Healthcare Recruiting
Florida PA License 2026: Physician Assistant Board Requirements, Supervision, and Salary
Florida is one of the country's largest PA job markets — the state's population of 22 million, aging demographics, and rapid growth create persistent healthcare demand across dozens of major health systems. Florida licenses PAs through the Board of Medicine (part of the Florida Department of Health) and requires a physician supervision agreement, placing it in the reduced-practice category for advanced practitioners. Florida is also home to more PA training programs than almost any other state, creating a competitive supply market — particularly in Tampa Bay, Orlando, and South Florida.
Practice Model: Supervision Required
Florida PAs must have a Board of Medicine-filed supervision agreement with a licensed Florida physician. Key restrictions: supervising physicians may oversee a maximum of 4 PAs, and all practice locations must be within a 75-mile radius of the supervising physician's primary practice location. Emergency or telemedicine exceptions apply in limited circumstances.
- Supervision agreement: Required and must be filed with the Florida Board of Medicine
- 4-PA limit: Each supervising physician can cover up to 4 PAs
- 75-mile rule: PA practice locations must be within 75 miles of the supervising physician
- Prescriptive authority: Schedule II–V with DEA registration under the supervision agreement
Application Requirements
- Active NCCPA certification
- Graduation from ARC-PA accredited program
- Florida Board of Medicine application and $205 fee
- Filed supervision agreement
- Background check (fingerprinting required)
- DEA registration (separate application)
Processing Timeline
The Florida Board of Medicine processes complete PA applications in 8–12 weeks. High application volume — Florida processes more PA license applications than most states — contributes to longer timelines. Budget 10–12 weeks as the practical planning horizon. DEA processing adds 2–4 weeks but runs concurrently.
PA Salary in Florida (2026)
| Setting | Median Base | Typical Sign-On |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital / Inpatient | $122,000 | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Surgical First-Assist | $132,000 | $8,000–$18,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $126,000 | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Primary Care / Outpatient | $112,000 | $5,000–$10,000 |
| Dermatology / Specialty Clinic | $118,000 | $5,000–$15,000 |
Top PA Employers in Florida
AdventHealth (formerly Florida Hospital — Orlando, Tampa Bay, Daytona, and statewide) is one of Florida's largest PA employers. BayCare Health System (Tampa Bay) and HCA Florida (Gulf Coast, Brandon, Ocala, Orange Park, and 10+ hospitals statewide) compete for the same candidate pool across central and south Florida. UF Health (Gainesville and Jacksonville campuses) offers academic and subspecialty PA roles. Tampa General Hospital and Lee Health (Fort Myers/Southwest Florida) are major regional employers. Mayo Clinic Florida (Jacksonville) recruits for high-acuity academic PA positions. Cleveland Clinic Florida (Weston) rounds out the South Florida academic market.
What We See at Ava Health
Florida's high PA program density creates a buyer's market for employers — sign-on bonuses are lower than in rural-shortage states, and salaries in South Florida in particular are compressed relative to the cost of living. PAs who maximize Florida compensation focus on surgical, EM, and inpatient hospital medicine. The supervision agreement requirement adds 2–3 weeks to time-to-start beyond licensure; large systems like AdventHealth and BayCare have standardized agreements ready to file. No state income tax is a meaningful compensation advantage for Florida versus many competing states.
Related: NP License Florida 2026, PA Salary by State 2026, Healthcare Recruiting in Florida 2026.
Hiring in this space?
Browse 1.4M+ verified providers across all 50 states
NPI-sourced, free, no account required. Filter by specialty + state in seconds.
Search the directory →Free tool
2026 Healthcare Salary Calculator
Estimate comp by specialty, state, experience, and practice setting. Based on MGMA, AMGA, and BLS benchmarks.
Try the salary calculator →Be on the launch list
Salary data, hiring plays, and market trends. We'll email you when issue 1 ships. Free, unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We never share your email.