Criminal Charges and Florida Healthcare Licenses: Nurses, Doctors and Other DOH Licensees
Nurses, physicians, pharmacists, dental professionals, therapists and other healthcare practitioners licensed through the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and its Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) face a second set of rules when they are charged with a crime. A plea or conviction that seems minor in criminal court can trigger a written reporting duty to the licensing board, and some offenses can lead to discipline or an emergency suspension. Former prosecutor Daniel D. Nawara defends healthcare professionals facing criminal charges in Sarasota, Manatee and surrounding counties. Here is what the statutes say.
The core rule: report within 30 days under s. 456.072(1)(x)
Chapter 456 applies to the healthcare professions regulated by DOH. Section 456.072(1)(x), Florida Statutes, makes it a ground for discipline to fail:
"to report to the board, or the department if there is no board, in writing within 30 days after the licensee has been convicted or found guilty of, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a crime in any jurisdiction."
Some older articles cite this provision as paragraph (1)(w). In the 2026 statutes it is paragraph (1)(x). Paragraph (1)(w) now deals with profiling and credentialing information.
Key points from the text:
What triggers it: a conviction, a finding of guilt, or a plea of nolo contendere (no contest), regardless of adjudication. A withhold of adjudication after a no contest plea is still reportable.
What does not trigger it by itself: the statute does not require reporting a bare arrest or the filing of a charge. The duty starts at the plea, finding or conviction. Other requirements, such as an employer's policy or a renewal application question, may ask about arrests or pending charges.
Which crimes: "a crime in any jurisdiction." There is no exception in the text for misdemeanors or for offenses unrelated to healthcare. A misdemeanor DUI, petit theft or possession charge resolved by a no contest plea falls within the plain wording.
Where: to the profession's board (for example, the Board of Nursing or the Board of Medicine), or to DOH for professions without a board.
How: in writing.
See withhold of adjudication vs. conviction.
Separate grounds for discipline based on the offense itself
Reporting is one issue. Whether the offense itself is grounds for discipline is another.
All DOH professions, s. 456.072(1)(c): being convicted or found guilty of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a crime in any jurisdiction "which relates to the practice of, or the ability to practice," the licensee's profession.
Nurses, s. 464.018(1): paragraph (c) covers crimes that directly relate to nursing or the ability to practice nursing. Paragraph (d) lists specific offenses regardless of their connection to practice, including forcible felonies, theft and robbery under chapter 812, fraud under chapter 817, lewdness under chapter 800, assault and battery under chapter 784, child abuse under chapter 827, and abuse and neglect offenses under chapters 415 and 39. Under that paragraph, a misdemeanor battery resolved by a no contest plea is a listed ground for discipline for a nurse even if it has nothing to do with work. Paragraph (e) covers any offense on the section 435.04 screening list, or having committed an act that constitutes domestic violence under section 741.28.
Physicians, s. 458.331(1)(c): a crime that directly relates to the practice of medicine or the ability to practice medicine, regardless of adjudication.
Health care fraud and Medicaid offenses: sections 456.072(1)(ii) and (1)(ll) list federal Medicaid-related and health care fraud offenses.
Emergency suspension for certain offenses: s. 456.074
Under section 456.074(1), DOH shall issue an emergency order suspending the license of any healthcare practitioner who pleads guilty to, is convicted or found guilty of, or pleads nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication:
A felony under chapter 409 (Medicaid and social services), chapter 817 (fraud) or chapter 893 (drug offenses), or under federal drug or Medicare and Medicaid laws.
Listed federal Medicaid-related misdemeanors or felonies.
A felony reproductive battery under section 784.086.
A felony homicide offense under chapter 782.
A felony drug possession charge resolved by a no contest plea with a withhold can still fall within this section. That makes the choice of plea especially important. See drug possession and possession of a controlled substance.
Physicians and other profiled practitioners: a 15-day profile update
Physicians licensed under chapters 458 and 459 (MD and DO), chiropractic physicians (chapter 460) and podiatric physicians (chapter 461) must provide practitioner profile information under section 456.039. That information includes any criminal offense of which the practitioner was found guilty, whether or not adjudication was withheld, or to which the practitioner pled guilty or nolo contendere. Under section 456.042, updates are due within 15 days after the final activity that makes the information a fact. For these professions, the 15-day profile deadline is shorter than the 30-day board-reporting deadline.
What the board can do
Under section 456.072(2), penalties for violations can include:
Denial of licensure.
Suspension or permanent revocation.
Restriction of practice.
Fines of up to $10,000 per count.
A reprimand or letter of concern.
Probation.
Corrective action and other measures listed in the statute.
Each profession's board also has disciplinary guidelines. The licensing case is separate from the criminal case and proceeds under DOH's investigation and probable cause process.
Sealing and expungement have limits for healthcare licensees
A person with a sealed record can generally deny the arrest. Section 943.059(4)(b)5 lists an exception for people seeking to be employed or licensed by DOH, the Agency for Health Care Administration and several other agencies. Section 943.059(4)(b)11 covers people screened through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. Sealing may still help in other settings. See sealing and expungement.
Practical steps after an arrest
Calendar the 30-day deadline from the date of any plea, finding of guilt or conviction. Physicians and other profiled practitioners should also calendar the 15-day profile deadline.
Check your employer's policy. Hospitals, staffing agencies and facilities often have their own reporting rules for arrests, which can be stricter than the statute.
Check renewal and application questions before answering them. Answer truthfully.
Think about the plea before you enter it. A no contest plea with a withhold avoids a conviction in court, but it is still reportable under section 456.072(1)(x). For felony drug and fraud offenses it can trigger section 456.074.
Do not discuss the facts with an investigator from DOH, an employer or the police without advice. See police questioning before arrest.
Frequently asked questions
Do Florida nurses have to report an arrest?
Section 456.072(1)(x) is triggered by a conviction, finding of guilt or no contest plea, not by an arrest alone. Employers, staffing agencies and licensure applications may separately ask about arrests or pending charges, so read those requirements carefully.
Does a withhold of adjudication still have to be reported?
Yes, if it follows a plea of nolo contendere or a finding of guilt. The statute says "regardless of adjudication."
Is a first DUI reportable for a nurse or doctor?
A DUI is a crime. If it ends in a conviction, a finding of guilt or a no contest plea, the plain wording of section 456.072(1)(x) requires a written report within 30 days. See Florida DUI defense.
What if my case ends in pretrial diversion with no plea?
Section 456.072(1)(x) is tied to a conviction, finding of guilt or no contest plea. Whether a diversion program requires a plea or an admission depends on the program, so read the agreement before signing it. See pretrial diversion.
Will the board discipline my license?
No one can predict that. The board looks at the offense, whether it relates to practice, timely reporting and other factors.
Talk with a Sarasota criminal defense lawyer
Call (941) 920-5514 or request a free consultation. Daniel D. Nawara defends the criminal case with the licensing consequences in view. The DOH or board proceeding is a separate matter; ask about it at the consultation. Related pages: domestic violence, petit theft, prescription drug DUI, felony defense and misdemeanor defense.
Updated October 1, 2026. General information only, not legal advice. Statutes, board rules and penalties change and depend on the facts. No outcome is guaranteed. Contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
Sources: Fla. Stat. § 456.072, § 456.074, § 456.039, § 456.042, § 464.018, § 458.331, § 943.059; Florida Department of Health, MQA.