Renewal of license.

(1) The department shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application and a fee not to exceed $350 set by the board, and evidence that the applicant has actively practiced podiatric medicine or has been on the active teaching faculty of an accredited school of podiatric medicine for at least 2 years of the immediately preceding 4 years. If the licensee has not actively practiced podiatric medicine for at least 2 years of the immediately preceding 4 years, the board shall require that the licensee successfully complete a board-approved course prior to renewal of the license. For purposes of this subsection, “actively practiced podiatric medicine” means the licensed practice of podiatric medicine as defined in s. 461.003(5) by podiatric physicians, including podiatric physicians employed by any governmental entity, on the active teaching faculty of an accredited school of podiatric medicine, or practicing administrative podiatric medicine. An applicant for a renewed license must also submit the information required under s. 456.039 to the department on a form and under procedures specified by the department, along with payment in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the Department of Health for the statewide criminal background check of the applicant. The applicant must submit a set of fingerprints to the Department of Health on a form and under procedures specified by the department, along with payment in an amount equal to the costs incurred by the department for a national criminal background check of the applicant for the initial renewal of his or her license after January 1, 2000. If the applicant fails to submit either the information required under s. 456.039 or a set of fingerprints to the department as required by this section, the department shall issue a notice of noncompliance, and the applicant will be given 30 additional days to comply. If the applicant fails to comply within 30 days after the notice of noncompliance is issued, the department or board, as appropriate, may issue a citation to the applicant and may fine the applicant up to $50 for each day that the applicant is not in compliance with the requirements of s. 456.039. The citation must clearly state that the applicant may choose, in lieu of accepting the citation, to follow the procedure under s. 456.073. If the applicant disputes the matter in the citation, the procedures set forth in s. 456.073 must be followed. However, if the applicant does not dispute the matter in the citation with the department within 30 days after the citation is served, the citation becomes a final order and constitutes discipline. Service of a citation may be made by personal service or certified mail, restricted delivery, to the subject at the applicant’s last known address. If an applicant has submitted fingerprints to the department for a national criminal history check upon initial licensure and is renewing his or her license for the first time, then the applicant need only submit the information and fee required for a statewide criminal history check.

(2) The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses.

(3) The board may by rule prescribe continuing education, not to exceed 40 hours biennially, as a condition for renewal of a license, with a minimum of 2 hours of continuing education related to the safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances for licensees who are registered with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and authorized to prescribe controlled substances pursuant to 21 U.S.C. s. 822. The criteria for such programs or courses shall be approved by the board.