(1) Subject to the requirement of subsection (3), the department shall renew a license or certificate of registration upon receipt of the renewal application and renewal fee.
(2) The department shall adopt rules establishing a procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses and certificates of registration.
(3) A license or certificate of registration renewal may not be issued to an architect or a registered interior designer by the department until the licensee or registrant submits proof satisfactory to the department that, during the 2 years before application for renewal, the licensee or registrant participated per biennium in not less than 20 hours of at least 50 minutes each per biennium of continuing education approved by the board. The board shall approve only continuing education that builds upon the basic knowledge of architecture or interior design. The board may make exception from the requirements of continuing education in emergency or hardship cases.
(4) The board shall by rule establish criteria for the approval of continuing education courses and providers and shall by rule establish criteria for accepting alternative nonclassroom continuing education on an hour-for-hour basis.
(5) For a license or certificate of registration, the board shall require, by rule adopted pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54, 2 hours in specialized or advanced courses on any portion of the Florida Building Code, adopted pursuant to part IV of chapter 553, relating to the licensee’s respective area of practice. Such hours count toward the continuing education hours required under subsection (3). A licensee may complete the courses required under this subsection online. 
