How Do You Get Your Real Estate License In Florida
Before going into the intricacies of how to get a real estate license in Florida, let us understand who needs such a license in Florida. Any person who buys, sells, leases, or rents real estate in Florida on behalf of clients and charges a commission for the work requires a real estate license in the state.
This is mandated by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), the controlling body for the real estate sector in Florida. It sets the curriculum for the real estate pre-licensing course and issues real estate licenses in Florida.
If you are an aspiring real estate professional in Florida, you need to start as a real estate Sales Associate. That is the lowest rung in your career. You have to work for a licensed broker or a brokerage firm to start with and will earn a commission from real estate transactions on behalf of clients of the brokerage.
What does a career as a Sales Associate stand out for and how is it different from other 9–6 jobs?
For one, it is a very rewarding and satisfying field where you help people achieve their life goal of owning a dream home. For sellers, you help them to quickly dispose of their houses and move on. Additionally, you are your own boss and set your work schedules, making for a perfect work-life balance. It is a very rewarding field too and with some experience and hard work, earning six figures is never a distant possibility.
After getting your Florida Sales Associate license and working in this field for two years you will be able to apply for and earn a Florida Broker license.
This post will take you through the various aspects of how do you get your real estate license in Florida as well as the Florida real estate scenario, the costs of getting a license, and the approximate earnings of a Sales Associate in the State.
The Florida Real Estate Scenario
The Florida real estate market is a happy hunting ground for real estate Sales Associates to kickstart their career. The state is home to beautiful beaches, diverse culture, and a warm tropical climate, all ingredients to draw in people from other states wanting to make their home here.
Hence, it is the go-to destination for skilled migrants, homebuyers, and real estate investors, making the state the 3rd most popular real estate market in the USA. Further, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville, the top cities in Florida are among the fastest-growing real estate markets in the country. With a growing demand for residential, industrial, and commercial properties, this is the ideal time to start your real estate career and earn lucrative commissions.
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Steps To Get Your Real Estate License In Forida
We will now take a deep look into how to get your real estate license in FL.
Groundwork before starting the real estate license process.
As per the guidelines of DBPR, you must complete a few mandatory eligibility requirements before you can initiate the process of applying for a real estate license in Florida.
These are as follows.
Before applying for a license, you must be at least 18 years old. To save time, you can go through the pre-licensing coursework and complete other real estate license eligibility requirements prior to reaching that age. You must also have a high school diploma or a GED at least.
Being a USA citizen with a Social Security Number is essential. Legally admitted migrants who have been granted working rights in the country can also apply for a real estate Sales Associate license in Florida.
We will now come to the main steps of getting a real estate license in Florida.
Step 1 Complete the 63-hour pre-licensing coursework
A critical part of the answer to how do you get your real estate license in Florida is to complete the 63 hours of pre-licensing coursework. The purpose of the course is to impart the required knowledge that will stand you in good stead as a Sales Associate in Florida. Complex rules and regulations govern the real estate industry and one mistake as a real estate professional can cost you dearly in your career. By having a thorough grip on the subject, you can avoid this possibility in the future.
The topics covered in the coursework are as follows.
- Florida license and state laws
- Real Estate contracts and closing
- Real estate ethics
- Real estate marketing
- Property management
- Real estate finance
- Industry rules and violations
- Foreclosures
How To Choose A Real Estate Pre-licensing Course Provider
Before selecting a pre-licensing course provider a few things must be kept in mind. One is compulsory whereas others depend on your preference and convenience.
FREC-approved courses
It is mandatory to select coursework that is state-approved. If you go through study materials that are not approved, they will not be counted as meeting educational norms to appear for the licensing exam. You will simply be wasting time and money on going through such courses. To be sure, visit the DBPR portal to check the list of approved pre-license course providers in Florida.
Online vs. Classroom-based courses
You have the option of selecting an online course or a classroom-based one depending on your preferred learning style. Now, let us briefly compare the two.
For online courses, you can download the lessons onto any Internet-enabled device and study from any location and at any time. You are not bound by fixed classroom hours and hence, can study at convenient hours without upsetting your normal routine. You do not have to waste time either commuting to physical schools.
Further, online courses are of the highest quality while being very affordable too. Typically, physical school-based courses cost around $500 to $800 while online courses average $200.
Among the best state-approved online course providers is RealEstateU. Their courses are designed by top real estate professionals while costing only $69.
Know The Instructors
It is important that the right instructors guide you through the pre-licensing coursework. Visit the portal of course providers to assess the qualifications of the instructors, especially for online courses. Top-level courses are typically created by real estate professionals who have long years of experience in this field. Having the right teachers and trainers is critical to pass the licensing exam with flying colors on the first try.
Check the package type
There is no standardized package to complete the pre-licensing coursework in Florida. Each school, physical or online, offers packages, offer different packages and you must choose one that not only matches your learning style but also your budget. This is one of the critical steps to getting a real estate license in Florida.
Take the example of RealEstateU, a well-established course provider in Florida. Their basic course, ideal for those who are self-motivated and require minimum guidance costs only $69.
However, there are courses that have more elaborate training materials and modes of instruction. While physical courses offer textbooks to back up the lessons, you can download e-textbooks in online courses. Additionally, you can avail of study guides and practice questions to further prepare for the licensing exam.
Practice questions should be an integral part of your studies for the licensing exam. At the end of each chapter, you will get questions that replicate the type given in the real licensing exam. Hence, you will have increased confidence to face the licensing exam as well as evaluate how well your preparations are. Apart from sample test questions, some packages provide on-demand instructor support and doubt-clearing sessions.
Step 2 Submit your fingerprints
Real estate Sales Associates must maintain high standards of morality and financial integrity as they deal with monetary matters in their transactions with clients. It is therefore necessary to verify your past record for any criminal records or acts of felony. One guaranteed way of knowing about this aspect is to get your fingerprint checked.
It is mandated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) that you must apply for a license before you submit your fingerprints for verification. You should submit your fingerprints to the DBPR using a Livescan Service Provider registered with the FDLE.
The Livescan Provider will send your scanned fingerprint images to the FDLE using an Originating Agency Identification (ORI) number. The ORI number that must be provided to the Livescan Provider by real estate Sales Associates and Brokers is FL920010Z.
The cost of obtaining a copy of your fingerprints in Florida will vary depending on the vendor you choose. Each fingerprint vendor has the option to set the price for their fingerprint services. Typically, the cost ranges from $50 to $80.
While a clean fingerprint certificate is one step nearer to how do you get your real estate license in Florida, what happens if you are a convicted felon in Florida? Can you apply for a Sales Associate license in the state?
The answer is yes, a convicted felon can potentially get a real estate license in Florida, but it is the discretion of the DBPR whether to award one or not. The DBPR will review each case separately and base its decision on the time lapsed since the offense, its nature and severity, and character references.
Here are the details of the process of getting a license by a convicted felon.
- An individual with a conviction for a felony, unlike some professions, is not automatically disqualified from getting a real estate license in Florida.
- The DBPR will thoroughly review each application and focus on the specific circumstances of the conviction and the character of the applicant. Typical factors considered are the severity of the crime, the type of felony, and the rehabilitation efforts made by the applicant. Strong character references help in getting approval for a license.
- Each point must be explained in detail with supporting documents in the application for a real estate license. It is necessary to be honest and transparent as any misrepresentations can lead to disqualification or denial of a Sales Associate license in Florida.
While there is no guarantee that aspiring real estate Sales Associates with a record of a felony will be granted a license, many applicants are successful in obtaining one.
Step 3 Apply for a Sales Associate License
Now, you have come to the stage where you must know how to apply for a real estate license in Florida. You must do so with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Once the application is approved, you will receive a notice with your real estate application ID number.
The whole process is online and you have to visit the DBPR portal and click on Apply or Manage My License.
Step 4 Pass the Florida State licensing exam
An important step in how to get your real estate license in Florida is to pass the state licensing exam. The exam is conducted by third-party administrator Pearson Vue who provides assessment services to regulatory agencies and national associations. Visit the Pearson website to create an account and schedule a licensing exam by uploading proof of having completed the 63-hour pre-licensing course from a state-approved provider.
You need to visit a physical center to take the licensing exam though the test is held online. There are almost 30 designated test centers in Florida and you may choose one nearest to your location.
After the registration process with Pearson Vue is completed, you will receive the dates on which you can take the exam. The Florida Real Estate State Exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions to be completed in three and a half hours. It consists of a national section that tests your knowledge about the real estate sector in general and a state-specific section that is related to the real estate rules and regulations valid in Florida only.
The minimum pass grade is 75% and since the exam is online, the results are announced soon after the test is completed. For those who pass, a confirmatory email is received within two weeks.
Step 5 Find a licensed real estate broker
After you pass the Sales Associate licensing test, a real estate license will be issued. However, this is an inactive license and you cannot kickstart your career with it. Florida law forbids Sales Associates from working independently and you should find a licensed broker to sponsor you in the initial stages of your career.
The reason for this step is that as a beginner in this field, you get access to valuable resources, training, listings, and legal guidance from an experienced broker or brokerage firm. You will also get the required infrastructure to meet clients and set up business. Once DBPR is informed of the completion of this step, your inactive real estate license will be activated. However, the license will be in the name of the sponsoring broker and if you subsequently change the brokerage firm, the license will be transferred in the name of the new broker.
These are the stages to cross that answer your question how do you get your real estate license in Florida?
An important point that must be clarified here is how long it takes to get a real estate license in Florida.
There is no fixed time from the start to the time your real estate license is issued, rather, it depends entirely on you. For example, some aspiring Sales Associates can complete the 63-hour pre-licensing course in a few weeks while others take a few months based on how much time they can devote to their studies every day.
Next, it takes the state of Florida about 30 days to process your application for a license. To quicken things up, you can apply for a license and then go through the pre-licensing coursework to cut down on the waiting time. As soon as the application is approved after 30 days, you are ready to take the licensing exam as you have completed the pre-licensing coursework in this period.
If you have completed the license application properly and there are no errors in it, the DBPR will send you a notice within 30 days and either deny or approve the application within 90 days.
Overall, therefore, you will take about 2 to 5 months and answer the question of how long it takes to get a real estate license in Florida.
Once you get a real estate Sales Associate license in Florida, you kickstart a very lucrative career. Your average earnings per year would be about $102k even though it varies between cities. For example, it is $105k in Tampa per year on the highest side and $95k in Lakeland FL on the lower end.