Licensure of Emergency Medical Services
(EMS)
EMS Provider Service FAQs by Topic
ALS & BLS Information
Air Ambulance
Driver & Personnel Requirements
Fees & Laws
Inspections
Service Changes
Other Transport Service
Trauma Transport Protocol
Vehicle Permits
ALS & BLS Information
1. Who needs a Basic Life Support
(BLS) or Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service license?
Every person, firm, corporation,
association or governmental entity owning or acting as an agent for
the owner of any business or service which furnishes, orperates,
conducts, maintains, advertises, engages in, proposes to engage in or
professes to engage in the business or service of providing
prehospital or interfacility advanced life support services or basic
life support transportation service must be licensed as a basic or
advanced life support ambulance service, before offering such service
to the public.
Reference Section 401.25, Florida
Statutes & Section 64J-1.002, & 64J-1.003, Florida Administrative
Code.
2. What are the
requirements for a BLS or ALS ambulance service license?
The paper work requirements are
listed on the application for BLS or ALS ambulance licensure, "Ground
Ambulance Service Provider Licensure Application", DOH Form 631.
Click on the application and the application checklist to review all
requirements. Other requirements are listed in
Section 401, Florida Statutes &
Chapter 64J, Florida Administrative Code. The following is a partial list of
the major requirements: Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity (COPCN) from the county commission in the county you wish to
operate your service, a medical director (licensed Florida physician)
with a Department of Justice-Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
registration (ALS only), vehicle liability insurance, trauma transport
protocols and an approved radio communication system. Approval of a
radio communication system is completed by Department of Management
Services-Information Technology Program. Contact DMS for more
information on EMS radio communication systems.
3. What is the
required staffing for BLS and ALS vehicles and air ambulances?
BLS vehicles are required to have at
a minimum an emergency medical technician (EMT) attending the patient
and a driver meeting the requirements in
Section 401.281, Florida Statutes.
ALS vehicles are required to have at
a minimum a paramedic attending the patient and an EMT.
Aircraft-Prehospital air ambulances
are required to have a minimum of one paramedic.
Interfacility air ambulance staffing
is based on the patient's condition as determined by the medical
director.
Reference Section 401.25, Florida
Statutes, Section 401.251, Florida Statutes, & Sections 64E-2.003;
64J-1.004; & 64J-1.005, Florida Administrative Code.
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Air Ambulance
1. Who needs an air
ambulance service license?
Every person, firm, corporation,
association or governmental entity owning or acting as an agent for
the owner of any business or service which furnishes, operates,
conducts, maintains, advertises, engages in, proposes to engage in or
professes to engage in the business or service of transporting by air
ambulance, must be licensed as an air ambulance service, before
offering such service to the public.
Reference Section 401.251, Florida
Statutes and Section 64J-1.005, Florida Administrative Code.
2. What are the
requirements for an air ambulance service license?
The paper work requirements are
listed on the application for AIR ambulance licensure,
"Air Ambulance Service
Provider Licensure Application", DOH Form 1575. Click on the
application and the application checklist to review most
requirements. Other requirements will be found in
Section 401, Florida
Statutes, & Chapter 64J-1, Florida Administrative Code. The following is a
partial list of the major requirement: Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity (COPCN) from the county commission in the
county you wish to operate your prehospital service, a medical
director (licensed Florida physician) with a Department of
Justice-Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration
(prehospital only), aircraft vehicle liability insurance, trauma
transport protocols and an approved radio communication system.
Approval of a radio communication system is completed by Department of
Management Services-Information Technology Program. Contact DMS for
more information on EMS radio communication systems.
Reference Section 401.251, Florida
Statutes and Section 64J-1.005, Florida Administrative Code.
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Driver & Personnel Requirements
1. What are the
requirements for an ambulance driver?
An ambulance driver must meet the
following requirements:
- Is at least 18 years of age;
- certifies under oath that he or she
is not addicted to alcohol or any controlled substance, and is free
from any physical or mental defect or disease that might impair
their ability to drive an ambulance;
- Upon initial designation as a driver, has not within the past 3 years,
been convicted of reckless driving or driving under the influence of
alcohol or controlled substance and has not had a driver's license
suspended under the point system provided for in Chapter 322,
Florida Statutes;
- successfully completed a 16 hour
course of instruction on driving an authorized emergency vehicle,
which includes, at a minimum, classroom and behind the wheel
training. Section 64J-1.013, Florida Administrative Code for
details on the 16 hour course content;
- possess a valid American Red Cross
or National Safety Council first aid course or its equivalent; and
- possess a valid American Red Cross
or American Heart Association cardiopulmonary resuscitation card.
Reference Section 401.281, Florida
Statutes and Chapter 64J-1.013, Florida Administrative Code.
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Fees & Laws
1. What are the law
and rules governing Emergency Medical Services?
Chapter 401, Florida Statutes and
Chapter 64J-1, Florida Administrative Code, are the law and rules,
respectively, that governs Florida Emergency Medical Services.
Chapter 401, Florida Statutes
Section 64J-1, Florida Administrative
Code
2. What are the
fees for ambulance service licensure?
The fees are $660.00 for a BLS
license and $1,375.00 for an ALS and Air license, plus $25.00 for each
vehicle or aircraft you permit under your license. The license and
vehicle permits are issued for two years.
Reference Chapter 401.34, Florida
Statutes
3. If I want to
change the status of my license from BLS to ALS during my two-year
cycle will you pro-rate the fees?
NO, the fees will not be pro-rated. You would be considered a new service, charged the full fee, and the
license will be good for two years from the date of issue of your ALS
license.
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Inspections
1. Is an inspection
from your department required as part of the licensure application
process?
NO, an inspection of your vehicles
and service records and facilities is not required prior to
licensure. However, your service will receive an inspection within 90
days of your licensure issuance date.
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Service Changes
1. What happens if
my service decides to move?
A license is valid only for the
service location for which it was originally issued. You must submit
another application, and the fee is $30.00.
Reference Section 401.321, Florida
Statutes
It is the responsibility of the
licensed provider to keep the records on file in the EMS Program
current. During the two-year licensure period, documentation may
expire (such as the medical director's contract, medical director's
physician license, DEA registration, vehicle/aircraft liability
insurance, and COPCN). The provider should automatically submit
current information in a timely fashion.
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Other Transport Service
1. I want to
operate a wheelchair and stretcher transport service. Does your
office license these services also?
NO, we do not license non-ambulatory
passenger taxi services, as they do not provide medical transport. A
service of this type is providing transport to non-ambulatory
passengers not in need or likely to need medical attention. If a
service of this type provides transport to a passenger that is in need
of or likely to need medical attention they are in violation of
Chapter 401, Florida Statutes and must be licensed as an ambulance
service. Some Florida counties do regulate wheelchair and stretcher
services. Call the county commission office of the county in which
you desire to operate this type of service for information.
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Vehicle Permits
1. Do I need to
have vehicle or aircraft permitted before operating them?
Yes, vehicles and aircraft must be
permitted under your service license before operating them. Vehicle
and aircraft permit applications,
"Application for Vehicle
Permit(s)" DOH Form 1510, May 1998 and
"Application for Air
Ambulance Permit" DOH Form 1576, May 1998. Click on the
application needed and print the permit applications for your use.
Reference Section 401.26, Florida
Statutes and Section 64J-1.007, Florida Administrative Code.
2. What are the
levels of vehicle permitting?
Vehicles are permitted either at the
BLS or ALS level. Once permitted at that level, the vehicle must be
operated at all times at that level with the required staffing and
equipment.
Reference Section 401.26, Florida
Statutes and Section 64J-1.007, Florida Administrative Code.
3. I have a
permitted vehicle/aircraft that requires maintenance. Can I use an
unpermitted vehicle/aircraft in its place?
Yes, when it is necessary for a
permitted vehicle/aircraft to be out of service for routine
maintenance or repairs, a substitute vehicle/aircraft meeting the same
transport capabilities and equipment specifications as the out of
service vehicle/aircraft may be used for a period of time not to
exceed 30 days. An unpermitted vehicle/aircraft cannot be placed into
service, nor can a BLS vehicle be used at the ALS level unless it is
replacing a vehicle that has been temporarily taken out of service for
maintenance. When such a substitution is made, the following
information shall be maintained by the licensee and shall be
accessible to the department:
- identification of permitted vehicle/aircraft taken out of service;
- identification of substitute vehicle/aircraft; and,
- the date on which the substitute
vehicle/aircraft was placed into service, the date on which it was
removed from service and the date the permitted vehicle/aircraft was
returned to service.
4. If I permit a
vehicle/aircraft in the middle of my two-year licensure cycle, how
long is the permit good for?
The permit WILL expire at the same
time your license does.
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