The Complete Guide to Getting and Renewing Florida Real Estate License
Real estate is a fascinating and rewarding career path where opportunities for growth and success are abundant.
If you are a Florida resident and want to explore an exciting and lucrative career, working as a real estate agent can be a good start.
Whether it is meeting new people, helping them achieve their dreams, or earning a six-figure income and enjoying handsome commissions, a career in Florida real estate offers a lot.
Florida's real estate landscape is booming and is now home to four of the highest growing real estate markets in the country including - Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville.
Compared to last year, the market witnessed a whopping growth of around 36% in the total number of homes sold.
Plus, the average selling price of a Florida home has increased in value by around 80 percent in the last five years or so.
This indicates that the Peach State is one of the most attractive and exciting places to live, work, and invest among homebuyers and real estate investors.
Thanks to its pristine beauty, pleasant weather, and strong economy, Florida continues to attract migrants from all over the country.
For aspiring agents and brokers, Florida’s steadily growing real estate market offers a fertile opportunity for building a thriving career.
This means you can find more clients and generate more income and commission opportunities by working in a popular and diverse real estate market like Florida.
The best part is that you do not even need a bachelor’s degree to enter the industry.
If you are ready to join the real estate world, this article will give you all the information you need on how to get an FL real estate license easily.
In this guide, we will cover all the aspects of getting a license - right from the basic eligibility criteria to the qualifying education and licensing requirements.
Understanding the need for a Florida real estate license
Be it aspiring professionals or experienced ones, joining the real estate market in Florida is easier than you think.
Thanks to the lower entry barrier and a streamlined, step-by-step process, you can easily start working in the industry within a few months.
However, to be able to work with clients and help them buy or sell properties, you must first obtain your Florida real estate salesperson license.
Since the real estate industry is heavily regulated there are specific rules and regulations to ensure and enforce ethical conduct from real estate professionals.
Without a state-issued license, the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) will not permit you to legally partake in the sale, purchase, or leasing of commercial or personal properties.
A real estate license is state and federal proof that you have fulfilled the minimum qualifying requirements to become a licensed real estate professional.
Once you earn your license, you can freely work with clients anywhere in the Peach State without any restrictions or conditions.
Next, let us give you a quick overview of the role and responsibilities of working as a real estate agent in Florida.
What does a real estate agent do?
Real estate agents handle multiple tasks and juggle numerous duties as part of their job profile.
Although your exact duties and responsibilities might vary depending on your skill and experience level, here are some of the core tasks you can expect to perform.
- Interview and meet potential clients to understand their needs
- Respond to client texts, emails, or phone calls and answer their queries
- Assist clients in the selling, buying, or leasing of residential or commercial properties
- Reviewing and supervising the formulation of deeds, contracts, and agreements
- Liaison with industry professionals such as underwriters, appraisers, and loan officers
- Helping clients negotiate contracts and get the best value for their property
- Formalizing and delivering disclosures and documents related to the deal
- Guiding homeowners in setting up their property for showings and visits
- Assisting home buyers in finding the right mortgage financing and payment plan
- Drafting, filing, and maintaining paperwork and documentation
- Conducting market research to identify popular property markets and hotspots
As you gain experience and knowledge, you can transition into a supervisory role and start delegating most of the above tasks to junior salespersons and agents.
Licensing Requirements for Real Estate Agents
For becoming a real estate agent in Florida, you will need to obtain a state real estate license.
As per the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC), all applicants must fulfill the state licensing requirements and earn their license to assist clients in buying, selling, or leasing real estate anywhere in the state.
Let us look at the basic eligibility requirements to qualify for applying for an agent license.
- You must be at least 18 years of age or older
- You must possess a high school diploma or graduation education
- You must be a legal resident of the U.S. or a lawfully admitted alien with a valid SSN
If you meet the above statutory requirements, you can proceed to fulfill the Florida real estate salesperson education requirements.
The FREC requires all applicants to complete 63 hours of pre-licensing qualifying education from a state-approved education provider.
The education curriculum must cover the mandatory courses as mandated by the FREC and the state and federal guidelines for real estate salespersons.
The pre-licensing education will provide you with the required knowledge and necessary skills to start working in the industry.
You can expect to cover important subjects and fundamental topics such as - Principles of Real Estate, Florida state laws, Real Estate Laws, and Practices of Real Estate among many others.
Note that you can choose to complete the 63 hours of pre-licensing education by joining a real estate college or classroom or by enrolling in an online pre-licensing course.
Generally, it costs between $100 and $800 to complete the real estate pre-licensing education in Florida.
However, the exact amount depends on your education provider, their reputation, the type of learning package you choose, and the medium of content delivery.
One of the significant benefits of online pre-licensing courses is the fact that you can complete the coursework at your own pace.
Due to more flexibility and freedom, many applicants prefer enrolling themselves in online test prep courses and schools.
After completing your pre-licensing education, you will be eligible to take the Florida salesperson licensing exam.
The FREC requires all applicants to take and pass the licensing test to obtain their salesperson license. It is a mandatory requirement if you wish to become a licensed agent.
The test questions are based on the pre-licensing course curriculum and topics. It consists of multiple-choice questions that cover both states as well as national-specific portions.
So, if you are wondering how to get your FL real estate license, then you must prepare to score at least 75 percent or above in the salesperson licensing exam.
However, if you do not clear the salesperson licensing test on the first attempt, you can re-appear for the exam.
In addition to completing the pre-licensing education and successfully passing the salesperson licensing exam, you must also complete background verification and criminal history checks.
Florida law requires all applicants to fulfill the minimum standards for honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness.
To do so, you must submit an electronic copy of your fingerprints to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) along with a copy of your credit report.
It will cost you around $85 to complete the background verification and identity check.
After the Florida DBPR verifies and approves your records, you will be eligible to submit your licensing application.
Florida Continuing Education Requirements for Real Estate Agents
Many first-time applicants presume that once they obtain a real estate salesperson license, they no longer have to worry about additional requirements.
However, like most states, Florida too has established continuing education or post-licensing education requirements for all active license holders.
This can be considered amongst the integral real estate agent Florida requirements to maintain your licensure and ensure you are compliant with the state and federal laws.
The FREC requires all active salespersons and brokers in the state to complete additional education to keep themselves updated, current, and relevant with respect to the updated laws, regulations, and developments.
Completing continuing education requirements is mandatory if you want to renew your salesperson license and continue working in the industry as a certified professional.
It is necessary for all active salesperson license holders to complete additional continuing education every two years from the date when their license was issued to avoid any penalties or late fees.
The FREC requires you to complete 45 hours of coursework as part of the continuing education requirements for license renewal.
Note that once you successfully renew your Florida salesperson license for the first time, you will only have to complete 14 hours of continuing education for each subsequent license renewal.
The 14 CE credits must include the following mandatory courses:
- Real Estate Laws (3 hours)
- Ethics, Consumer Rights, and Fair-Trade Practices (3 hours)
- Speciality Education (8 hours)
Irrespective of whether you are renewing your FL real estate license for the first time or not, you must ensure to adhere to the renewal deadline.
If you fail to complete or submit the continuing education requirements before the license renewal due date, you may have to retake the courses again.
In some cases, you might be asked to pay a late submission fine or penalties. For agents in Florida, the late fee charges are $25 for every late fee renewal instance.
The Need for Continuing Education for Real Estate Agents
Many students often wonder whether there is any practical benefit of completing post-licensing education apart from license renewal.
We believe there are numerous benefits of continuing education for real estate professionals. You should think of it as investing in your career for the long run.
In Florida’s highly competitive market, simply having a real estate license isn’t enough to generate a six-figure income.
In order to stay ahead of the curve, you need to invest in upskilling and innovating and this is where continuing education can be of great help.
Firstly, by completing specialized courses, you can add to your knowledge and expand your horizons beyond the elementary understanding of your profession.
Secondly, keeping up with the latest developments and emerging trends will help you stay sharp and agile in a competitive industry like real estate.
Most importantly, completing continuing education shows that you are committed to growing in your career and it reflects your seriousness towards your profession.