Practical Florida nurse registry licensing and compliance guidance from Scott Strachan, RN BSN, a nurse registry operator since 1997.
By Scott Strachan, RN BSN. Last reviewed September 2026. Statutes cited are from the 2026 Florida Statutes.
Yes. A Florida nurse registry can operate from a home office. Some people believe it’s prohibited, and that’s simply false. Like everything else in this business, it has to be done in a compliant manner: proof of zoning compliance, the right to use the address, posted office hours you actually keep, and someone to answer the door when AHCA shows up.
This post is for anyone planning a new registry, or running one, who wants to know whether a home office will hold up. It covers what the law says, what can still stop you, and the part most people underestimate: unannounced surveys.
Home offices are a newer thing in this industry. Nurse registry standards have always required zoning approval, and for a long time that was the holdup. Local zoning often didn’t allow a business like ours in a residence.
Two things changed. In 2021, Florida passed a home-based business law that limits how local governments can regulate businesses run from a home. And the work itself moved. There used to be much more foot traffic through a registry office. Today, so much of the business is handled online and remotely that a home office is far more practical than it used to be.
From the registry office: Abby Services started in my father’s home. Once it was licensed, he moved into an office in the Atrium, at Winkler Avenue and College Parkway in Fort Myers. The building has since been torn down, and a bank stands there now. We’ve been in our current office since around 2000, and we’re actually looking to downsize, because so much of our business is conducted online and remotely.
What the law says. Two sets of rules apply, and you have to satisfy both.
First, the nurse registry rule. Under Rule 59A-18.004(6), F.A.C., you must submit evidence of compliance with local zoning for your main office and any satellite offices with your application. That applies whether the office is in a commercial suite or your home.
Second, Florida’s home-based business law. Section 559.955, F.S. says local governments may not license or regulate a home-based business in violation of that section. To qualify:
What that doesn’t mean. The home-based business law doesn’t override your HOA or condo association. Section 559.955(5) says it doesn’t supersede declarations and covenants under Chapters 718, 719, and 720. It also doesn’t override your lease. If your HOA documents or your landlord prohibit business use, the state law won’t help you.
What we see in practice. Call your city or county zoning office, describe the use plainly (an administrative office for a nurse registry, with no client care on site), and ask what proof they issue. Get it in writing. The address on your zoning proof, your application, and your lease or deed should all match exactly.
The trouble with a home office is the same trouble as with a standard office. You have to meet the hours requirement, and you have to be ready for an unannounced survey.
What the law says. Under Rule 59A-18.004(9)(a), your administrator or alternate must be available to the public for any eight consecutive hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal and religious holidays. Under Rule 59A-18.004(9)(b), when neither of them is on the premises during business hours, “a staff person must be available to answer the phone and the door” and must be able to reach the administrator or alternate. Surveys after your initial one are unannounced under section 408.806(7)(c), F.S.
What we see in practice. AHCA doesn’t care that you just stepped out to pick up the kids or get groceries. If nobody answers the door during your posted hours, you risk a citation. The home-based registries that do this well observe that rule exactly as written: someone answers the door during office hours, every time.
When the surveyor does get in, you’ll need to produce your records quickly. Office hours and access to files both made my list of the ten deficiency areas AHCA cites most.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Written proof of zoning compliance | Required with your application under Rule 59A-18.004(6) |
| HOA or condo documents allow business use | The home-based business law doesn’t override them |
| Lease allows business use (if you rent) | A landlord can prohibit it |
| Deed or lease matches your application address | You need the legal right to occupy the office you list |
| Posted hours you can keep every weekday | Eight consecutive hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. |
| Someone to answer the door and phone | Required when the administrator and alternate aren’t there |
| Records organized and ready | Surveyors expect access to your files quickly |
Follow the available guidance. The statutes and rules are your bible and your playbook. Everything you do and plan should have them as the guiding principle. If a home office fits within them and you can keep your hours, it can work well. If it doesn’t, a small office costs more but removes a lot of risk.
We talked through the statutes on home offices in depth on the podcast: Location, Location, Location: Can a Florida Nurse Registry Operate From Home?
My Startup & Compliance Package includes a full guide to your office, zoning, and hours, so you get this right before you apply. For what an office costs as part of your startup budget, see How Much Does It Cost to Start a Nurse Registry in Florida?
Yes. You need proof of local zoning compliance with your application, and the home office has to meet the same office hours and survey requirements as any other registry office.
No. Section 559.955, F.S. doesn’t supersede HOA or condo declarations and covenants. Check your HOA documents and your lease before you apply.
The administrator or alternate must be available for any eight consecutive hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal and religious holidays.
You risk a citation. When the administrator and alternate aren’t on the premises during business hours, the rule requires someone to answer the phone and the door.
Under the home-based business law, anyone working at the home must live there, except for up to two employees or independent contractors who don’t.
Book a free 15-minute consultation. We’ll talk through your location and whether a home office makes sense for your registry. Call 239-766-8238.
This article provides general regulatory information. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice.
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