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FL · SLP licensure
Everything it takes to get your speech-language pathology license in Florida — the licensing board and application steps, the required Praxis 5331 exam and its 162 passing score, the Clinical Fellowship, fees, and renewal rules.
Required Praxis test
Praxis 5331 — Speech-Language Pathology
Passing score
162 (out of 200)
Format
132 multiple-choice questions · 150 minutes · computer-based
Registration
Register through ETS · $146 test fee · offered year-round
Every US state — including Florida — accepts the Praxis 5331 at the ASHA-set 162 cut score for SLP licensure. There is no separate state-specific SLP Praxis exam.
Licensing board
Florida requires the Praxis 5331 at 162 and a supervised nine-month post-graduate clinical experience that mirrors the ASHA Clinical Fellowship. Provisional licensure is available during the CF, and school-based SLPs also pursue the Florida Educator's Certificate in Speech-Language Impaired K–12.
Authoritative reference: ASHA state-by-state advocacy page for Florida →
The Florida SLP market
Florida is one of the fastest-growing SLP markets in the US, driven by school-age population growth in Central and South Florida and an outsized elderly population supporting hospital and skilled-nursing SLP demand. Florida SLP licensure is administered by the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology within the Department of Health, and Praxis 5331 at 162 is the required national exam.
BLS OES May 2024, Florida statewide
Passing score note: Florida accepts the standard ASHA 162 passing score on Praxis 5331. There is no Florida-specific SLP Praxis exam.
Florida issues a Provisional License that lets you complete the 9-month Clinical Fellowship in-state under a licensed CCC-SLP supervisor. You apply for the Provisional after graduation and passing Praxis 5331; the full license is issued after CF completion and submission of the CF-2 form.
Florida DOH processing runs 4-8 weeks for the Provisional and another 3-5 weeks for the full-license upgrade. Fingerprinting is done through the Livescan network — no paper cards accepted.
Florida public school SLPs work under the DOH license plus a Florida Department of Education Speech-Language Impaired K-12 certificate. The 162 Praxis 5331 satisfies the content-area exam requirement for both.
Some Florida districts (Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough) offer signing bonuses of $3,000-$8,000 for SLPs willing to take high-need schools, and the state's teacher shortage rules occasionally waive certain certification requirements for out-of-state SLPs.
Florida has the second-highest concentration of skilled nursing facilities in the US after California, and adult SLP demand (dysphagia, cognitive-linguistic evaluation, post-stroke rehab) is unusually strong. SNF and home-health SLP pay in Florida runs $85K-$105K plus productivity bonuses — often higher than school-based salaries.
Major hospital systems (BayCare, AdventHealth, HCA Florida, Baptist Health) hire aggressively for medical SLPs with FEES and MBSS competencies. If you're planning your CF in Florida and want a medical career, target a placement at one of these systems' rehab units.
A partial list of larger CAA-accredited programs. All programs listed prepare graduates to sit for Praxis 5331.
Do Florida SLPs take a Florida-specific Praxis test?
No. Praxis 5331 at 162 is the only exam Florida requires for SLP licensure.
How fast can I get licensed in Florida?
From degree conferral to Provisional License: typically 6-10 weeks. Full license after CF: another 3-5 weeks once CF paperwork clears.
Is medical SLP work really more common in Florida?
Yes — Florida's older population creates unusually strong demand for SNF, home-health, and hospital-based SLPs. Roughly 30% of Florida SLPs work in medical settings vs. ~20% nationally.
Does Florida accept out-of-state SLP licenses?
Yes, through licensure by endorsement for SLPs holding the ASHA CCC-SLP and an active out-of-state license.
Earn a master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology
Complete a graduate program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) — the near-universal requirement across US jurisdictions.
Pass the Praxis 5331 with a score of 162 or higher
The Speech-Language Pathology Praxis (5331) is the single national exam accepted by all state boards. 162 is the ASHA-set passing score and every state uses that same cut score.
Complete a Clinical Fellowship (CF)
A 36-week (9-month full-time equivalent) mentored clinical experience under a licensed CCC-SLP. Some states use their own name for it (California calls it the RPE) but the requirement is functionally equivalent.
Submit fingerprints and a background check
Standard across all state boards. Processing typically takes 2–6 weeks and must be completed before the license is issued.
Apply to the state licensing board
Send your Praxis score (ETS score report), transcripts, CF verification, and background clearance to the state board. Some states also require a jurisprudence exam on state SLP practice law.