Florida DBPR Issues Emergency Order to Streamline Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (Sept. 30, 2024) - The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation filed Emergency Order 2024-08 to streamline Hurricane Helene recovery efforts and remove barriers for businesses impacted by the storm.

DBPR Emergency Order 2024-08provides the following:

Certified and Registered Contractors

• Suspends certain provisions of section 489.113(3), Florida Statutes, to allow certified or registered general contractors, building contractors, or residential contractors to subcontract roofing work for the repair or installation of any roof type.
• Suspends certain provisions of section 489.117, Florida Statutes, to allow registered contractors to work outside of the geographic scope limitations or requirements provided in section 489.117(1)(b) and (c), Florida Statutes, when providing services, subject to additional requirements outlined in the emergency order while the emergency order is in effect.
• Suspends certain provisions of 489.513, Florida Statutes, to allow registered electrical and alarm system contractors to work outside of the geographic scope limitations or requirements provided in section 489.513(5), Florida Statutes, when providing services, subject to additional requirements outlined in the emergency order while the emergency order is in effect.
• Provides that the installation of non-permanent, emergency tarps to relieve damage caused by Hurricane Helene fall within the exemptions listed in section 489.103(6), Florida Statutes.

License Renewals

• Extends renewal deadlines from Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2024, to Oct. 31, 2024, for the following licenses:
• Hotels and Restaurants: Public lodging establishments, vacation rentals, timeshare projects, and public food service establishments.
• Real Estate: Sales associates, broker sales associates, corporate brokers, partnerships, corporations, branch offices, and associated continuing education as set forth in rule 61J2-3.009(2)(b), Florida Administrative Code.
• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco: Retail vendors, distributors, manufacturers, importers, brokers, sales agents, passenger common carriers, and bottle clubs.
• Drugs Devices and Cosmetics: All licenses established by sections 499.012(5)(a), 499.028(11)(b), 499.62(6), and 499.832(1), Florida Statutes, and rules 61N-1.015(10)(a) and 61N-1.018, Florida Administrative Code, which includes prescription drug wholesalers, prescription drug wholesalers - broker only, and out-of-state-prescription drug wholesalers.
• Condominium Association Manager licenses and associated continuing education as set for in rule 61E14-4.001, Florida Administrative Code.

Hotels, Restaurants, and Elevator Safety

• Suspends and amends the provisions of section 509.032(3), Florida Statutes, and rule 61C-1.002(3)(a)4., Florida Administrative Code, regarding temporary food service events and licensure of public food service establishments and other food service vendors for temporary food service events, subject to sanitation requirements. Sponsors of temporary food service events must provide advanced notice to the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the temporary food service event before the event at https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/temporary-food-establishment.
• Suspends and amends the provisions of section 509.102(1)(b) and 509.102(3), Florida Statutes, and rules 61C-1.002(6)(a)3 and 61C-4.0161(3)(c), Florida Administrative Code, regarding the time that a public food service establishment may operate a temporary commercial kitchen, the location of a temporary commercial kitchen, the requirement that a public food service establishment provide notice of a temporary commercial kitchen, and the requirement that a mobile food dispensing vehicle only serve food in individually portioned and packaged or pre-packaged containers. Public food service establishments operating a temporary commercial kitchen must provide advanced notice to the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the temporary commercial kitchen before opening at https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/temporary-food-establishment.
• Waives the $250 fee required by section 399.03(2), Florida Statutes, for installing an elevator.
• Waives the $250 fee required by section 399.03(2), Florida Statutes, for relocating an elevator.
• Waives the $200 fee required by section 399.03(2), Florida Statutes, for altering an elevator.
• Suspends the provisions of section 399.03(4), Florida Statutes, and rule 61C-5.006(1)(c), Florida Administrative Code, regarding the installation, relocation, or alteration of an elevator in specific situations.

Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

• Suspends and tolls all time requirements and deadlines for licensees and permitees filing monthly reports and returns as required by sections 210.02, 210.09, 210.55, 561.50, and 561.55, Florida Statutes until Oct. 31, 2024.
• Extends the existing deadline of Oct. 2, 2024, for the 45-day entry period for the quota beverage license drawing, until 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2024.

Veterinarians

• Suspends the $200 fee for the issuance of a temporary license to out-of-state veterinarians during an emergency described by section 474.2125, Florida Statutes.
• Mobile Homes, Residential Condominium Directors, and Homeowner Association Directors
• Suspends and tolls payment of the annual $4 fee per mobile home, as established by section 723.007(1), Florida Statutes, and the $1 surcharge, as established by section 723.007(2), Florida Statutes, until Oct. 31, 2024.
• Suspends and tolls any existing written certification or educational certificate requirements for residential condominium directors, as set for in section 718.112(2)(d)4. b. (II), Florida Statutes, until Oct. 31, 2024.
• Suspends and tolls any existing written certification or educational certificate requirements for homeowner association directors, as set for in section 720.3033, Florida Statutes, until Oct. 31, 2024.

Relocation Fees

• Waives the total relocation fee for barber shops, cosmetology salons, veterinary premises, and veterinary limited services permits. The emergency order also waives the fee for adding an additional branch to a preexisting real estate office or real estate school.

Departmental Orders

• Suspends and tolls all final orders reflecting agency action until Oct. 31, 2024.
• Suspends and tolls all time requirements, notice requirements, and deadlines for filing responses as outlined in DBPR orders until Oct. 31, 2024, excluding deadlines for filing responses to issues relating to deputy harbor pilot examinations and examination challenges, which shall only be extended by seven days from the date of the original deadline.

For storm information, call the Charlotte County Emergency Operations Center at 941-833-4000 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Those with internet access can find information on resources at www.CharlotteCountyFL.gov/storm.

Follow Charlotte County Emergency Management for important emergency information at www.charlottecountyfl.gov/em, www.facebook.com/oemcharlottecounty, and www.x.com/ccoem.

For media information, contact Communications Director Brian Gleason at 941-661-6415 or [email protected].

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