For Officers and Instructors
Instructor Requirements FAQ

Answer: A person must have completed an Instructor Techniques course from a Commission-certified training school within the past four years of the date the instructor applicant applies for certification. The applicant must complete an internship where the individual will be evaluated by a certified instructor who is either the training center director, agency administrator who is also an instructor or another certified instructor designated by the training center director or agency administrator or designee, who will complete the Answer: You must have completed an Instructor Techniques course from a Commission-certified training school within the four years before the date you apply for certification. You must complete an internship while being evaluated by a certified instructor who is either the training center director; agency administrator who is also an instructor; or another certified instructor designated by the training center director or agency administrator or designee, who will complete the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81. In addition to the internship, you must be evaluated by the students in the class.

You must become affiliated with either a training school or criminal justice agency, who will submit the Instructor Certification Application form CJSTC-71 to FDLE.   The application must have all of the required documentation indicated on the CJSTC Form 71 attached, including the CJSTC Form 81.

 FDLE staff will review the application within 30 days of receiving it and will approve it if all documentation is in order. If information is missing, an Instructor Certification Deficiency Notification form CJSTC-271 will be issued, indicating the problem areas.

Answer: You will need to make appropriate corrections such as completing documents or providing missing documentation to the agency or training school where the application was submitted, or you can withdraw the application by checking the appropriate box and signing the form Instructor Certification Deficiency Notification form CJSTC-271. There is no penalty for correcting or withdrawing the application. You can re-apply when corrective action is completed as long as you remain eligible.

<Answer: You must complete a General Instructor Refresher Course and apply for certification as noted in the first question.

Answer: All instructor certifications expire on March 31st, four years after the initial certification, and every four years thereafter as long as requirements for maintenance are met.  Example:  If your application for certification was approved on July 1, 2019, your first renewal date will be calculated four years from the next March 31st, so your renewal date will be March 31, 2024 and then every four years after.

Answer: You must teach in a Commission-approved Basic Recruit, Advanced, or Specialized Course or teach an in-service course at an agency at least once during the 4-year certification period and document the instruction on Instructor Compliance Application form CJSTC-84.  The topic and instruction hours are determined by the training school or agency holding your certification.  The form must be turned in to the affiliating training school or agency before the certification expiration date.

Answer: You must complete the General Instructor Refresher course and a new internship documented on the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81.  The training center or criminal justice agency will need to submit a new Instructor Certification Application form CJSTC-71 for FDLE staff review.

Answer: You must possess a valid General Instructor Certification or be eligible for a General Instructor Certification and apply for General Instructor Certification at the same time as the high-liability topic.

You must have three years of experience as a certified officer or three years experience in the high-liability topic at the time you apply.  You must have completed the applicable CJSTC High-Liability Instructor Course within four years of the date you apply for certification and provide the CJSTC performance evaluation form from the course.

You must complete an internship while being evaluated by a certified instructor in the high liability topic who will complete the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81.  In addition to the internship, you must be evaluated by the students in the class.

If you are applying for First Aid Instructor Certification, in addition to the requirements outlined above, you must possess and maintain a valid CPR Instructor Certification from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety & Health Institute or other entity referenced in Rule 64J-1.022, Florida Administrative Code.

You must already be or become affiliated with either a training school or criminal justice agency, who will submit the Instructor Certification Application form CJSTC-71. The application must have all of the required documentation indicated on the CJSTC Form 71 attached, including the CJSTC Form 81.

FDLE staff will review the application within 30 days of receiving it and will approve it if all documentation is in order. If information is missing, an Instructor Certification Deficiency Notification form CJSTC-271 will be issued, indicating the problem areas.
Medical professionals listed in Rule 11B-20.0014, F.A.C, do not have to meet the requirements of general instructor certification. Applicants requesting certification under this section must provide copies of their medical certification, and maintain a valid CPR Instructor Certification from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety & Health Institute or other entity referenced in Rule 64J-1.022, F.A.C.  Applicants must also complete an internship and be evaluated by a certified instructor who is either the training center director, agency administrator or designee who will complete the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81. In addition to the internship, the applicant must be evaluated by the students in the class.

 Answer:  You will have to complete the instructor training course for the applicable high-liability topic again.

Answer: The expiration date is set by the initial instructor certification a person receives. Topics that are added at a later date have the same expiration date as the initial expiration date.

For example: If your application for general certification was approved on July 1, 2017, your first renewal date will be calculated four years from the next March 31st, so your renewal date will be March 31, 2022.  If you add a high-liability topic on July 1, 2019, the expiration date for both your General Instructor Certification and the high-liability topic will remain March 31, 2022.

Answer: For each high-liability topic, you must teach in a Commission-approved Basic Recruit, Advanced or Specialized Course or teach an in-service training course at an agency at least once during each 4-year maintenance cycle and complete continuing education approved by the training center director or agency administrator.

Any topic added within six months of your renewal date will automatically renew without having to complete the maintenance requirements for the added topic.

First Aid instructors must provide a valid copy if their CPR instructor certification.

Medical Professional First Aid instructors must provide valid copies of their medical license or certification and CPR instructor certification.

Answer: If the lapse has been for a period of four or fewer years, you must demonstrate the proficiency skills for each topic you wish to reactivate, complete continuing education or training approved by the training center director, agency administrator, or designee, and complete an internship documented on the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81.  The training center or criminal justice agency you are affiliated with will need to submit a new Instructor Certification Application form CJSTC-71 with all required documentation, to FDLE staff for review.

If the lapse has been for more than four years, you will have to repeat the high liability training course and complete all of the certification requirements.

Answer: Each specialized topic has its own requirements, unique to that certification.

For any specialized topic, you must possess a valid General Instructor Certification or be eligible for a General Instructor Certification and apply for General Instructor Certification at the same time as the specialized topic.

Criminal Justice Diving Instructor - You must possess and maintain either a current Scuba Instructor Certification from a nationally recognized organization that meets the standards of the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) and have two years experience as a public safety diver or a current Dive Master Certification from a nationally recognized organization that meets the standards of the WRSTC and have five years experience as a public safety diver.  You must have been employed as a public safety diver within the past four years or instructed the Underwater Police Science and Technology course within the past four years.

Speed Measurement Instructor - You must have three years of experience as a speed measurement device operator, complete the Speed Measurement Instructor Course for Law Enforcement Officers, course 1159, and complete the Speed Measurement Device Instructor Field Evaluation form CJSTC-10.  You must complete an internship and be evaluated by a certified Speed Measurement Instructor who will complete the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81.  In addition to the internship, you must be evaluated by the students in the class.

Canine Team Instructor - You must have five years of criminal justice canine team experience; complete the Canine Team Training Course or equivalent course approved by a Commission-approved evaluator; complete the Canine Team Instructor Course; complete the Canine Team Instructor Performance Evaluation form CJSTC-20.  You must complete an internship and be evaluated by a certified Canine Team Instructor who will complete the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81.  In addition to the internship, you must be evaluated by the students in the class.

You must also provide verification that there is not a sustained "excessive use-of-force" complaint against you which involved the use of a canine at the time the canine was under your command.  Verification must be on agency letterhead and signed by the agency administrator or designee.

Breath Test  Instructor - You must have three years of experience as a certified breath test operator and agency inspector; complete the Breath Test Instructor Course; and have a valid Breath Test Operator Permit and a valid Agency Inspector Permit at the time of application.  You must complete an internship and be evaluated by a certified Breath Test Instructor who will complete the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81.  In addition to the internship, you must be evaluated by the students in the class.

Answer: The expiration date is set by the initial instructor certification a person receives.  Topics that are added at a later date have the same expiration date as the initial expiration date.

For example:  If your application for certification was approved on July 1, 2017, your first renewal date will be calculated four years from the next March 31st, so your renewal date will be March 31, 2022. If you add a specialized topic on July 1, 2019, the expiration date of both your General Instructor Certification and the specialized topic certification will remain March 31, 2022. 

Answer: For each specialized topic area, you must teach in a Commission-Approved Basic Recruit, Advanced or Specialized Course or in an in-service training course at an agency in the topic area at least once within each 4-year maintenance cycle and complete continuing education approved by the training center director or agency administrator.  Breath Test Instructors have to complete the Breath Test Instructor Renewal Course as part of their continuing education.

Any topic added within six months of your renewal date will automatically renew without having to complete the maintenance requirements for the added topic.

Answer: You must complete an internship in the applicable topic which is documented on the Instructor Competency Checklist form CJSTC-81 and have the training center or criminal justice agency you are affiliated with submit a new Instructor Certification Application form CJSTC-71.  Breath Test Instructors whose certification lapses must complete the Breath Test Instructor Renewal Course prior to applying for a new Breath Test Instructor certification.

Answer: The instructor related rules are found in Chapter 11B-20, Florida Administrative Code.