He now faces a 724-count administrative complaint from the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. “We needed to make sure that we got everything that is forged,” explained Wendy Anderson, the board’s lead investigator, so each inspection is in the complaint.

The board seeks fines of up to $5,000 per violation, potentially totaling $3.6 million, and wants the state to issue a cease-and-desist order. Fernandez could not be reached for comment on the allegations.

While re-inspections of buildings inspected by Fernandez revealed no safety hazards, the investigation charges provide some perspective on the value of an engineering board. A recent bill proposed by some Florida state senators would have eliminated stand-alone state boards for several professions including engineering, whose members are unpaid but whose expenses are covered by the state.

The lawmakers proposed transferring professional oversight to the Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), a part of the executive branch, as a way to streamline services, reduce regulatory barriers and centralize professional oversight. Proponents also argued it would lower costs and enhance efficiency, aligning with Florida’s broader deregulation initiatives.

Opponents argued that abolishing the board would have undermined expertise-driven regulation, emphasizing that specialized boards ensure public safety and maintain national competitiveness for professions like engineering and accounting. 

The bill’s sponsors withdrew it in early May.

How Florida Investigation Started 

The case against Fernandez Jr. began with a complaint against his father by a contractor or agency that noticed irregularities in his inspection reports. Following the discovery that his father had passed away in 2018, the board’s probable cause panel produced the report and submitted it for review by an administrative law judge. Fernandez will be able to appeal the board's findings. 

Fernandez Jr.’s inspections, though non-structural, covered critical plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems for properties in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, says the board. He worked for several different firms, one of which dismissed him after discovering he lacked an engineering degree or license, prompting re-inspections by licensed engineers, the board wrote.

In Florida, the board’s enforcement powers are limited. It can issue a judgment of $3.6 million in potential fines but if Fernandez Jr. fails to comply, enforcement is handed over to the state DBPR to pursue court judgments, liens, wage garnishment or hire collection agencies. However, Fernandez Jr.’s financial capacity, potential bankruptcy and the DBPR’s resource constraints may limit recovery. 

“Ours is an administrative role,” says Anderson of the board’s enforcement capacity. “We passed the case on to law enforcement with the hope that they would take it on.”

Limits on Other State Engineering Boards

Florida isn’t the only state to consider bundling professional, licensed enforcement or eliminating a separate board. Nevada’s Senate Bill 78 (SB 78) earlier this year proposed consolidating administrative functions of licensing boards, including the Nevada Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, under the Office of Nevada Boards, Commissions and Councils Standards. It failed this month. 

In a February 2025 policy statement, Nevada’s board wrote: “…we worry that the overall effectiveness of the board in its current form will diminish if it is consolidated into a larger board with four fewer engineers, and the reduction or elimination of specialized staff and process that have allowed us to be a success for Nevada, our licensees and the community.”  

Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Virginia, and Washington all have sunset review laws in place that require legislative evaluations of licensing boards every 5–12 years, depending on the state, to justify continuation.