Florida Statute 471.003 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title XXXII
REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

Chapter 471
ENGINEERING

View Entire Chapter

F.S. 471.003

471.003 Qualifications for practice; exemptions.—

(1) No person other than a duly licensed engineer shall practice engineering or use the name or title of “licensed engineer,” “professional engineer,” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviations, or device tending to indicate that such person holds an active license as an engineer in this state.

(2) The following persons are not required to be licensed under the provisions of this chapter as a licensed engineer:

(a) Any person practicing engineering for the improvement of, or otherwise affecting, property legally owned by her or him, unless such practice involves a public utility or the public health, safety, or welfare or the safety or health of employees. This paragraph shall not be construed as authorizing the practice of engineering through an agent or employee who is not duly licensed under the provisions of this chapter.

(b)1. A person acting as a public officer employed by any state, county, municipal, or other governmental unit of this state when working on any project the total estimated cost of which is $10,000 or less.

2. Persons who are employees of any state, county, municipal, or other governmental unit of this state and who are the subordinates of a person in responsible charge licensed under this chapter, to the extent that the supervision meets standards adopted by rule of the board.

(c) Regular full-time employees of a business organization not engaged in the practice of engineering as such, whose practice of engineering for such business organization is limited to the design or fabrication of manufactured products and servicing of such products.

(d) Regular full-time employees of a public utility or other entity subject to regulation by the Florida Public Service Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or Federal Communications Commission.

(e) Employees of a firm, corporation, or partnership who are the subordinates of a person in responsible charge, licensed under this chapter.

(f) Any person as contractor in the execution of work designed by a professional engineer or in the supervision of the construction of work as a foreman or superintendent.

(g) A licensed surveyor and mapper who takes, or contracts for, professional engineering services incidental to her or his practice of surveying and mapping and who delegates such engineering services to a licensed professional engineer qualified within her or his firm or contracts for such professional engineering services to be performed by others who are licensed professional engineers under the provisions of this chapter.

(h) Any electrical, plumbing, air-conditioning, or mechanical contractor whose practice includes the design and fabrication of electrical, plumbing, air-conditioning, or mechanical systems, respectively, which she or he installs by virtue of a license issued under chapter 489, under former part I of chapter 553, Florida Statutes 2001, or under any special act or ordinance when working on any construction project which:

1. Requires an electrical or plumbing or air-conditioning and refrigeration system with a value of $125,000 or less; and

2.a. Requires an aggregate service capacity of 600 amperes (240 volts) or less on a residential electrical system or 800 amperes (240 volts) or less on a commercial or industrial electrical system;

b. Requires a plumbing system with fewer than 250 fixture units; or

c. Requires a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system not to exceed a 15-ton-per-system capacity, or if the project is designed to accommodate 100 or fewer persons.

(i) Any general contractor, certified or registered pursuant to the provisions of chapter 489, when negotiating or performing services under a design-build contract as long as the engineering services offered or rendered in connection with the contract are offered and rendered by an engineer licensed in accordance with this chapter.

(j) Any defense, space, or aerospace company, whether a sole proprietorship, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, joint stock association, corporation, or other business entity, subsidiary, or affiliate, or any employee, contract worker, subcontractor, or independent contractor of the defense, space, or aerospace company who provides engineering for aircraft, space launch vehicles, launch services, satellites, satellite services, or other defense, space, or aerospace-related product or services, or components thereof.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or of any other law, no licensed engineer whose principal practice is civil or structural engineering, or employee or subordinate under the responsible supervision or control of the engineer, is precluded from performing architectural services which are purely incidental to her or his engineering practice, nor is any licensed architect, or employee or subordinate under the responsible supervision or control of the architect, precluded from performing engineering services which are purely incidental to her or his architectural practice. However, no engineer shall practice architecture or use the designation “architect” or any term derived therefrom, and no architect shall practice engineering or use the designation “engineer” or any term derived therefrom.

History.—ss. 10, 42, ch. 79-243; ss. 3, 10, ch. 81-302; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 5, ch. 82-179; s. 3, ch. 83-160; ss. 46, 119, ch. 83-329; s. 1, ch. 85-134; s. 57, ch. 87-225; s. 2, ch. 87-341; s. 2, ch. 87-349; ss. 1, 14, 15, ch. 89-30; s. 1, ch. 89-115; s. 67, ch. 89-162; s. 4, ch. 91-429; ss. 80, 118, ch. 94-119; s. 330, ch. 97-103; s. 65, ch. 98-287; s. 31, ch. 2000-356; s. 16, ch. 2002-299; s. 1, ch. 2003-425; s. 4, ch. 2004-332; s. 64, ch. 2009-195; s. 64, ch. 2018-110; s. 9, ch. 2024-178.

F.S. 471.003 on Google Scholar

F.S. 471.003 on Casetext

Amendments to 471.003

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 471.003

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

Current data shows no reason an arrest or criminal charge should have occurred directly under Florida Statute 471.003.

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 471.003

Total Results: 15

Christopher Zacarias v. Alaym Aguilar

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2024-05-08

Snippet: LOBREE, JJ. PER CURIAM. Affirmed. See § 471.003(2)(e), Fla. Stat. (2023) (“Employees of a firm

Trikon Sunrise Associates, LLC v. Brice Building Co.

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2010-07-14

Citation: 41 So. 3d 315, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 10342, 2010 WL 2882434

Snippet: duties and responsibilities. However, section 471.003(3), Florida Statutes (2005), acknowledges there

State v. Bell

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 2004-09-17

Citation: 882 So. 2d 468, 2004 WL 2071153

Snippet: 1980)(stating that "[i]t is not proper [on a rule *471 3.190(c)(4) motion] for the court to determine factual

Ago

Court: Florida Attorney General Reports | Date Filed: 1997-12-18

Snippet: interest of public health and safety.2 Section 471.003(1), Florida Statutes, prohibits any person other

Stanfield v. DEPT. OF CHILDREN & FAM.

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1997-08-06

Citation: 698 So. 2d 321, 1997 WL 442349

Snippet: order directed at the Appellant. Subsection 39.471(3) of the Florida Statutes provides that court records

Ago

Court: Florida Attorney General Reports | Date Filed: 1994-07-13

Snippet: the practice of professional engineers. Section 471.003(1), Florida Statutes, provides: No person other

International Telecharge, Inc. v. Wilson

Court: Supreme Court of Florida | Date Filed: 1991-01-15

Citation: 573 So. 2d 816, 16 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 85, 1991 Fla. LEXIS 77, 1991 WL 6547

Snippet: the public interest.” Fla.Admin.Code Rule 25-24.471(3) (April 1990). An applicant for a certificate must

Gulf Coast Home Health Services of Florida, Inc. v. Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1988-06-08

Citation: 527 So. 2d 262, 13 Fla. L. Weekly 1367, 1988 Fla. App. LEXIS 2517, 1988 WL 59151

Snippet: a certificate of need is required. Section 400.471(3), Florida Statutes (1985).3 In interpreting the

Withers v. Flagship Peoples Bank

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1985-08-08

Citation: 473 So. 2d 789, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1392, 1985 Fla. App. LEXIS 15006

Snippet: for a deficiency judgment in the amount of $95,471.03. Between October 20, 1980, and October 21, 1981

Home Health Prof. v. Dept. of H & Rs

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida | Date Filed: 1985-01-11

Citation: 463 So. 2d 345, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 159

Snippet: exemption is required. Sections 381.494(1) and 400.471(3), Florida Statutes (1981). We affirm. The term "new

Snippet: Done vs. Shutt, 2 Denio R., 621; 16 Georgia R., 471; 3 Edward’s Ch. R., 182; Manningford vs. Toleman,

Syfert Injury Law Firm