HOW TO GET A REAL ESTATE LICENSE IN Florida

In a nutshell here is how to get your real estate license in Florida.

Now let’s cover each of these steps in detail.

Who Needs a Real Estate License in Florida?

Real estate Brokers and Salespersons are people who earn a living from various activities, such as buying, selling, or renting properties on behalf of their clients. 

If you are new to the real estate industry and if you want to work in Florida real estate, you would need to start as a real estate Sales Associate. A Sales Associate in Florida works for a real estate broker/brokerage firm and earns a commission from buying, selling, or renting properties on behalf of the brokerage firm’s clients. 

To do this, you would first need a Florida Sales Associate license. 

Only after working as a Sales Associate for 2 years will you be able to apply for your Florida Broker license.

 

How Much Can a Real Estate Agent Earn in Florida?

The average salary for a real estate agent (or  Sales Associate) in Florida is around $102,702 per year. 

To get information that is up-to-date please visit Indeed.com.

Type “real estate agent” in the What box and “Florida” in the Where box.

Then click “Search”

On the same page, scroll down and you will also find a breakdown of the highest paying cities in Florida for real estate agents. 

Below you can see a list of what a real estate agent can expect to earn in Tampa, Miami,  Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Jacksonville, Saint Petersburg, Palm Beach Gardens, Naples and Lakeland.

What are the Types of Real Estate Licenses Offered in Florida?

There are 5 different types of licenses that the state of FLorida offers. Let’s take a look at them in more detail.

1. Real Estate Sales Associate -  A real estate sales associate is a person who has the same responsibilities as a broker but works under the direction and management of a real estate broker.

You should know that there are three types of Sales Associate licenses. For more information you can look up information from the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) on the DBPR website. You will find useful information especially if you are currently serving, or have been serving in the military.

We will focus our attention mostly on the Initial Application Sales Associate License as that is the most popular.

2. Real Estate Broker - You can only apply for a Broker license once you’ve worked for at least 2 years as a Sales Associate. While Sales Associates may only work under the supervision of a Broker, a FL Broker can be self-employed and may also hire Sales Associates to work for them. 

If you are new to the real estate profession, then you will need a real estate Sales Associate license to start working in Florida. 

This guide will give you the information you need to get your Sales Associate license. 

If you are already licensed in another state and want to work in Florida, then there are ways to use the Florida license Reciprocity or Mutual Recognition. 

We will cover these later in this guide.

Step #1: 

Complete the Florida 63-Hour Real Estate License Course

The first step in getting your license is to complete the 63-hour Florida pre-licensing course. This course will cover everything you need to know to become a Sales Associate and will help you prepare for the FL State licensing exam. 

The pre-licensing course is offered only by education providers that are approved by the DBPR. The DBPR website has a list of approved pre-license education providers. 

If you hold a 4-year + degree in real estate, then you may not need to take the pre-license education. 

If you would like to check your eligibility for exemption then you can send an original certified transcript with cover letter to: Division of Real Estate, Attention: Education Section, 400 West Robinson Street, Suite N801 Orlando, Florida 32801.

Step #3: 

Apply for Your Florida Real Estate License

The next step is to apply for a license with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Once approved, you will receive a notice with your real estate application ID number.

Visit the Florida DBPR website and click on Apply or Manage My License.

Next, you will see a list of businesses from which you will have to select the Real Estate Commission option. 

Next, click to top Apply for A License tab.

Under the Real Estate Sales Associates options you can choose Initial Application-Sales Associate License (Form RE 1).

You can choose either to apply online or via a printable version of the application form.

If you select ‘Apply Using Online Services’, you will see the ‘Welcome to DBPR Online Services’, where you will need to create an account and log in to submit your application.

If you select ‘Apply Using a Printable Application’, you will have to print, fill out and sign the application form. 

Along with it, you will need to attach a copy of your high school diploma and a check for $83.75. The check is  made payable to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

It takes about 10 days to get your application approval. 

Once approved, you will receive an email notification and a candidate ID number (FLREAPP ID) from the DBPR, which you must use when scheduling your state exam.

Step #5: 

Pass the Florida Real Estate State Exam

The next step to getting your license is to pass the State Exam. 

You will need to provide evidence of having completed the pre-licensing course, when you apply to take the state exam. 

You must take the Florida State Exam through Pearson Vue. 

Pearson Vue provides assessment services to regulatory agencies and national associations. It also offers licensing and credentialing support services. 

You can go to the Pearson Vue website to create your account and schedule your Florida real estate State Exam. 

Click Create Account, and enter your first and last name, and your FLREAPP ID. 

After you complete your registration process, you will receive the dates on which you can take your exam. 

You have two options when selecting a testing location: 

• traditional test center or 
• remote online proctored. 

If you select the traditional test centers, you may choose 30 locations from where you can sit for your exam. 

Click Find a test center on the Florida Real Estate & Appraisers link https://home.pearsonvue.com/fl/realestate.

Next, type in the address or state in the search bar. 

You will now see a list of traditional test center locations that you can choose from. 

If you choose remote online proctored, the testing will be provided online. You will be monitored by an authorized, neutral, supervisor.  They will identify the test taker and ensure the integrity of the test taking environment. 

You will need a functioning home computer or laptop with a webcam with microphone and good internet connection. 

Your exams will be proctored and monitored by a live proctor.

There are 100 multiple choice questions on the Florida Real Estate State Exam. You will get three and a half hours to complete it. You must score at least a 75% to pass. 

You will receive your exam result immediately after completing your Florida real estate state exam.

Step #7: 

Complete the Florida Sales Associate Post-Licensing Course

All new Florida Sales Associate licenses must be renewed within 18 to 24 months from the date the license is assigned. The renewal dates are pre-determined and will either be March 31st or September 30th.

To renew your license, you must complete a 45-hour post licensing course.

Once you complete the 45-hour post-licensing course, you can renew your license online through your myfloridalicense.com account and pay the $32 renewal fee. 

Going forward, in order to keep your license active, you will be required to complete 14 hours of continuing education twice a year.
 

Florida Real Estate License Reciprocity

The state of Florida has a mutual recognition agreement or reciprocity with these states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

If you already have an active license in one of these states, you will only need to take the Florida law portion of the State Exam. 

This part of the exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions. You must answer 30 questions correctly to pass the exam. 

What are the Florida Real Estate License Variable Costs?

It costs about $250 to $700 to get a real estate license in Florida, and can take 4-6 months depending on how much you study. A great way to save time and money is to take the Florida real estate course online rather than going for a physical classroom setting.

Making sure you choose a school that is FREC approved and that has a high pass rate is essential.

We have provided details about the Florida Real Estate License course from RealEstateU®. We have also included information about courses from other schools below. They follow the same curriculum provided by the state so most of these courses are similar. 

Online Florida Real Estate Licensing Courses

RealEstateU® offers the 63-hour Florida Real Estate License course online for $69. The course is thorough, with online support, and is the most affordable for students who want a complete package. 

PDH Academy offers its online FLorida Real Estate course for $125.30.

The CE Shop offers its Premium Package for the FLorida Real Estate course for $349.

The Florida Real Estate School offers the Pre-license course with a Basic package starting at $224.99. 

Physical Classes For Florida Real Estate Licensing Courses

There are in-person courses available as well. 

Let’s take a look at the cost of these courses.

The Tampa School of Real Estate offers its FL real estate licensing in-class course for $497. 

The Gold Coast Schools offers a range of in-person courses starting at $559 up to $799. 

Online courses are typically a lot more cost effective than classroom courses. They offer you the flexibility to study at your own pace without the need for travel and pre-defined learning schedules.

Most online courses are entirely on-demand. That means they are self-paced and you study the material on your own through an online platform. 

Some education providers include Live Stream courses within their online course offerings. Live Stream courses include an instructor who guides you through the course content in an online platform. 

These courses are more expensive than courses that are on-demand as they mimic an in-class environment but in an online setting.

Now let’s look at the fixed costs you can expect to incur for a Florida Real Estate Associate license.

 

What are the Florida Real Estate Licensing Fixed Costs?

The fixed costs for the Florida Real Estate Course are:

Now that we have both the variable and the fixed costs, we can calculate the total applicable costs for acquiring a Florida Real Estate Associate License. 

If you choose the most cost-effective online course from RealEstateU, your total estimated costs would look as follows.

Estimated Time for Completing the Florida Real Estate License Education Requirements

30 Days to 2 months  (depends on you)

It takes the state of Florida 30 days to review your application.

You can complete the pre-licensing course within the 30-day period so that you can take the state exam once the application is approved.

Some students manage to complete the 63-Hour pre-licensing education in a few weeks. Others take several months. It all comes down to how much time in a day you can dedicate towards studying. 

It can take anywhere between 2-5 months to get a Florida real estate license.

In case there are errors, or the application is incomplete, the DBPR will send you a notice within 30 days. They will either approve or deny the application within 90 days.

 

Track Application Process, Florida State Exam Results, and Background Checks

You will be able to track your application status using the official site of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Once you have passed the exam, you will have to submit your fingerprint to the DBPR at least 5 days before submitting your application to the state. 

You can find more information on the DBPR website.

After passing your state exam:

• You will receive your results immediately.
• Pearson Vue will upload your grade to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation system.
• You will receive your real estate license number.
• The license will be issued in an inactive status within 7 to 10 days.

After receiving your license information, your sponsoring broker will sign your license activation form and submit it to the Florida Real Estate Commission. 

You are now ready to begin your career as a Real Estate Associate in Florida!