Florida Esthetician Licensure Overview
The regulation and licensure of the esthetician profession here in Florida is handled by the Florida Board of Cosmetology. The Florida Board of Cosmetology (the "Board") is a division of Florida’s Division of Professions, which is within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Estheticians are required to accomplish 1200 hours of education and training from an accredited esthetics school before they can legally practice esthetics in Florida . The Board holds quarterly meetings where esthetician licensure applications are considered.
Without doing so, estheticians run the risk of being disciplined under Florida law for engaging in unlicensed practice. If you think unlicensed practice could be a concern for you, you may want to speak with a licensure attorney, who can help you understand the licensure process and advise you on ways to stay out of trouble. Most estheticians want to do good by their clients and the laws and rules on the books are there to make sure that they do.
Florida Esthetician Licensure Requirements
To obtain a Florida esthetician license, one must complete specific prerequisites that include attending and completing the esthetics program including all other requirements such as subjects of instruction, hours of instructions, completing curriculum requirements and meeting supervising instructor ratio. The Florida Board of Cosmetology requires such instruction on appropriate content and hours for each subject in Appendix I of these rules. They have posted their curriculum guidelines on their website to assist schools in meeting the required curricula. Once a school meets the above, the school will complete a Certification of Completion form which is also available on their website. Once a school completes this certification and the applicant completes each of the above, the applicant is eligible to sit for the state exam which is administered by Pearson VUE providing they pay an exam fee of $69.00 and register online at least 3 weeks prior to attending.
Esthetician Continuing Education in Florida
To maintain their license, Florida estheticians are required to complete continuing education (CE) every two years prior to renewing their license. Of the 14 hours of CE required, 1 hour must include HIV/AIDS training and 3 hours must be in a topics relating to laws and rules. The remaining 10 hours of CE can be in any of the following areas. Education programs must be approved by the Florida Board of Cosmetology for CE credit. An online or correspondence course does not require pre-approval. However, for any other course to count for CE credit, the program must be approved by the Florida Board of Cosmetology before the esthetician attends the program, receives the certificate of attendance, or submits the renewal application.
Online Courses Because renewals are not processed on-site, CE hours earned at the Board-approved CE Program(s) that are held in conjunction with a regular Board meeting, or the hours used to complete the Cosmetology Law and Rules Exam may be used for license renewal.
Florida Esthetician Scope/Practice
Understanding Florida Esthetician Laws and Rules
A Florida licensed esthetician is permitted to offer facials and body treatments as defined above in the definition section from the Board’s rules, but may not engage in any other service. The specific esthetics services that are within the scope of practice licensed estheticians may perform in Florida include: The legal basis for the Florida Board of Cosmetology is found in Florida Statute, 477.013 (2016), which establishes among other things the Functions of the board, with regards to cosmetology licensure, as follows: (5) The board shall adopt rules for carrying out the provisions of this chapter and for the regulation of the practice of cosmetology and may adopt rules for the regulation of any cosmetology specialty registered with the board. (8) The board shall adopt by rule a basic set of sanitation and sterilization procedures as part of the rules required by subsection (5). Each cosmetology salon must adopt the board’s sanitation referral rules, except that a salon may adopt more stringent procedures or additional standards or procedures for sanitation or sterilization than those specified in the board’s sanitation referral rules if those additional standards or procedures are approved by the Department of Health and are in accordance with standard precautions. Each specialty salon is responsible for developing and using appropriate sterilization procedures. (20) The board shall adopt by rule continuing education requirements and schedules. Such rules must include, at a minimum, a requirement that licensees take continuing education courses on HIV and AIDS offered by an approved provider, the number of hours needed to renew a license, and an attendance mechanism to verify completion. While the scope of practice specifically allows for licensed estheticians to perform any of the listed services under the scope of their practice, legal limitations exist nonetheless. It is important that all licensed estheticians adhere to the law and the board’s rules with regards to the treatment given to patients or clients. Failure to do so could mean sanctions taken by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Florida Board of Cosmetology if found to be in violation of the rules.
Esthetician Rules & Regulations In Florida
Florida Esthetics (commonly known as Facial Specialists) are licensed professional skin care specialists who have undergone training and passed a state examination. There is a popular myth that skin care is untrained and that even a business owner can perform the esthetic services. While this is true in unregulated areas, in Florida, it remains illegal to perform beauty services without meeting the requirements of the law. In order to perform skin care services as a Facial Specialist, an Florida with an active Florida esthetics license, must maintain a facility that meets Florida law, have sufficient startup capital and meet the requirements of current laws and rules.
Key areas of concern for Florida Estheticians (also known as Facial Specialists) include the following:
The above laws and regulations fall under the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in the Division of Professions . The Florida Board of Cosmetology is responsible for the professional licensing of cosmetic-related activities including skin care services (also known as facial or esthetic services.) The Florida Board of Cosmetology requires that Florida licensed estheticians obtain a facial specialist license by taking an accredited program consisting of 260 hours of training. Of the 260 hours, a minimum of 120 hours must be theory (classroom training) including sanitation, health and safety, facials, masks, scrubs and microdermabrasion and other skin resurfacing techniques. A minimum of 140 hours must be practical (hands on clinical training) which includes skin analysis, skin cleansing, exfoliation, facial ampoules, masks, and moisturizers, facial massage, hair removal techniques such as facial waxing and tweezing, and make-up application.
Florida Esthetician Penalties for Non-Compliance
Failure to comply with Florida esthetician laws and rules can lead to serious consequences. When an esthetician does not maintain the required training, equipment, and licensure, they may be subject to fines and penalties as determined by the Florida Department of Health (DOH). Those who wish to learn more about how estheticians and other cosmetologists in the state are protected by requiring these professionals to be licensed, or would like advice and assistance with a related issue, should take the time to speak with an experienced attorney.
An esthetician who has violated the law may be fined $500 for their first offense, which will be used to pay for rehabilitation programs. However, repeated or severe offenses may result in suspension of one’s license or even permanent revocation. Those who are convicted of unlicensed activity may face additional charges after their citation has been filed by the DOH Board.
Any member of the public can file an esthetician complaint with the Florida DOH by using an online form. This form should include any pertinent information about the nature of the complaint, and should be submitted anonymously if you do not wish to provide your name.
Penalties for esthetician license violations vary depending on the individual case, but an esthetician facing allegations of unlicensed activity should consult an attorney to discuss their possible options.
Updates: Future Possible Changes
The Florida code, statutes, and regulations that govern esthetician requirements are known to change. Updates are not terribly frequent, but it is not uncommon for there to be a minor change or two every three to five years. Practitioners should keep an eye on esthetician-related updates, especially when it comes to their registration, licensing , and operating hours. The Florida Board of Massage Therapy meets every few months and often publishes rule workshops designed to improve and clarify rules as needed. Practitioners who are affected by the changes proposed by the Florida Board of Massage Therapy are encouraged to attend these workshops. Practitioners should also be sure to stay up-to-date with licensing requirements for estheticians in Florida. For example, on July 1, 2013, the law went into effect that required all applicants for licensure and all licensees to submit digital photographs for their license. Future changes of this nature should be supported or opposed in attendance and comments to the relevant rule workshops and by presentation to the Florida Legislature.