Fla. Stat. 456.017
Examinations

(1)(a)

The department shall provide, contract, or approve services for the development, preparation, administration, scoring, score reporting, and evaluation of all examinations, in consultation with the appropriate board. The department shall certify that examinations developed and approved by the department adequately and reliably measure an applicant’s ability to practice the profession regulated by the department. After an examination developed or approved by the department has been administered, the board, or the department when there is no board, may reject any question which does not reliably measure the general areas of competency specified in the rules of the board. The department may contract for the preparation, administration, scoring, score reporting, and evaluation of examinations, when such services are available and approved by the board.For each examination developed by the department or contracted vendor, to the extent not otherwise specified by statute, the board, or the department when there is no board, shall by rule specify the general areas of competency to be covered by each examination, the relative weight to be assigned in grading each area tested, and the score necessary to achieve a passing grade. The department shall assess fees to cover the actual cost for any purchase, development, validation, administration, and defense of required examinations. This subsection does not apply to national examinations approved and administered pursuant to paragraph (c). If a practical examination is deemed to be necessary, the rules shall specify the criteria by which examiners are to be selected, the grading criteria to be used by the examiner, the relative weight to be assigned in grading each criterion, and the score necessary to achieve a passing grade. When a mandatory standardization exercise for a practical examination is required by law, the board, or the department when there is no board, may conduct such exercise. Therefore, board members, or employees of the department when there is no board, may serve as examiners at a practical examination with the consent of the board or department, as appropriate.The board, or the department when there is no board, shall approve by rule the use of one or more national examinations that the department has certified as meeting requirements of national examinations and generally accepted testing standards pursuant to department rules.
Providers of examinations seeking certification shall pay the actual costs incurred by the department in making a determination regarding the certification. The name and number of a candidate may be provided to a national contractor for the limited purpose of preparing the grade tape and information to be returned to the board or department; or, to the extent otherwise specified by rule, the candidate may apply directly to the vendor of the national examination and supply test score information to the department. The department may delegate to the board the duty to provide and administer the examination. Any national examination approved by a board, or the department when there is no board, prior to October 1, 1997, is deemed certified under this paragraph.
Neither the board nor the department may administer a state-developed written examination if a national examination has been certified by the department. The examination may be administered electronically if adequate security measures are used, as determined by rule of the department.
The board, or the department when there is no board, may administer a state-developed practical or clinical examination, as required by the applicable practice act, if all costs of development, purchase, validation, administration, review, and defense are paid by the examination candidate prior to the administration of the examination. If a national practical or clinical examination is available and certified by the department pursuant to this section, the board, or the department when there is no board, may administer the national examination.
It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce the costs associated with state examinations and to encourage the use of national examinations whenever possible.
Each board, or the department when there is no board, shall adopt rules regarding the security and monitoring of examinations. The department shall implement those rules adopted by the respective boards. In order to maintain the security of examinations, the department may employ the procedures set forth in s. 456.065 to seek fines and injunctive relief against an examinee who violates the provisions of s. 456.018 or the rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph. The department, or any agent thereof, may, for the purposes of investigation, confiscate any written, photographic, or recording material or device in the possession of the examinee at the examination site which the department deems necessary to enforce such provisions or rules. The scores of candidates who have taken state-developed examinations shall be provided to the candidates electronically using a candidate identification number, and the department shall post the aggregate scores on the department’s website without identifying the names of the candidates.If the professional board with jurisdiction over an examination concurs, the department may, for a fee, share with any other state’s licensing authority or a national testing entity an examination or examination item bank developed by or for the department unless prohibited by a contract entered into by the department for development or purchase of the examination. The department, with the concurrence of the appropriate board, shall establish guidelines that ensure security of a shared exam and shall require that any other state’s licensing authority comply with those guidelines. Those guidelines shall be approved by the appropriate professional board. All fees paid by the user shall be applied to the department’s examination and development program for professions regulated by this chapter.The department may adopt rules necessary to administer this subsection.

(1)(a)

The department shall provide, contract, or approve services for the development, preparation, administration, scoring, score reporting, and evaluation of all examinations, in consultation with the appropriate board. The department shall certify that examinations developed and approved by the department adequately and reliably measure an applicant’s ability to practice the profession regulated by the department. After an examination developed or approved by the department has been administered, the board, or the department when there is no board, may reject any question which does not reliably measure the general areas of competency specified in the rules of the board. The department may contract for the preparation, administration, scoring, score reporting, and evaluation of examinations, when such services are available and approved by the board.

(b)

For each examination developed by the department or contracted vendor, to the extent not otherwise specified by statute, the board, or the department when there is no board, shall by rule specify the general areas of competency to be covered by each examination, the relative weight to be assigned in grading each area tested, and the score necessary to achieve a passing grade. The department shall assess fees to cover the actual cost for any purchase, development, validation, administration, and defense of required examinations. This subsection does not apply to national examinations approved and administered pursuant to paragraph (c). If a practical examination is deemed to be necessary, the rules shall specify the criteria by which examiners are to be selected, the grading criteria to be used by the examiner, the relative weight to be assigned in grading each criterion, and the score necessary to achieve a passing grade. When a mandatory standardization exercise for a practical examination is required by law, the board, or the department when there is no board, may conduct such exercise. Therefore, board members, or employees of the department when there is no board, may serve as examiners at a practical examination with the consent of the board or department, as appropriate.

(c)

The board, or the department when there is no board, shall approve by rule the use of one or more national examinations that the department has certified as meeting requirements of national examinations and generally accepted testing standards pursuant to department rules.Providers of examinations seeking certification shall pay the actual costs incurred by the department in making a determination regarding the certification. The name and number of a candidate may be provided to a national contractor for the limited purpose of preparing the grade tape and information to be returned to the board or department; or, to the extent otherwise specified by rule, the candidate may apply directly to the vendor of the national examination and supply test score information to the department. The department may delegate to the board the duty to provide and administer the examination. Any national examination approved by a board, or the department when there is no board, prior to October 1, 1997, is deemed certified under this paragraph.Neither the board nor the department may administer a state-developed written examination if a national examination has been certified by the department. The examination may be administered electronically if adequate security measures are used, as determined by rule of the department.The board, or the department when there is no board, may administer a state-developed practical or clinical examination, as required by the applicable practice act, if all costs of development, purchase, validation, administration, review, and defense are paid by the examination candidate prior to the administration of the examination. If a national practical or clinical examination is available and certified by the department pursuant to this section, the board, or the department when there is no board, may administer the national examination.It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce the costs associated with state examinations and to encourage the use of national examinations whenever possible.
1. Providers of examinations seeking certification shall pay the actual costs incurred by the department in making a determination regarding the certification. The name and number of a candidate may be provided to a national contractor for the limited purpose of preparing the grade tape and information to be returned to the board or department; or, to the extent otherwise specified by rule, the candidate may apply directly to the vendor of the national examination and supply test score information to the department. The department may delegate to the board the duty to provide and administer the examination. Any national examination approved by a board, or the department when there is no board, prior to October 1, 1997, is deemed certified under this paragraph.
2. Neither the board nor the department may administer a state-developed written examination if a national examination has been certified by the department. The examination may be administered electronically if adequate security measures are used, as determined by rule of the department.
3. The board, or the department when there is no board, may administer a state-developed practical or clinical examination, as required by the applicable practice act, if all costs of development, purchase, validation, administration, review, and defense are paid by the examination candidate prior to the administration of the examination. If a national practical or clinical examination is available and certified by the department pursuant to this section, the board, or the department when there is no board, may administer the national examination.
4. It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce the costs associated with state examinations and to encourage the use of national examinations whenever possible.

(d)

Each board, or the department when there is no board, shall adopt rules regarding the security and monitoring of examinations. The department shall implement those rules adopted by the respective boards. In order to maintain the security of examinations, the department may employ the procedures set forth in s. 456.065 to seek fines and injunctive relief against an examinee who violates the provisions of s. 456.018 or the rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph. The department, or any agent thereof, may, for the purposes of investigation, confiscate any written, photographic, or recording material or device in the possession of the examinee at the examination site which the department deems necessary to enforce such provisions or rules. The scores of candidates who have taken state-developed examinations shall be provided to the candidates electronically using a candidate identification number, and the department shall post the aggregate scores on the department’s website without identifying the names of the candidates.

(e)

If the professional board with jurisdiction over an examination concurs, the department may, for a fee, share with any other state’s licensing authority or a national testing entity an examination or examination item bank developed by or for the department unless prohibited by a contract entered into by the department for development or purchase of the examination. The department, with the concurrence of the appropriate board, shall establish guidelines that ensure security of a shared exam and shall require that any other state’s licensing authority comply with those guidelines. Those guidelines shall be approved by the appropriate professional board. All fees paid by the user shall be applied to the department’s examination and development program for professions regulated by this chapter.

(f)

The department may adopt rules necessary to administer this subsection.

(2)

For each examination developed by the department or a contracted vendor, the board, or the department when there is no board, shall adopt rules providing for reexamination of any applicants who failed an examination developed by the department or a contracted vendor. If both a written and a practical examination are given, an applicant shall be required to retake only the portion of the examination on which the applicant failed to achieve a passing grade, if the applicant successfully passes that portion within a reasonable time, as determined by rule of the board, or the department when there is no board, of passing the other portion. Except for national examinations approved and administered pursuant to this section, the department shall provide procedures for applicants who fail an examination developed by the department or a contracted vendor to review their examination questions, answers, papers, grades, and grading key for the questions the candidate answered incorrectly or, if not feasible, the parts of the examination failed. Applicants shall bear the actual cost for the department to provide examination review pursuant to this subsection. An applicant may waive in writing the confidentiality of the applicant’s examination grades. Notwithstanding any other provisions, only candidates who fail an examination with a score that is less than 10 percent below the minimum score required to pass the examination shall be entitled to challenge the validity of the examination at hearing.

(3)

For each examination developed or administered by the department or a contracted vendor, an accurate record of each applicant’s examination questions, answers, papers, grades, and grading key shall be kept for a period of not less than 2 years immediately following the examination, and such record shall thereafter be maintained or destroyed as provided in chapters 119 and 257. This subsection does not apply to national examinations approved and administered pursuant to this section.

(4)

Meetings of any member of the department or of any board within the department held for the exclusive purpose of creating or reviewing licensure examination questions or proposed examination questions are exempt from the provisions of s. 286.011 and s. 24(b), Art. I of the State Constitution. Any public records, such as tape recordings, minutes, or notes, generated during or as a result of such meetings are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. However, these exemptions shall not affect the right of any person to review an examination as provided in subsection (2).

(5)

For examinations developed by the department or a contracted vendor, each board, or the department when there is no board, may provide licensure examinations in an applicant’s native language. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, applicants for examination or reexamination pursuant to this subsection shall bear the full cost for the department’s development, preparation, validation, administration, grading, and evaluation of any examination in a language other than English prior to the examination being administered. Requests for translated examinations must be on file in the board office at least 6 months prior to the scheduled examination. When determining whether it is in the public interest to allow the examination to be translated into a language other than English, the board shall consider the percentage of the population who speak the applicant’s native language. Applicants must apply for translation to the applicable board at least 6 months prior to the scheduled examination.

(6)

In addition to meeting any other requirements for licensure by examination or by endorsement, and notwithstanding the provisions in paragraph (1)(c), an applicant may be required by a board, or the department when there is no board, to certify competency in state laws and rules relating to the applicable practice act. All laws and rules examinations shall be administered electronically unless the laws and rules examination is administered concurrently with another written examination for that profession or unless the electronic administration would be substantially more expensive.

(7)

The department may post examination scores electronically on the Internet in lieu of mailing the scores to each applicant. The electronic posting of the examination scores meets the requirements of chapter 120 if the department also posts along with the examination scores a notification of the rights set forth in chapter 120. The date of receipt for purposes of chapter 120 is the date the examination scores are posted electronically. The department shall also notify the applicant when scores are posted electronically of the availability of postexamination review, if applicable.

Source: Section 456.017 — Examinations, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0456.­017 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

456.001
Definitions 456.002
Applicability 456.003
Legislative intent 456.004
Department 456.005
Long-range policy planning 456.006
Contacting boards through department 456.007
Board members 456.008
Accountability and liability of board members 456.009
Legal and investigative services 456.011
Boards 456.012
Board rules 456.013
Department 456.014
Public inspection of information required from applicants 456.015
Limited licenses 456.016
Use of professional testing services 456.017
Examinations 456.018
Penalty for theft or reproduction of an examination 456.019
Restriction on requirement of citizenship 456.021
Qualification of immigrants for examination to practice a licensed profession or occupation 456.022
Foreign-trained professionals 456.023
Exemption for certain out-of-state or foreign professionals 456.024
Members of Armed Forces and veterans 456.025
Fees 456.026
Annual report concerning finances, administrative complaints, disciplinary actions, and recommendations 456.027
Education 456.028
Consultation with postsecondary education boards prior to adoption of changes to training requirements 456.029
Education 456.031
Requirement for instruction on domestic violence 456.032
Hepatitis B or HIV carriers 456.033
Requirement for instruction for certain licensees on HIV and AIDS 456.035
Address of record 456.36
Health care professionals 456.036
Licenses 456.037
Business establishments 456.38
Practitioner registry for disasters and emergencies 456.038
Renewal and cancellation notices 456.039
Designated health care professionals 456.41
Complementary or alternative health care treatments 456.041
Practitioner profile 456.42
Written prescriptions for medicinal drugs 456.042
Practitioner profiles 456.43
Electronic prescribing for medicinal drugs 456.043
Practitioner profiles 456.44
Controlled substance prescribing 456.044
Practitioner profiles 456.045
Practitioner profiles 456.046
Practitioner profiles 456.47
Use of telehealth to provide services 456.048
Financial responsibility requirements for certain health care practitioners 456.049
Health care practitioners 456.50
Repeated medical malpractice 456.51
Consent for pelvic examinations 456.051
Reports of professional liability actions 456.52
Sex-reassignment prescriptions and procedures 456.052
Disclosure of financial interest by production 456.053
Financial arrangements between referring health care providers and providers of health care services 456.054
Kickbacks prohibited 456.055
Chiropractic and podiatric health care 456.056
Treatment of Medicare beneficiaries 456.057
Ownership and control of patient records 456.058
Disposition of records of deceased practitioners or practitioners relocating or terminating practice 456.059
Communications confidential 456.61
Use of free speech by a health care practitioner 456.061
Practitioner disclosure of confidential information 456.62
Communication of COVID-19 treatment alternatives 456.062
Advertisement by a health care practitioner of free or discounted services 456.063
Sexual misconduct 456.065
Unlicensed practice of a health care profession 456.066
Prosecution of criminal violations 456.067
Penalty for giving false information 456.068
Toll-free telephone number for reporting of complaints 456.069
Authority to inspect 456.071
Power to administer oaths, take depositions, and issue subpoenas 456.072
Grounds for discipline 456.073
Disciplinary proceedings 456.074
Certain health care practitioners 456.075
Criminal proceedings against licensees 456.076
Impaired practitioner programs 456.077
Authority to issue citations 456.078
Mediation 456.079
Disciplinary guidelines 456.081
Publication of information 456.082
Disclosure of confidential information 456.0135
General background screening provisions 456.0145
Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement (MOBILE) Act 456.0241
Temporary certificate for active duty military health care practitioners 456.0242
Office of Veteran Licensure Services 456.0301
Requirement for instruction on controlled substance prescribing 456.0341
Requirements for instruction on human trafficking 456.0361
Compliance with continuing education requirements 456.0391
Advanced practice registered nurses 456.0392
Prescription labeling 456.0495
Reporting adverse incidents occurring in planned out-of-hospital births 456.0496
Provision of information on eye and vision disorders to parents during planned out-of-hospital births 456.0575
Duty to notify patients 456.0635
Health care fraud 456.4501
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact 456.4502
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact 456.4503
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission 456.4504
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact rules

Current through Fall 2025

§ 456.017. Examinations's source at flsenate​.gov