VANCOUVER, Wash. – January 10, 2011 – The state of Florida has begun to implement new licensing requirements for those who conduct mold remediation services in the state. All professionals that wish to conduct this type of service in Florida will need to be licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) moving forward.

Current IICRC registrants with AMRT certification that do work in Florida are eligible to be grandfathered in with no additional certification needed if they submit an application for a license to the DBPR by March 1, 2011 and meet the additional requirements. The requirements for being grandfathered can be found by visiting the DBPR website. An application for a license can be downloaded here.

The IICRC also recommends that registrants with an AMRT certification that may not live in Florida but may do work there currently or in the future apply for a license by March 1, 2011. Information for non-residents can be found here.

Presently, the IICRC is working with the DBPR to become an approved provider of certification exams, but is not currently approved under “Initial Licensing” in the new regulations; therefore, registrants will not be eligible to perform mold remediation services in Florida with only an AMRT certification if not licensed beginning March 1, 2011.

“We are working diligently to pursue approval from the DBPR to provide mold remediation certification that meets the state’s requirements and hope to come to a resolution as soon as possible,” said Dan Bernazzani, IICRC government affairs liaison. “We applaud the state of Florida for implementing legislation that protects consumers from unscrupulous professionals that seek to take advantage of property owners, particularly in a state that regularly deals with mold issues. We know that we’ll be able to come to a conclusion that recognizes the IICRC, an internationally respected provider of mold remediation certification, as an approved provider in Florida.”

To meet the requirements set forth by the DBPR, IICRC is continuing to work towards its goal of securing accreditation as a certification body from the American National Standards Institute, the leading authoritative body of U.S. standards and conformity assessment systems. IICRC is currently an ANSI accredited standard setting body.

“We firmly believe that seeking ANSI accreditation for our certifications is in the best interest of our registrants and consumers,” said IICRC Chairman Paul Pearce. “Securing ANSI accreditation will not only meet the requirements of the Florida DBPR, but add an additional layer of rigor to the IICRC’s current respected and credible certifications.”