Florida Statutes
Chapter 474 - Veterinary Medical Practice
474.203 - Exemptions.

(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 exemption applies only to such a faculty member who does not hold a valid license issued under this chapter but who is a graduate of a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education or a school or college recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates. The faculty member exemption automatically expires when such school or college terminates the faculty member from such teaching duties. On December 31 of each year, such school or college shall provide the board with a written list of all faculty who are exempt from this chapter. Such school or college shall also notify the board in writing of any additions or deletions to such list.
(2) A person practicing as an intern or resident veterinarian who does not hold a valid license issued under this chapter and who is a graduate in training at a school or college of veterinary medicine located in this state and accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education or a school or college recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates. Such intern or resident must be a graduate of a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education or a school or college of veterinary medicine recognized by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates of the American Veterinary Medical Association. This exemption expires when such intern or resident completes or is terminated from such training. Each school or college at which such intern or resident is in training shall, on July 1 of each year, provide the board with a written list of all such interns or residents designated for this exemption, and the school or college shall also notify the board of any additions or deletions to the list.
(3) A student in a school or college of veterinary medicine while in the performance of duties assigned by her or his instructor or when working as a preceptor under the immediate supervision of a licensee, if such preceptorship is required for graduation from an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine. The licensed veterinarian is responsible for all acts performed by a preceptor under her or his supervision.
(4) Any doctor of veterinary medicine in the employ of a state agency or the United States Government while actually engaged in the performance of her or his official duties; however, this exemption does not apply to such person when the person is not engaged in carrying out her or his official duties or is not working at the installations for which her or his services were engaged.

(5)(a) Any person, or the person’s regular employee, administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals, including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law. 1This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and practicing temporarily in this state. However, only a veterinarian may immunize or treat an animal for diseases that are communicable to humans and that are of public health significance.
(b) A person hired on a part-time or temporary basis, or as an independent contractor, by an owner to assist with herd management and animal husbandry tasks for herd and flock animals, including castration, dehorning, parasite control, and debeaking, or a person hired on a part-time or temporary basis, or as an independent contractor, by an owner to provide farriery and manual hand floating of teeth on equines. This exemption does not apply to any person who has been convicted of a violation of chapter 828 that relates to animal cruelty or a similar offense in another jurisdiction.

(6) State agencies, accredited schools, institutions, foundations, business corporations or associations, physicians licensed to practice medicine and surgery in all its branches, graduate doctors of veterinary medicine, or persons under the direct supervision thereof, which or who conduct experiments and scientific research on animals in the development of pharmaceuticals, biologicals, serums, or methods of treatment, or techniques for the diagnosis or treatment of human ailments, or when engaged in the study and development of methods and techniques directly or indirectly applicable to the problems of the practice of veterinary medicine.
(7) Any veterinary aide, nurse, laboratory technician, preceptor, or other employee of a licensed veterinarian who administers medication or who renders auxiliary or supporting assistance under the responsible supervision of a licensed veterinarian, including those tasks identified by rule of the board requiring immediate supervision. However, the licensed veterinarian is responsible for all such acts performed under this subsection by persons under her or his supervision.
(8) A veterinarian, licensed by and actively practicing veterinary medicine in another state, who is board certified in a specialty recognized by the board and who responds to a request of a veterinarian licensed in this state to assist with the treatment on a specific case of a specific animal or with the treatment on a specific case of the animals of a single owner, as long as the veterinarian licensed in this state requests the other veterinarian’s presence. A veterinarian who practices under this subsection is not eligible to apply for a premises permit under s. 474.215.
(9) An employee, an agent, or a contractor of a public or private animal shelter, humane organization, or animal control agency operated by a humane organization or by a county, a municipality, or another incorporated political subdivision whose work is confined solely to the implantation of a radio frequency identification device microchip for dogs and cats in accordance with s. 823.15.
(10) A paramedic or an emergency medical technician providing emergency medical care to a police canine injured in the line of duty as authorized under s. 401.254.

For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4) are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies.

History.—ss. 1, 2, ch. 79-228; ss. 13, 15, 25, 30, 32, 34, 62, ch. 80-406; ss. 20, 21, ch. 81-302; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 3, ch. 83-265; ss. 2, 15, 16, ch. 85-291; s. 2, ch. 91-176; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 108, ch. 92-149; s. 354, ch. 97-103; s. 44, ch. 2000-356; s. 1, ch. 2006-135; s. 2, ch. 2010-87; s. 34, ch. 2010-106; s. 64, ch. 2012-5; s. 26, ch. 2020-160; s. 2, ch. 2021-119.
1Note.—As amended by s. 34, ch. 2010-106. As amended by s. 2, ch. 2010-87, the sentence reads: “This exemption does not apply to unlicensed veterinarians practicing temporarily in the state.”