How To Become a Structural Engineer in Florida—Requirements and Licensing Best Practices

Professional engineers in the state of Florida can earn the title of a "Structural Engineer" by enrolling in the Structural Engineering Recognition Program, run by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. While the certification isn't mandatory for practicing structural engineering in Florida, it provides additional proof of expertise and enhances trust among clients and employers.

There are multiple requirements professionals must meet to obtain this certification, apart from securing a Florida professional engineering license beforehand. These range from having an appropriate level of education to maintaining a solid reputation in industry circles.

To save you from having to gather information from scattered sources, this guide will walk you through the key requirements for becoming a certified structural engineer in Florida. We'll also introduce you to Harbor Compliance—a professional service provider that reduces the licensing workload for all engineers.

The Role of a Structural Engineer in Florida

Structural engineers are responsible for planning, designing, and ultimately guiding the construction of a building that can endure various horizontal and vertical loads. They achieve this by evaluating different raw materials and their durability against specific conditions, such as extreme weather and natural disasters.

Florida-based structural engineers are primarily governed by four laws:

1. Chapter 471 (Engineering) of Florida Statutes
2. Chapter 455 (Business & Professional Regulation) of Florida Statutes
3. Florida Building Code
4. Chapter 61G15 of Florida Administrative Code

The Requirements for Becoming a Florida Board-Certified Structural Engineer

While not mandatory, obtaining a structural engineer license demonstrates your commitment to advancing your professional skills beyond the minimum engineering licensing standards. Let's go over the basic criteria for becoming certified as a structural engineer by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers.

Individual License Requirements

Here's a list of the requirements for individual applicants:

• Education—Applicants must possess a four-year degree in engineering or engineering technology via an ABET-accredited program.
• Existing professional engineer license—Only licensed professional engineers can apply for the structural engineer certification.
• Certified Special Inspector—Applicants must have been appointed as a "Certified Special Inspector of Threshold Buildings" at least once.
• Good conduct—Any violation of structuring engineering laws or past disciplinary action will prevent you from applying for the certification.

When it comes to examination requirements, the Florida Board of Professional Engineers acknowledges the following engineering exams:

Candidates who haven't passed any of the exams mentioned above within the prescribed time frames can still enroll in this program if they can prove at least five years of experience in "significant structural engineering projects" after licensure as professional engineers. There are only three types of structural engineering projects that the Board approves:

1. Buildings categorized as "Risk Category III or IV" by the current Florida Building Code
2. Vehicular bridge
3. Buildings with a minimum of three floors

Business License Requirements

The structural engineer in Florida certification is an individual recognition, and the Florida Board of Professional Engineers does not grant it to engineering firms.

If you're running an engineering firm in Florida and want to take on structural engineering projects (or any other engineering projects), you need to be listed on Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation's (DBPR) online portal. You also have to maintain a licensed professional engineer serving as a qualifying agent, regardless of whether they are certified as a structural engineer by the Board.

This process enables your firm to legally provide engineering services within Florida. Going forward, you and your qualifying agent will have to abide by three main rules:

1. In case your qualifying agent leaves the company, you must find another licensed professional engineer to serve as the qualifying agent within 60 days. Until then, the Board will provide a temporary agent to complete any remaining contracts.
2. You have to alert the Board within a day (24 hours) if the qualifying agent leaves the company.
3. You must notify the DBPR of any changes to your firm's information compared to the information you provided initially within one month.

Keeping up with all these licensing regulations can be demanding for firms and the individuals leading them, especially when operating across multiple jurisdictions or expanding into new states. However, partnering with a provider like Harbor Compliance ensures you stay on top of all state licensing requirements while keeping your compliance workload minimal.

Manage Your Florida Engineering Licenses With Harbor Compliance

Harbor Compliance's Architecture & Engineering Licensing Solutions simplify the licensing management process for all Florida engineering firms. Our specialized licensing software lets you effortlessly track the status of all your individual and company engineering licenses from a centralized platform.

You'll also get a convenient overview of up-to-date licensing requirements in Florida and beyond thanks to our Compliance Core™ technology. It's an algorithm that compares your company data against a nationwide database of over 22,000 licensing and compliance requirements, allowing you to remain in good standing without excessive research and manual work.

Moreover, our fully managed service option lets you completely outsource the licensing process to our team of experts, including preparing and filing initial license registrations and handling renewals. You can also choose our self-managed option and handle the licensing process internally, with the help of our software solutions. Lastly, the hybrid service option lets you delegate some of your licensing tasks to us while you handle the rest.

Benefits of Using Harbor Compliance's Architecture & Engineering Compliance Solutions

Below are the four main benefits of using our service to manage your Florida engineering licenses:

1. Expert assistance—Our team specializes in engineering and architecture compliance. We understand and address even the most specific needs you may have and ensure your firm meets all state licensure requirements.
2. Reduced licensing workload—Obtaining and maintaining engineering licenses can be time-and resource-consuming. We can take this burden off your shoulders and let you focus on growing your engineering business.
3. Reduced risk—By leveraging our expert support and cutting-edge software solutions, you significantly reduce the likelihood of licensing lapses, gaps, and associated fines and penalties.
4. License Manager—Part of our comprehensive Compliance Software Suite, the License Manager lets you visualize your entire license portfolio and easily track any changing requirements or upcoming renewals. It also includes various collaboration tools to streamline your compliance and licensing tasks.

The Process of Ordering Harbor Compliance's Service

If you're ready to simplify your licensing workload, schedule a quick call with our team, and we'll find the best solution for your needs. Just follow the steps below:

1. Visit the Architecture & Engineering Licensing Solutions service page.
2. Click on the Contact Us button, and complete the provided form by adding your name, email address, company name, and phone number.
3. Let us know if you have a preferred day and time to meet and share any specific questions you might have for our team.

Additional Services by Harbor Compliance

Apart from licensing solutions for architecture and engineering businesses, our portfolio includes many other services to help you meet all regulatory requirements. Refer to the table below for a quick overview of our most popular service categories:

Florida Structural Engineer License FAQs

Below, you'll find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about securing a Florida structural engineer license. Our Information Center contains more details about licensing requirements in various states.

Harbor Compliance—Your Trustworthy Partner in All Licensing Matters

To be certified as a structural engineer by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers, you have to meet several exam, education, and conduct requirements. You also have to hold a valid professional engineer license, which comes with its own set of criteria.

To simplify and reduce your licensing workload, get started with our Architecture & Engineering Licensing Solutions by scheduling a free demo of our award-winning software.

Curious about your overall compliance status? Get your free Harbor Compliance Score™ and identify any red flags before they become problems. For any other questions you might have about our services, feel free to reach out to our support team.

Refer to the articles in the table below to explore licensing requirements for engineering firms across all U.S. states.