed Activity Fee)
Registered Landscape Architect (Inactive) – $55 (fee includes $50 renewal fee + $5 Unlicensed Activity Fee)

If the license is renewed after the expiration date, the delinquent fee is $25.00, in addition to the renewal fee.

You need to submit the reactivation fee of $50 plus $175 active licensure fee. You must also show proof of 16 hours of continuing education; 1 hour in an approved laws and rules course, 1 hour in an approved advanced building code course and 14 hours in optional board approved courses. The continuing education courses must be taken during the last, or current, renewal period.

Yes.  Please complete form DBPR LA 7.

You must reapply with a new application and all of the required documentation. You must meet the current eligibility requirements.

You can apply to the board for reinstatement of a null and void license based upon illness or undue hardship. You can find the application to reinstate a null and void license on the main page, Manage My License.

You must obtain at least 16 hours of continuing education credits per biennium. A minimum of one of the 16 hours must be obtained by completing an approved course on the Uniform Building Code and a minimum of one hour must be obtained by completing a course on Florida’s laws and rules affecting the practice of landscape architecture. The remaining 14 hours can be courses approved by the Board of Landscape Architecture.

There is a list of approved continuing education providers and courses on the main page, CE Requirements.

No, for the continuing education hours to count towards renewing your license they must be obtained during that renewal period.

If you were initially licensed less than 12 months prior to the end of the renewal period, you will not need continuing education to renew. If you were licensed 12 to 24 months you will need eight hours of continuing education.

Yes, licensees who participate in the development of Florida exam questions may be awarded up to six (6) hours of continuing education credit, comprised of two (2) hours of laws and rules and four (4) hours optional, upon request to the board.

The Bureau of Education and Testing (BET) selects consultants from the existing list of licensees in the department’s computer system. Criteria used may follow these requirements:

• Actively licensed in the profession for at least five years;
• No disciplinary action or pending case against licensee;
• Demographics or place of residence;
• Willingness and interest in working on exam items.

It is preferred that consultants not be actively engaged in an educational program. If you are interested please contact BET at 850.488.5952 for more information.

Please submit the following items to the Board to receive credit for LA CES courses.

1. Course completion certificate showing the following information:
   1. The licensee’s name.
   2. The licensee’s Florida Registered Landscape Architect License number.
   3. That the course is LA CES approved.
   4. The total hours of credit received for the course.

2. Summary of the course content or subject matter for determination that the course relates to and will increase a licensee’s basic knowledge of landscape architecture.
3. All documentation must be received at least 60 days prior to the end of the renewal cycle.
4. Documentation should be sent to:
   Mail:
   Bureau of Education and Testing
   2601 Blair Stone Road
   Tallahassee, FL 32399-1046 (CE Unit)
   Email: BET@myfloridalicense.com
   Fax: 850-922-2316

Each licensed landscape architect is required to display their license number in all advertising. Advertising includes newspapers, telephone directory, business cards, stationery, magazines, billboards, proposals, contracts and job site signs.  A business should use the license number of their qualifier.

The seal shall be capable of leaving a permanent ink representation or other form of embossing or opaque and permanent impression, which also may be computer-generated impressions, on the surface of prints or other duplications of drawings and, as appropriate, upon specification pages and other articles of service. The seal must include the words “State of Florida”, “Landscape Architect”, the licensee’s name as it appears on his or her license and the license number.

You can verify your license to another state by using DBPR’s Online Services. Create an online account or logon to your existing account at www.myfloridalicense.com. Select “Request License Certification” from the License Menu. Complete the online application and pay the $25 fee by credit card or electronic check. A copy of your license record will be created and mailed by U.S. mail directly to the address you provide during the transaction. Please allow 10 business days for the other state to receive the document. You will also receive an email copy of the certification for your records.
If you need to send certification of your license to multiple states you will repeat the instructions above and pay the required $25 application fee for each request.