Florida Statutes
Chapter 474 - Veterinary Medical Practice
474.215 - Premises Permits.

(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 inspected. A premises permit shall be issued if the establishment meets minimum standards, to be adopted by rule of the board, as to sanitary conditions, recordkeeping, equipment, radiation monitoring, services required, and physical plant.
(2) Each application for a premises permit shall set forth the name of the licensed veterinarian who will be responsible for the management of the establishment and the name and address of the owners of the establishment.
(3) The premises permit may be revoked, suspended, or denied when inspection reveals that the establishment does not meet the standards set by rule or when the license of the responsible veterinarian has been suspended or revoked.
(4) Any practitioner who provides veterinary service on a house-call basis and who does not maintain a veterinary establishment for receipt of patients shall not be required to obtain a premises permit, but must provide for minimum equipment and facilities as established by rule.
(5) The department may issue a temporary premises permit to a responsible veterinarian who has submitted the application fee and a completed application form affirming compliance with the standards set by rule of the board. If the department inspects the establishment and discovers that it is not in compliance with the department’s standards, the department shall notify the veterinarian in writing of the deficiencies and shall provide 30 days for correction of the deficiencies and reinspection. Such temporary permit shall become void upon notification by the department that the establishment has failed, after reinspection, to meet those standards. Upon receipt of such notice, the responsible veterinarian shall close the establishment until completion of a subsequent inspection affirming that the required standards have been met and until another permit has been issued by the department.
(6) Any practitioner who provides veterinary services solely to agricultural animals shall not be required to obtain a premises permit, but must provide for appropriate equipment and facilities, as established by rule.
(7) The board by rule shall establish minimum standards for the operation of limited service veterinary medical practices. Such rules shall not restrict limited service veterinary medical practices and shall be consistent with the type of limited veterinary medical service provided.
(a) Any person that offers or provides limited service veterinary medical practice shall obtain a biennial permit from the board the cost of which shall not exceed $250. The limited service permittee shall register each location where a limited service clinic is held and shall pay a fee set by rule not to exceed $25 to register each such location.
(b) All permits issued under this subsection are subject to the provisions of ss. 474.213 and 474.214.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to the contrary, any temporary rabies vaccination effort operated by a county health department in response to a public health threat, as declared by the State Health Officer in consultation with the State Veterinarian, is not subject to any preregistration, time limitation, or fee requirements, but must adhere to all other requirements for limited service veterinary medical practice as prescribed by rule. The fee charged to the public for a rabies vaccination administered during such temporary rabies vaccination effort may not exceed the actual cost of administering the rabies vaccine. Such rabies vaccination efforts may not be used for any purpose other than to address the public health consequences of the rabies outbreak. The board shall be immediately notified in writing of any temporary rabies vaccination effort operated under this paragraph.

(8) Any person who is not a veterinarian licensed under this chapter but who desires to own and operate a veterinary medical establishment or limited service clinic shall apply to the board for a premises permit. If the board certifies that the applicant complies with the applicable laws and rules of the board, the department shall issue a premises permit. No permit shall be issued unless a licensed veterinarian is designated to undertake the professional supervision of the veterinary medical practice and the minimum standards set by rule of the board for premises where veterinary medicine is practiced. Upon application, the department shall submit the permittee’s name for a statewide criminal records correspondence check through the Department of Law Enforcement. The permittee shall notify the board within 10 days after any designation of a new licensed veterinarian responsible for such duties. A permittee under this subsection is subject to the provisions of subsection (9) and s. 474.214.

(9)(a) The department or the board may deny, revoke, or suspend the permit of any permittee under this section and may fine, place on probation, or otherwise discipline any such permittee who has:
1. Obtained a permit by misrepresentation or fraud or through an error of the department or board;
2. Attempted to procure, or has procured, a permit for any other person by making, or causing to be made, any false representation;
3. Violated any of the requirements of this chapter or any rule of the board; or
4. Been convicted or found guilty of, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a felony in any court of this state, of any other state, or of the United States.

(b) If the permit is revoked or suspended, the owner, manager, or proprietor shall cease to operate the premises as a veterinary medical practice as of the effective date of the suspension or revocation. In the event of such revocation or suspension, the owner, manager, or proprietor shall remove from the premises all signs and symbols identifying the premises as a veterinary medical practice. The period of any such suspension shall be prescribed by rule of the board, but may not exceed 1 year. If the permit is revoked, the person owning or operating the establishment may not apply for a permit to operate a premises for a period of 1 year after the effective date of such revocation. Upon the effective date of such revocation, the permittee must advise the board of the disposition of all medicinal drugs and must provide for ensuring the security, confidentiality, and availability to clients of all patient medical records.

History.—ss. 1, 2, ch. 79-228; ss. 13, 15, 25, 30, 34, 36, 62, ch. 80-406; s. 350, ch. 81-259; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 6, 15, 16, ch. 85-291; s. 50, ch. 89-162; s. 9, ch. 91-176; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 133, ch. 94-119; s. 49, ch. 2000-356.