HISTORICAL RESUME OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING AND LAND SURVEYING REGISTRATION IN FLORIDA

The Florida Engineers Registration Law (Official Statutes, Chapter 7404) enacted by the State Legislature in May, 1917, was the first all-inclusive engineering registration law passed in the United States.  The first appointed Board was July 17, 1917.  The Board began functioning on September 11, 1917.  The composition of the Board was as follows

R.E.Chandler, President

Orrin Randolph, Vice President

C. S. Hammatt, Secretary-Treasurer

R. Y. Patterson

Gail L. Barnard

In June of 1919, the Florida Legislature adopted the Revised General Statutes changing the number of the Chapter covering Registration of Engineers from 7404 to Chapter 28, Division 1, Title II and placed Section 18 of the Chapter 4704 in Volume 2, Chapter 9, Division 5, Part I, Title II, Act 4 Sec. 5542

The law as amended in 1925 made it mandatory that an applicant be required to pass some type of examination.

In 1941, the legislature repealed the previous laws and created a new Registration Law.  The title of the new practice act was Chapter 471, Florida Statutes.

In 1963, the legislature amended the laws to permit practice through Corporations and Partnerships and to establish an Engineering Scholarship Trust Fund.

In 1965, the legislature amended the law changing the membership of the board from five to seven members and authorizing the Board to adopt rules of Professional Conduct binding upon every person holding a Certificate of Registration.  Additional amendments occurred in the 1969 Legislative Session with the next major rewrite occurring in the 1979 legislative session.  In 1979, the Board of Professional Engineers transferred their location from Orlando to Tallahassee.  The transfer brought the engineering board into the umbrella operation as one of the many boards administered by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.  Following the Sunset Review, conducted during this same time, it was determined the engineers and surveyors board should have separate practice acts.     With this decision, the Board of Professional Engineers became a separate Board governed by Chapter 471, F.S.  The composition of the Board was seven professional members and two public members.  The newly created Board of Land Surveyors began operations under Chapter 472, Florida Statutes

In 1997, after several years of seeking the ability to privatize the operation of the Board, the legislature passed a law that allows the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to contract with the Florida Engineers Management Corporation to administer the Board operations.  On July 1, 1998, the operation of the Florida Board of Professional Engineers transferred to the Florida Engineers Management Corporation, 1208 Hays Street, Tallahassee. In 2000, to accommodate the increasing workload, staff and space required, FEMC acquired new office space at 2507 Callaway Road, Conservation Centre, Tallahassee, Florida  32303.

The Florida Engineers Management Corporation is now has been in operation for nine years.  A number of changes have occurred in the nine-year period.    Significant changes to the statute were required continuing education, transfer of unlicensed activity to the Board and amendments to Chapter 471, F.S. to provide for protective title language.