The Florida State Legislature has decided to eliminate its state licensure requirement for clinical laboratories.  Effective July 1, 2018, Florida’s recent legislation (SB 622) repeals the entirety of Chapter 483, Part I of the Florida statutes, and in doing so removes the state licensure requirement for clinical laboratories operating in-state and out-of-state.  Section 97 of SB 622, approved by the Governor on March 19, 2018, repeals the entirety of Chapter 483, Part I of the Florida statutes, and therefore, in tow, eliminates section 59A-7.024(1) and as well as all other corresponding regulations.

Currently, all clinical laboratories providing services within the state of Florida must maintain a state license unless you were either: (1) a clinical laboratory operated by the U.S. government; (2) a clinical laboratory that only performed waived tests; or (3) a clinical laboratory that was operated and maintained exclusively for research and teaching purposes that did not provide services to patients.  Furthermore, an out-of-state laboratory testing specimens derived from the state of Florida is also required to obtain Florida state licensure if: (1) the out-of-state laboratory maintains an office, specimen collection station or other facility within the state of Florida (Fla. Adm. Code 59A-7.024); or (2) receives a specimen for examination from a clinical laboratory located within the state of Florida (Fla. Stat. § 483.091).

Beginning July 1, 2018, clinical laboratories and stakeholders will be able to provide their laboratory services in Florida or to Florida healthcare providers as long as they meet federal CLIA certification requirements.  Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) expects to roll-out notifications regarding the change in state licensure requirements to currently licensed clinical laboratories in approximately two weeks and will post notice on its website.