License renewal.

(1) A water well contractor shall submit an application for renewal of a license to the water management district which issued the license.

(2) The water management district shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application, proof of completion of 12 classroom hours of continuing education for each renewal cycle, and renewal fee.

(3) The department shall prescribe by rule the method for renewal of a license, which shall include continuing education requirements of not less than 12 classroom hours for each renewal cycle. However, if a water well contractor has received his or her first license within 180 days before the end of the biennium renewal of licenses, the continuing education requirements shall be waived for the licensee’s first renewal cycle. Notwithstanding s. 373.329, the department by rule shall establish an administrative fee based on the actual costs incurred in administering the responsibilities related to continuing education requirements.

(4) The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses, which shall be adopted by each water management district.

(5) A license which is not renewed at the end of the biennium prescribed by the department shall automatically revert to inactive status. Such license may be reactivated only if the licensee meets the qualifications for reactivation in s. 373.325.

(6) At least 60 days prior to the automatic reversion of a license to inactive status, the water management district shall mail a notice of such reversion to the last known address of the licensee.

(7) Notwithstanding the renewal requirements in subsection (3) and s. 250.4815 for members of the Florida National Guard and the United States Armed Forces Reserves, any active water well contractor license issued under this part to a servicemember as defined in s. 250.01 or his or her spouse, both of whom reside in Florida, may not become inactive while the servicemember is serving on military orders which take him or her over 35 miles from his or her residence and shall be considered an active license for up to 180 days after the servicemember returns to his or her Florida residence. If the license renewal requirements are met within the 180-day extension period, the servicemember or his or her spouse may not be charged any additional costs, such as, but not limited to, late fees or delinquency fees, above the normal license fees. This subsection does not waive renewal requirements such as registering, continuing education, and all associated fees. The servicemember must present to the water management district issuing the license a copy of his or her official military orders or a written verification from the member’s commanding officer before the end of the 180-day period in order to qualify for the extension.