Florida
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APPLICATION PREPARATION · Reviewed October 18, 2026

Applying to APD and the iBudget waiver

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) serves Floridians age 3 and up with specific developmental disabilities. Getting "APD eligible" is the first step; it does not by itself start services. Most services come through the iBudget waiver, which is Medicaid-funded and has a waiting list. This guide covers both steps and what to expect in between.

APD lists no fee to apply. iBudget services are paid by Medicaid; APD's pages do not describe any family cost share.

Who qualifies for APD

  • Age 3 or older, with the disability beginning before age 18.
  • Lives in Florida (you will need proof of domicile).
  • One of these diagnoses: intellectual disability (full-scale IQ 70 or below), severe autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida cystica / myelomeningocele, Prader-Willi syndrome, Down syndrome, Phelan-McDermid syndrome, or Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (APD accepts genetic testing or a written diagnosis from an MD or DO for this one). Spina bifida occulta does not qualify.
  • Children ages 3–5 without a confirmed diagnosis may qualify under a separate "high risk" category. They cannot be placed on the waiver waiting list until a qualifying diagnosis is confirmed.

APD's eligibility screen looks at age, Florida residence, and diagnosis; it does not list an income test. The iBudget waiver is Medicaid, so Medicaid (or SSI) eligibility is required when enrollment is offered; DCF determines Medicaid eligibility (1-866-762-2237).

Before you start: what to have ready

APD's Quick Guide to Applying (opens in a new tab) is the official checklist. In short:

  1. Proof of the qualifying diagnosis. School records, psychological testing, or medical records. For intellectual disability, APD lists IQ tests such as the Stanford-Binet, WPPSI, WISC, WAIS, DAS, TONI, CTONI, UNIT, and Leiter-R, and adaptive-functioning tests such as the Vineland, ABAS, AAMR Adaptive Behavior Scale, ABES, and Scales of Independent Behavior–Revised (examples; others may be accepted). If no testing exists, APD can help arrange an assessment.
  2. Proof of identity: birth certificate, Social Security card, Florida driver's license or ID, passport, or government photo ID (school photo ID for a child under 16).
  3. Proof of Florida domicile, one of: Florida driver's license or ID, voter registration card, lease or mortgage, declaration of domicile, homestead exemption filing, school or employment records.
  4. A parent or guardian signature for a minor. An adult applicant signs for themselves unless a court has found them incapacitated or they have asked someone in writing to act for them.

Step by step

  1. Apply. Two ways:

    • Online: ApplyNow.apd.myflorida.com (opens in a new tab). This is also where crisis waiver enrollment requests go.
    • Paper: download the Application for Services (English, Spanish, or Haitian Creole) from the official page above, sign it, and send it to the regional office for your county (below). APD's newest application sheet (October 2026) says paper applications may be sent by mail, in person, fax, or email; an older APD page says faxed copies are returned for an original signature. Call your regional office before faxing.

  2. Eligibility determination. APD reviews the records; by statute it has 60 days from a complete application to decide for most categories, and within 60 days of the decision APD helps you develop a support plan. Around this time a Questionnaire for Situational Information (QSI) is done — a functional assessment that is repeated at least every 3 years and after major life changes. It later feeds the iBudget amount.

  3. Pre-enrollment (the waiting list). Most eligible people are placed in pre-enrollment rather than enrolled right away. APD assigns one of seven priority categories:

    1. Crisis
    2. Child welfare / foster care transition
    3. Urgent caregiver, safety, legal-system, or facility-discharge needs within 12 months
    4. Caregiver age 60 or older with no alternate caregiver available
    5. School-to-work transition within 12 months, or starting postsecondary education
    6. Adults 21 and older
    7. Children under 21 not in categories 1–4

    Enrollment offers go by category and depend on state funding each year. Answer APD's yearly letter so your contact information and category stay current, and tell APD when your circumstances change.

  4. If things become a crisis (homelessness, life-threatening behavior, a caregiver who can no longer provide care), contact your regional office. Crisis criteria can move a person to enrollment.

  5. Enrollment. When an offer comes, Medicaid eligibility is confirmed, a Waiver Support Coordinator is assigned, and an individual budget is set. Services — including respite for children under 21 living at home — are then purchased from APD-enrolled providers.

While you wait

  • Ask the regional office about Hope Florida navigators (833-438-4673) and the Family Care Council (volunteer parent councils that mentor families through APD; 1-800-470-8101).
  • Search the APD Community Resource Directory for free or low-cost programs by ZIP code: resourcedirectory.apd.myflorida.com (opens in a new tab)

Your regional office

County Office Phone
Orange APD Central Region, 400 W. Robinson St., Suite S430, Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 245-0440
Volusia APD Northeast Region, 210 N. Palmetto Ave., Suite 312, Daytona Beach, FL 32114 (386) 238-4607
Alachua APD Northeast Region, 1621 NE Waldo Rd., Building 1, Gainesville, FL 32609 (386) 238-4607
Duval APD Northeast Region, 3631 Hodges Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32224 (386) 238-4607

The Northeast Region uses one phone number for all three offices. Statewide: 1-866-APD-CARES (1-866-273-2273), 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET.

What we have not confirmed yet

  • How long the wait is for each priority category. APD does not publish that, but its quarterly report shows overall waits: as of July 1, 2026, about one-third of people in pre-enrollment had waited more than 10 years and about 15% one year or less. APD's October 16, 2026 report counts 14,092 people in pre-enrollment statewide (Orange 1,008; Volusia 293; Alachua 123; Duval 727). APD's application page still says "more than 23,000," which is out of date.
  • Whether the online portal lets you upload supporting documents.
  • Regional office hours and whether walk-in drop-off is accepted.
  • The annual limit on respite hours in a child's iBudget, and whether nursing-level respite exists for children with trach or vent needs (private duty nursing is a separate waiver service).

Official sources

Program details can change. Follow the agency’s current instructions and the dates on your notices. Official links above take you to the organization responsible for the program.