F.S. 435.01
Applicability of this chapter; statutory references; rulemaking
Chapter 435 is the rulebook the rest of Florida law points at whenever a background screening is required. Section 435.01 makes that pointer live: a reference to chapter 435 anywhere in Florida law automatically includes every later amendment, so the standard you have to meet is today's, not the one in force when your own licensing law was written.
What 435.01 actually says
Every line below ends in the subsection it comes from, so you can check it against the statute rather than take our word for it.
- A reference to chapter 435 in any Florida statute includes all subsequent amendments to it — 435.01(1)(b).
- The stated purpose is uniform screening across agencies, achieved by incorporation by reference — 435.01(1)(b).
- Agencies may adopt their own rules to administer the chapter — 435.01(2).
Read from the Legislature's published text of Chapter 435 on 09/07/2026. The statute governs, not this page — open the source below for the full wording.
What this chapter covers
The screening rulebook every Florida care employer works from. It defines what Level 2 actually means, what disqualifies somebody, how an exemption works, and it runs the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse — including two deadlines most providers have never been told about.
Read the text
Everything above is our plain-English reading of the section, cited line by line. It is not the statute and it is not legal advice. For the exact wording, and for whether it has been amended since we read it, go to the source:
F.S. 435.01 on leg.state.fl.usOther sections in Chapter 435
- 435.02 — Definitions
- 435.03 — Level 1 screening standards
- 435.04 — Level 2 screening standards
- 435.05 — Requirements for covered employees and employers
- 435.06 — Exclusion from employment
- 435.07 — Exemptions from disqualification
- 435.08 — Payment for processing of fingerprints and state criminal records checks
- 435.09 — Confidentiality of personnel background check information
- 435.10 — Sharing of personnel information among employers
- 435.11 — Penalties
- 435.12 — Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse
Section numbers and titles were read from the Legislature's own chapter index on 08/19/2026. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm anything that matters with a licensed professional. Care Wizard is an independent tool and is not affiliated with the Florida Legislature or APD.