Timelines for Submitting a Medical Application for Licensure Using the MOBILE Application

The Department of Health (DOH) licenses health care providers in Florida, from physicians to nurses and more.  It is their job to issue licenses to qualified candidates.  DOH has online applications for providers to use when applying for licenses, but you may submit a paper application as well.  Usually there are two (2) types of application: Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement (MOBILE Act) and Examination.   Knowing and understanding the difference between these two (2) applications and the timelines related to the application process can be crucial to a health care provider’s future employment.

Requirements for MOBILE Application

Below are the minimum requirements for applying using the MOBILE endorsement application:

• You must hold an unrestricted license in another state, District of Columbia or a United States Territory;
• You must have passed a national examination for your profession or hold a national certification recognized by your Board;
• You must have been actively practicing your profession for at least two (2) years during the four (4) year period immediately preceding the date of submission of your application;
• You will be required to attest that you are not currently the subject of a disciplinary process;
• You must not have had any disciplinary action taken against a license in the five (5) years immediately preceding the date of submission of your application; and
• You do not have a report in the National Practitioner Data Bank.

Key Components for Submitting an Application

• Start completing your online application as early as possible. You may submit a paper application if your prefer.
• It helps to have your curriculum vitae or resume with you when you are working on your application.
• The application requires dates in the MM/DD/YYYY format. The online application will not allow you to enter just the month and year.  Having these dates ready is also helpful.
• Be sure to submit your application fee. You will not be able to submit a completed application either online or in paper format without the required application/licensure fee.  Failing to submit the fee slows down the application process considerably.
• Request license verifications for each of your out-of-state, District of Columbia, and/or United States Territory licenses to be sent to the DOH, appropriate Board office.
• Request that your national examination scores or national certification be sent to the DOH, appropriate Board office.
• Go to a Live Scan Provider and get your fingerprints completed as soon as possible. Be sure to provide the Live Scan Provider with the correct ORI number for your profession, which is available on the DOH website.  Once you have completed your fingerprints, obtain the tracking number, or TCN, complete the fingerprinting form the DOH provides in the application packet and submit the form to your Board office.

Application Process and Timeline

• Once an application has been submitted, it takes 7-10 days for DOH to receive the application and post the application/licensure fee. If no fee is attached, this time frame becomes longer.
• Once the application is posted, the application processors have 30 days to conduct a review of the application and send a deficiency notice to you if there is anything missing from the application.
• Waiting for verifications and other primary source documents to arrive at the appropriate Board office generally takes the longest time in the application process. That’s why it’s important to request those documents as early as possible.
• When an application has been deemed complete, the DOH will issue a license to a qualified applicant within seven (7) days.

Issues Effecting the Application Process

If there are any issues in your background, such as one or more of the following, you may be ineligible for licensure by MOBILE endorsement.

• Criminal history;
• Impairment history;
• Lack of required training;
• Failing to pass a national examination or failing to have a national certification recognized by the respective Board;
• National Practitioner Data Bank reports; and
• Other reasons.

If any of these factors affect your medical application, the attorneys at Howell Buchan & Strong have over 30 years of health care law experience and are ready to help you with your MOBILE application.