F.S. 435.03
Level 1 screening standards
Level 1 is the lighter standard: an employment history check and a statewide criminal records check through FDLE, plus a check of the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website. It may include a local police check. There are no fingerprints in Level 1 — that is Level 2, in 435.04.
What 435.03 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.
- Level 1 covers employment history checks, statewide criminal correspondence checks through FDLE, and a check of the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website — 435.03(1).
- Local criminal records checks through local law enforcement may also be included — 435.03(1).
- It is a condition of employment AND of continued employment, not a one-off at hiring — 435.03(1).
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. 435.03 on leg.state.fl.usOther sections in Chapter 435
- 435.01 — Applicability of this chapter; statutory references; rulemaking
- 435.02 — Definitions
- 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.