Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 471.031 (2025)

Prohibitions; penalties.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session

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471.031 Prohibitions; penalties.—

(1) A person may not:

(a) Practice engineering unless the person is licensed or exempt from licensure under this chapter.

(b)1. Except as provided in subparagraph 2. or subparagraph 3., use the name or title “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 when the person is not licensed under this chapter, including, but not limited to, the following titles: “agricultural engineer,” “air-conditioning engineer,” “architectural engineer,” “building engineer,” “chemical engineer,” “civil engineer,” “control systems engineer,” “electrical engineer,” “environmental engineer,” “fire protection engineer,” “industrial engineer,” “manufacturing engineer,” “mechanical engineer,” “metallurgical engineer,” “mining engineer,” “minerals engineer,” “marine engineer,” “nuclear engineer,” “petroleum engineer,” “plumbing engineer,” “structural engineer,” “transportation engineer,” “software engineer,” “computer hardware engineer,” or “systems engineer.”

2. Any person who is exempt from licensure under s. 471.003(2)(j) may use the title or personnel classification of “engineer” in the scope of his or her work under that exemption if the title does not include or connote the term “professional engineer,” “registered engineer,” “licensed engineer,” “registered professional engineer,” or “licensed professional engineer.”

3. Any person who is exempt from licensure under s. 471.003(2)(c) or (e) may use the title or personnel classification of “engineer” in the scope of his or her work under that exemption if the title does not include or connote the term “professional engineer,” “registered engineer,” “licensed engineer,” “registered professional engineer,” or “licensed professional engineer” and if that person is a graduate from an approved engineering curriculum of 4 years or more in a school, college, or university which has been approved by the board.

(d) Give false or forged evidence to the board or a member thereof.

(e) Use or attempt to use a license that has been suspended, revoked, or placed on inactive or delinquent status.

(f) Employ nonexempt unlicensed persons to practice engineering.

(g) Conceal information relative to violations of this chapter.

(2) Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

History.—ss. 14, 42, ch. 79-243; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 47, ch. 83-329; ss. 9, 14, 15, ch. 89-30; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 215, ch. 94-119; s. 335, ch. 97-103; s. 41, ch. 2000-356; s. 28, ch. 2002-299; s. 3, ch. 2003-425; s. 3, ch. 2004-332.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 471.031

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd

§471.031(1a)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESPRACTICE ENGINEERING WITHOUT REGISTRATIONM · 1st

§471.031(1b)FRAUD-IMPERSONUSE TITLE REGISTERED ENGINEER W/O REGISTRATIONM · 1st

§471.031(1c)FRAUD-IMPERSONPRESENT ANOTHERS ENGINEER W/O REGISTRATIONM · 1st

§471.031(1d)PASS FORGEDEVIDENCE TO ENGINEER REGS BOARD OR MEMBERM · 1st

§471.031(1d)FRAUD-FALSE STATEMENTEVIDENCE TO ENGINEER REGS BOARD OR MEMBERM · 1st

§471.031(1e)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESUSE SUSP REVOKED INACTIVE ENGINEER REGISTM · 1st

§471.031(1f)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESEMPLOY UNLICENSED ENGINEERM · 1st

§471.031(1g)PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESCONCEAL INFO RE ENGINEERING REGULATIONS VIOLM · 1st

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 1 case (1 in the last 5 years), 2024–2024 · leading case: Christopher Zacarias v. Alaym Aguilar (Fla. 3d DCA 2024).

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Christopher Zacarias v. Alaym Aguilar (Fla. 3d DCA 2024). · cites it 2× “”); § 471.031(1)(b)(3), Fla. Stat. (“Any person who is exempt from licensure under s[ection] 471.”

— 471.031(1)(b)(3) — 1 case

Christopher Zacarias v. Alaym Aguilar (Fla. 3d DCA 2024). “”); § 471.031(1)(b)(3), Fla. Stat. (“Any person who is exempt from licensure under s[ection] 471.”

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