How to Start an NP Practice in Florida (2026 Guide)

Florida has the fourth-most nurse practitioners in the country (42,826, per KFF), and the need for NPs is substantial: nearly 7 million Floridians live in a federally designated primary care shortage area, and nearly 10 million live in a mental health shortage area (KFF, using HRSA data as of Dec. 31, 2025). Florida also has one of the most misunderstood NP practice laws. The headline everyone hears is "Florida NPs can practice autonomously now." The truth is more nuanced, and knowing exactly what that means is important to ensuring a clean practice launch and avoiding compliance problems.

Florida at a glance

Can a nurse practitioner practice independently in Florida?

In primary care, yes. Florida's autonomous APRN law lets qualified NPs register for autonomous practice under section 464.0123, which means no supervising physician and no protocol are required. The scope is important here: autonomous practice is limited to “primary care practice, including family medicine, general pediatrics, and general internal medicine” (Fla. Stat. § 464.0123). Board rule defines primary care to include behavioral and mental health conditions treated in a primary care practice, but not specialty practice (Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B9-4.001).

Outside primary care, Florida NPs practice under a written protocol with a supervising physician, and the protocol must be maintained on site (Fla. Stat. § 464.012(3)). That includes psychiatry, one of the biggest specialties for independent nurse practitioners, along with aesthetics, weight management as a standalone specialty, and everything else outside the primary care definition mentioned above (“primary care, family medicine, general pediatrics, general internal medicine”). Of course, many Florida NPs own thriving practices in other specialties, they just need to have a supervising physician relationship in place.

What does it take to register as an autonomous APRN in Florida?

To register as an autonomous APRN in Florida, NPs must have an active, unencumbered Florida APRN license, at least 3,000 clinical practice hours under physician supervision within the past five years, 3 graduate-level semester hours (or the equivalent) each in differential diagnosis and pharmacology, completed within the past five years, a clean disciplinary record over the past five years, and professional liability coverage of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 aggregate. (Fla. Stat. § 464.0123)

Once registered, autonomous APRNs must give new patients written information about their qualifications and the nature of autonomous practice (§ 464.0123(7)), and renew the registration every two years with at least 10 hours of Board-approved continuing education (§ 464.0123(5)).

Two planning notes to be aware of: (1) the 3,000 hours must be under supervision and (2) the hours have to fall within the five year window before you apply, so a long career with a recent gap may not count.

Can I own my Florida practice even without full practice authority (autonomous registration)?

Yes. Ownership and practice authority are separate questions in Florida (and all states, for that matter). A Florida NP can wholly own their own practice entity while working with a supervising physician. The physician supervises clinical care, they don't own your business.

Prax connects Florida practice owners with vetted companies that do physician partner matching as part of setup when NPs don't have a relationship already. Feel free to just reach out to the Prax team if you need a collaborator, and we can point you in a good direction.

Can Florida NPs prescribe controlled substances?

Yes, within the APRN formulary. Schedule II prescriptions are limited to a 7-day supply, except psychiatric medications prescribed by psychiatric nurses. Only APRNs who are psychiatric nurses may prescribe psychiatric controlled substances to patients under 18 (Fla. Stat. § 464.012(6)(a)).

What business entity does a Florida NP practice use?

Florida NPs typically form a PLLC or a professional corporation, which Florida calls a professional association. By statute, the name must signal the entity type (Fla. Stat. § 621.12).

Crucial nuances remain, including specific requirements for professional entities, naming regulations, alignment with your autonomous registration, etc. The Prax Practice Launch Kit covers the full Florida setup: your entity, governing documents, registered agent, virtual business address, supervising physician protocol where your specialty requires one, and the complete patient consent packet with telehealth consent included.

How long does it take to launch in Florida?

The entity side is fast, often a few weeks. Most Florida NPs working with Prax are fully set up within 2-3 weeks, including governing documents and consents. Insurance credentialing frequently runs 90-150 days per payer, so start early and run in parallel.

Can I run a telehealth practice in Florida?

Yes, and Florida is one of the strongest telehealth markets in the country given its size and demographics. Your entity, protocol or autonomous registration, and consents all need to line up with a virtual model (Fla. Stat. § 456.47).

That said, practices with in person locations almost always grow faster and are more successful. At Prax we see many providers start as telehealth and add an in person location shortly after. We’ve seen 80% of patients requesting in person appointments in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Can a psych NP practice autonomously in Florida? Not as a psychiatric specialty practice. Autonomous registration covers primary care, which can include treating behavioral and mental health conditions (Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B9-4.001(12)), but a specialty psych practice needs a supervising physician protocol (Fla. Stat. §§ 464.0123(3)(a)1, 464.012(3)).

Do the 3,000 hours have to be recent? Yes, within the five years before you apply, and under physician supervision (Fla. Stat. § 464.0123(1)(c)).

Does my supervising physician own part of my practice? No. Supervision is clinical. The business is yours. You can wholly own your practice even with a supervising physician.

Does my protocol have to be filed with the Board of Nursing? No. Florida law requires the protocol to be maintained on site (Fla. Stat. § 464.012(3)). The supervising physician separately notifies the Board of Medicine of the relationship (§ 458.348).

Is Florida a good state for a first practice? One of the best: large shortage areas, relatively fast filings, no state income tax, and a clear autonomous path if you're in primary care.

What's the first step? A free call with the Prax team can help you quickly answer any questions and get you ready to go.

This guide is for general information only and isn't legal, tax, or medical advice. Florida requirements change. Talk with a qualified professional about your situation.

Last reviewed: October 1, 2026. Reviewed by: Prax Health Research Team.