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Electrolysis Council
General Questions | |
Q: | How do I contact the Board staff by email? |
A: | Yes. Please send inquiries to mqa.electrolysis@flhealth.gov |
Q: | How can I file a complaint against a licensee? |
A: | You may file a complaint by accessing the Florida Health Care Complaint Portal or call (850) 488-0595 or (850) 245-4339. |
Q: | How can I check if someone is licensed? |
A: | You may use our License Look-Up Search Screen |
Q: | How can I get a list of licensee information? |
A: | To obtain an electronic listing of active and inactive licensee’s mailing addresses and license status for DOH/ MQA regulated professions use our Licensee Data Information service. Please note: The department does not maintain email addresses, fax or telephone numbers in the normal course of business. |
Q: | How can I become a Council member? |
A: | Council members are appointed by the Board of Medicine. You may apply by completing the Member Questionnaire and submitting the application at least 45 days prior to a scheduled Electrolysis Council meeting. |
Q: | Who can attend Council meetings? |
A: | All Council meetings are held via conference call and open to the public. Agendas and conference call information are available on this website at least 2 weeks prior to each scheduled meeting. |
Q: | How can I get a Council agenda? |
A: | The agenda outlines are posted approximately 2 weeks prior to each meeting. Alternatively, you may request to be placed on the Council's Interested Parties List to receive a copy by email, fax or U.S. mail. Staff routinely sends out agenda outlines 7-10 days prior to an upcoming council meeting. |
Q: | How can I get an item placed on the Council's agenda? |
A: | Send the item to the Council's staff office with a letter requesting that it be included on the next meeting's agenda. Advance notice to the Council is mandatory. The deadlines for all agenda items is one month prior to the date of the meeting. If you miss the deadline, you will be scheduled for the following meeting. |
Q: | How do I apply for my "occupational license"? |
A: | Occupational licenses are obtained through the city or county where an individual will be practicing. The council office does not handle anything regarding occupational licenses. |
Q: | Can you tell me what this rule means? |
A: | Council office staff cannot interpret or provide opinions on the profession’s laws and rules, however, staff may be able to point you to applicable laws and rules that may be helpful. Questions regarding the interpretation of the laws and rules may be directed to your business or private attorney, or, a Petition for Declaratory Statement may be filed with the Council to obtain a legally binding opinion regarding how the laws and rules might impact a specific practice scenario. Petitions must be received a minimum of 45 days prior to a scheduled meeting to allow time for review by the Council’s attorney and the required public noticing of the petition. |
Q: | What do I need to do in order to receive a duplicate license due to having lost my original one? |
A: | Beginning July 1, 2023, licensees will be able to retrieve duplicate licenses, at no cost, by logging into the MQA Online Services Portal. The PDF version of the license will be available under the “Licensure Documents” menu on the licensee’s personal dashboard. Should you need a duplicate license prior to July 1st, please reach out to the MQA Customer Contact Center at 850-488-0595 for assistance. |
Address Changes | |
Q: | If I am a licensee how do I change my mailing address with the department? |
A: | You may update your address through our online services with your user id and password. |
Q: | If I am a facility owner how do I change my address to another location? |
A: | A facility owner must submit a completed current Transfer of Facility application (pdf), $200 fee, and return the original facility license to the council office. Once the application has been processed by staff and is deemed complete for inspection, staff will submit the following: 1) A request for inspection to the appropriate field office; and 2) A completion letter will be submitted to the facility owner. Once the completion letter is received and not before then, the facility owner may permit electrolysis services to be rendered in the facility. |
Q: | If I am an applicant how do I change my address? |
A: | You must submit the request in writing to the council office at 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C05, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3255. Requests may also be faxed to 850.414.6860. |
Application Processing | |
Q: | How long does it take to process my application? |
A: | Once an application has been received, it takes approximately 1-3 days for revenue to validate the fees submitted with the application. The application is then delivered to the Council office for staff to process. Staff has 30 days to process an application once it has been validated by revenue. |
Q: | How do I obtain the status of my application? |
A: | Upon review of your application, Council staff will provide a letter via e-mail and U.S. mail to indicate any deficiencies in the application that you will need to address to complete your file. For Exam Applicants: Once an Examination application is deemed complete, you will receive an exam eligibility letter via e-mail and regular U.S. mail. If you requested a Temporary Permit, the permit will be issued at the same time the eligibility letter is mailed. For Endorsement Applicants: Once an Endorsement application is deemed complete, the applicant will receive a notice of the Council meeting at which the application will be considered. You may also call (850) 488-0595 or (850) 245-4373 to obtain your userid and password to access the Application Status system, or, request your application status from the representative. You may also request status updates via e-mail to mqa.electrolysis@flhealth.gov. |
Q: | I am applying by the "endorsement" method, what information must be submitted? |
A: | Submission of the Florida Electrologist licensure application, official documentation of an active Electrologist license or other authority to practice Electrolysis, the regulations in effect at the time you were licensed as an Electrologist in the other state or jurisdiction being endorsed and proof of completion of a Florida-approved 2-hour prevention of medical errors course. Please also refer to additional detailed instructions and checklists are provided with the application packet. |
Approved Electrolysis Training Programs | |
Q: | Where are the training schools for electrolysis located and how can I get in touch with them? |
A: | Please see our listing of approved schools for more information. |
Q: | Does the Electrolysis Council accept training programs that give home study? |
A: | Yes. Rule 64B8-53.001(3), F.A.C. states: "The didactic portion of the required training may include online or home study courses." |
Continuing Education | |
Q: | How many "home study" credits may be completed before renewing my license? |
A: | Licensees for renewal may take up to 10 hours of approved “home study” courses. The courses used for renewal must be taken during the biennium period, which is the period between the issue date of your license and the expiration date of your license. |
Q: | When do I have to have my continuing education for renewal completed? |
A: | A: Continuing education contact hours must be completed on or before May 31st of every even-numbered year. The present biennium period is June 1, 2020 – May 31, 2022. Continuing education must be completed before you renew your license. Please visit the “Continuing Education Section” of MQA Online Services at https://www.flhealthsource.gov/for more information about preparing for the mandatory reporting of your continuing education hours with CEBroker at least 30 days prior to the next expiration renewal date of May 31, 2022. |
Q: | Who are the approved providers for "home study" courses, and how do I contact them? |
A: | Please visit www.cebroker.com and use the “Course Search” function for “Electrologists” to search for approved providers and home study courses. |
Examination | |
Q: | When must the council office receive my application in order to be considered for the next available electrolysis examination? |
A: | Prospective applicants for Licensure by Examination will now be able to apply directly to sit for the AEA/IBEC Licensure Examination, through Prometric, without first applying to the Florida Electrolysis Council for approval. Once the exam is passed, the applicant would then be ready to submit the licensure application, and other required supporting documentation to the Council Office, for review and issuance of the license once all requirements have been verified and the official passing score has been transmitted from Prometric to the Council Office. Please contact our office at mqa.electrolysis@flhealth.gov with any questions. |
Q: | Are there any exceptions to the new process? |
A: | Exceptions would include the following scenarios… 1. Temporary Permit Requests The student would like to obtain a one‐time, non‐renewable Temporary Permit to engage in practice while preparing to sit for the examination. In this case, the student should…
Temporary permit expiration dates will be set 4 weeks beyond each applicant’s individual scheduled exam date. This will allow time for Prometric to provide scores to the Council Office and Council staff to process passing scores for issuance of the license, or, notify no-shows or failing applicants of permit expiration and the need to re‐take the examination. 2. Credentials or History Review Required Credentials: The student has an irregularity in his or her proof of meeting the licensure requirements and would prefer to seek review by the Electrolysis Council to determine whether he or she will be able to obtain a license after passing the examination. Example: A person who obtained his or her Electrolysis training outside of Florida would require review by the Council to determine whether the training will be accepted for licensure. History: The applicant has a criminal, disciplinary or other personal history background that he or she would prefer to have reviewed and cleared prior to incurring the expense of the exam. Once the review is completed, the Council Office would notify the applicant of whether he or she has been cleared and approved to sit for the examination. |
Q: | What does the term “COMPLETE” mean? |
A: | Once the department receives your application, the fees can take anywhere from 3‐5 days to be processed. After the fees have been processed, the Electrolysis Council office will receive your application. Upon receipt, we have 30 days to process your application. When we review your application, we look for all documents listed on the checklist. If you are missing a document, money or a question is answered incorrectly, you application is INCOMPLETE and will not be COMPLETE until you contact our office and correct the deficiency. Even if we have your application in our office before or by the deadline, and your application is DEFICIENT or INCOMPLETE, Council staff will be unable to approve you for licensure if your file is not complete. If you are unsure about the status of your application, please contact our office. |
Q: | What does the term "DEFICIENT" or "INCOMPLETE" mean? |
A: | Deficient or incomplete means that your application is missing one or more of the following: fees, proof of electrolysis training, proof of date of birth, a high school or college transcript or diploma (and a translation if in a foreign language), a mailing address and practice location, verification of licensure in another jurisdiction, proof of successfully registering for the exam with your appointment date and time, OR if a question is answered incorrectly or a field is left blank. Your application will be not be complete and you will not be licensed until you have corrected all deficiencies. Please contact our office if you have questions about your application. |
Q: | When will I receive the information regarding the exam date, time and examination site? |
A: | You will select your Preferred Exam date and Preferred Location within the registration/scheduling system. The examination vendor will send confirmation of your examination date, time and location to your email address, and will follow up with a phone call to confirm the information a day before your scheduled testing date. |
Q: | If I re‐apply to take the examination, must I pay the exam fee again? |
A: | Yes, once you have received notice of your failed attempt to successfully pass the licensure exam, you can go back to Prometric and register to take the exam again. Please keep in mind that each time you register to take the exam you will have to pay the $150 examination fee. |
Q: | To whom do I pay the fee for the examination? |
A: | The $150 examination fee is paid directly to the examination vendor, currently Prometric, upon its notification on completion of the exam registration process. |
Facilities | |
Q: | Once facilities have been turned in for initial inspections to occur, how long will it take the field office to complete them? |
A: | The field offices have 60 days to complete an inspection request. (NOTE: Since a facility license is not issued before the initial inspection has been completed and it has been noted that the facility is in compliance, the field offices try to make these requests “priorities.” Therefore, it may not take the full 60 days for the inspector(s) to complete the facility inspection(s). |
Q: | When I transfer my facility license to a new location, how long do I have to wait before I can begin practicing at the new location? |
A: | You may begin practicing at the new location once you have received your letter that your transfer of location inspection has been requested by Council staff. |
Q: | Can I begin practicing at a new location before filing an application for transfer of my facility license? |
A: | A facility owner must submit a completed current Transfer of Facility application (pdf), $200 fee, and return the original facility license to the council office. Once the application has been processed by staff and is deemed complete for inspection, staff will submit the following: 1) A request for inspection to the appropriate field office; and 2) A completion letter will be submitted to the facility owner. Once the completion letter is received and not before then, the facility owner may permit electrolysis services to be rendered in the facility. |
Q: | Where can I get a copy of the rule I have to have on display in my facility? |
A: | You can download a copy for your use. Click this link Rule 64B8-51.006, Florida Administrative Code, print rule, and display it in your facility. |
Laser Hair Removal | |
Q: | Can an Electrologist use “laser” devices? |
A: | Yes, with conditions. Please visit our Laser Hair Removal page for more information. |
Permanent Licensure | |
Q: | When will my permanent licensure be issued? |
A: | For Examination applicants, the permanent license is issued once the state licensure examination is passed. For Endorsement applicants, the permanent license will be processed upon completion of the application and approval by the Council. |
Refunds | |
Q: | What if I choose to withdraw my application and not pursue licensure in Florida, may I receive a refund of fees? |
A: | The $100 application fee is a non-refundable fee. You must submit a written request, including your original signature, to withdraw your application in order to be refunded the $100 licensure fee and the $5 unlicensed activity fee. |
Renewals | |
Q: | When will I receive my renewal notice? |
A: | Renewal notices are mailed out approximately 120 days prior to the expiration of the biennium period. |
Q: | Can I renew my license without my renewal notice? |
A: | Yes. The Electrology rules require that you must renew your license by the expiration date, whether you receive notice from the Department or not. Your license expiration date is printed on the hard copy of your license and also viewable on the Department of Health’s public licensure verification page. |
Q: | What will happen if my electrologist license is renewed after the expiration date that is printed on my license? |
A: | You will be charged a $100 delinquency fee in addition to the current renewal fee. |
Q: | What will happen to my facility license if it is not renewed by May 31st of each even year? |
A: | Facility licenses that are not renewed by the expiration date of the biennium period will automatically become delinquent for 6 months. If the facility owner fails to renew within 6 months of the expiration date, the license will automatically become “null and void” and electrolysis may not be performed in that facility. In addition, electrolysis may not be performed under a delinquent license as well. A facility owner would then need to completely reapply for facility licensure, and he/she must cease practice until the facility is licensed. Activity occurring in an unlicensed facility may result in disciplinary action by the board, a fine, and possible denial of licensure. |
Supervision | |
For Temporary Permits: | |
Q: | Do I have to have direct supervision in order to practice on a temporary permit? |
A: | Similar to licensed Electrologists, temporary permittees providing laser hair removal services are only required to have direct supervision by a licensed medical doctor or osteopathic physician. Direct supervision is not required when traditional electrolysis services are being provided. |
Q: | Does the supervising Electrologist have to be on the premises at all times where I am practicing electrology with a temporary permit? |
A: | No, the licensed Electrologist supervisor must be available to consult and direct a permittee in an emergency, although the supervisor does not have to be on the premises while the permittee is delivering electrolysis services. |
For Laser Hair Removal: | |
Q: | When performing laser hair removal, does the supervising physician have to be on the premises where I am practicing? |
A: | Rule 64B8-56.002(1)(d), F.A.C., requires licensed electrologists to perform laser hair removal under the "direct supervision and responsibility of a physician properly trained in hair removal and licensed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 458 or 459, F.S." |
Temporary Permits | |
Q: | Can I receive a temporary permit to work if applying by the endorsement method? If so, when will I receive it? |
A: | Endorsement candidates can receive a temporary permit. However, staff cannot issue the temporary permit until council has deemed the individual(s) eligible to receive one. |
Q: | I am applying by the examination method, when will my temporary permit be issued? |
A: | When staff has processed the application, and the application has been deemed complete, then the individual is eligible to receive a temporary permit. Candidates appearing before the council as an individual consideration will not be granted a temporary permit until approved by the Council, and the Council will then direct staff to issue the individual the temporary permit. |
Q: | What happens if I fail the examination? |
A: | If you are working on a temporary permit, you must cease working immediately upon notification of your failing results and return your temporary permit to the council office. |
Q: | May I apply for another temporary permit or ask for an extension? |
A: | No. An applicant can have only one temporary permit and it cannot be extended. |
Q: | If I re-apply to take the exam, may I have another temporary permit? |
A: | No. A temporary permit shall not be issued to an applicant for licensure who has previously failed the examination and has not subsequently passed the examination. |
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