Chapter 474 — Chapter 474

The Legislature finds that the practice of veterinary medicine is potentially dangerous to the public health and safety if conducted by incompetent and unlicensed practitioners. The legislative purpose in enacting this chapter is to ensure that every veterinarian practicing in th…

As used in this chapter:(1) “Animal” means any mammal other than a human being or any bird, amphibian, fish, or reptile, wild or domestic, living or dead.(2) “Board” means the Board of Veterinary Medicine.(3) “Client” means the owner or caretaker of an animal who arranges for its…

(1) This section may be cited as the “Providing Equity in Telehealth Services Act.”(2) A veterinarian who holds a current license to practice veterinary medicine in this state may practice veterinary telehealth.(3) The board has jurisdiction over a veterinarian practicing veterin…

This chapter does not apply to:(1) Any faculty member practicing only in conjunction with teaching duties at a school or college of veterinary medicine located in this state and accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education. However, this exemptio…

(1) To carry out the provisions of this chapter, there is created within the department the Board of Veterinary Medicine consisting of seven members, who shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate.(2) Five members of the board shall be licensed vete…

The board shall maintain its official headquarters in the City of Tallahassee.

The board has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this chapter conferring duties upon it.

The board, by rule, shall establish fees for application and examination, reexamination, license renewal, inactive status, renewal of inactive status, license reactivation, periodic inspection of veterinary establishments, and duplicate copies of licenses, certificates, and permi…

(1) Any person desiring to be licensed as a veterinarian shall apply to the department to take a licensure examination. The board may by rule adopt use of a national examination in lieu of part or all of the examination required by this section, with a reasonable passing score to…

(1) The department shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application and fee and an affidavit of compliance with continuing education requirements set by rule of the board.(2) The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licens…

(1) The board shall adopt rules providing for the issuance of a temporary license to a licensed veterinarian of another state for the purpose of enabling her or him to provide veterinary medical services in this state for the animals of a specific owner or, as may be needed in an…

(1) No person shall:(a) Lead the public to believe that such person is licensed as a veterinarian, or is engaged in the licensed practice of veterinary medicine, without such person holding a valid, active license pursuant to this chapter;(b) Use the name or title “veterinarian” …

(1) The following acts shall constitute grounds for which the disciplinary actions in subsection (2) may be taken:(a) Attempting to procure a license to practice veterinary medicine by bribery, by fraudulent representations, or through an error of the department or the board.(b) …

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the department may issue subpoenas duces tecum requiring the names and addresses of some or all the clients of a licensed veterinarian against whom a complaint has been filed pursuant to s. 455.225 when the information has bee…

(1) Any establishment, permanent or mobile, where a licensed veterinarian practices must have a premises permit issued by the department. Upon application and payment of a fee not to exceed $250, as set by rule of the board, the department shall cause such establishment to be ins…

Each person to whom a license or premises permit is issued shall keep such document conspicuously displayed in her or his office, place of business, or place of employment, whether a permanent or mobile veterinary establishment or clinic, and shall, whenever required, exhibit sai…

(1) As used in this section, the term “records owner” means any veterinarian who generates a medical record after making an examination of, or administering treatment or dispensing legend drugs to, any patient; any veterinarian to whom records are transferred by a previous record…

(1) The following records held by any state college of veterinary medicine that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution:(a) A medical record gene…

(1) The department shall issue a license by endorsement to any applicant who, upon applying to the department and remitting a fee set by the board, demonstrates to the board that she or he:(a) Has demonstrated, in a manner designated by rule of the board, knowledge of the laws an…

A veterinarian who accepts a license to practice veterinary medicine in this state shall, by so accepting the license or by making and filing a renewal of licensure to practice in this state, be deemed to have given her or his consent, during a lawful investigation of a complaint…

Notwithstanding the transfer of the Division of Medical Quality Assurance to the Department of Health or any other provision of law to the contrary, veterinarians licensed under this chapter shall be governed by the impaired practitioner program provisions of s. 456.076 as if the…