Tips On How to Renew Your Florida Real Estate License
Requirements for Renewing A Real Estate Agent License in Florida
It is mandatory for real estate professionals in Florida to renew their licenses every two years on expiry.
This is to ensure that all licensees are up-to-date with their knowledge and skills needed to engage in any real estate transactions.
To maintain your license and its validity, it is important to understand the process and license renewal requirements. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) supervises the license renewal process.
It is mandatory for real estate agents to go as per the specific established norms on Florida real estate license renewal requirements. It is regardless of whether it is a first-time renewal or many times over.
For those who fail to do so, the license will lapse and will be considered inactive in Florida.
Let us now dive into the details for renewing a real estate license in Florida.
Requirements for Continuing Education
If your real estate license is approaching its expiration date, it is prudent to start early and meet all the predetermined renewal requirements.
When an agent in Florida wants to renew a real estate license for the first time, 45 hours of state-approved continuing education must be completed. In the case of brokers in Florida, it is 60 hours of post-license continuing education.
For subsequent license renewals after a gap of another two years, the number of hours of continuing education required is 14 hours. These courses must be completed only from a state approved and licensed education provider. The 14 hours of coursework will cover the following;
- Real Estate Law (3 hours)
- Business Ethics (3 hours)
- Real Estate Electives of your choice (8 hours)
Generally, your continuing education course curriculum is designed to prepare you for real-world applications, and you must complete the same in not more than two attempts.
Renewal Fee and Deadlines
Florida DBPR license renewal deadline is after two years from the date of issuing of your license. You will be issued a reminder notice for renewal of your license either online or via a letter to your mailing address.
All applicants are required to submit the application fee in full for renewing their respective license. Let us check the cost and the fees to be paid to renew a real estate license in Florida Although the cost varies on multiple factors, here is a breakdown of all the required components:
- Renewal Cost for Real Estate Agents: $32
- Renewal Cost for Real Estate Brokers: $36
If you miss your renewal date and want to renew an expired real estate license, then you will have to pay $25 in late fees.
Then comes the cost of completing your post-licensing education, which generally will set you back by around $100 to $250, depending on whether you choose an online course or in-person training.
How to Renew An Expired Florida Real Estate License
Determine Licensing Status
Have missed the license renewal reminder from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)? Maybe you want to check when your license renewal date is due. You can easily find the license status with a simple online search on the DBPR website.
Once you log on the website, you will be asked to enter your information, including your first name and your license number. In case you want to expand your search, you can filter results by location, establishment, license type and category as well.
After hitting search, you will see a list of relevant search results on the basis of the filters you have chosen where you can verify your license status. Here you can find whether your license is active or not.
After determining your real estate license status, you can continue to learn more about your profile and public details by clicking on your name. This will show all your personal and professional details on the same page which you might want to verify and update if needed.
Complete Required Continuing Education
Whether you want to renew an expired real estate license or an existing one, completing continuing education from a Florida DBPR approved course provider is the most important step of the renewal process.
For first time renewal requests, the Florida DBPR requires sales associates to complete post-licensing coursework of 45 hours of education. For real estate brokers, the total coursework duration is 60 hours.
The course curriculum is designed to promote the enforcement and application of best
practices, industry standards and the latest guidelines among real estate professionals.
If you are applying for continuing education course, you can expect to learn about the following:
- Real estate laws and regulations
- Real estate finance and calculations
- Real estate licensing and qualifying requirements
- Real estate rules, violations, restrictions and disciplinary practices
- Real estate housing laws and fair practices
- Real estate safety measures and strategies
As evident, the purpose of making continuing education a mandatory part of the license renewal process is to encourage real estate professionals to stay abreast of the latest developments, updates, guidelines and best practices and use this knowledge to advance in their careers.
Submit Renewal Application
Instead of submitting your application and related documents by mail, it is easier to renew real estate license in Florida online. It will help you save time and effort, plus it is also recommended by the state.
All you need to do is to visit the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) website and submit your license renewal application online.
A one-time renewal fee of $25 for sales associates and $36 for brokers must be paid along with the renewal application. You can pay this amount via Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover or an electronic check.
How to Successfully Renew A Real Estate License in Florida
Stay Updated on Renewal Requirements
In order to keep your real estate license active and valid, it is recommended that you stay updated on renewal requirements. Thankfully, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) sends timely updates and renewal notices so you do not miss out on the license renewal date.
If this is the first time you are going through the Florida DBPR license renewal process, then it can be slightly overwhelming to understand and follow all the state issued requirements and steps.
However, if you follow some simple steps, then renewing your real estate license in Florida will be a breeze and not a cause of stress. Let us go through these steps in detail below:
- Firstly, you should keep your address updated to keep your current information on the file. This is important to ensure that Florida DBPR has the correct address in case they want to contact or notify you. In case you have changed address or moved elsewhere, it is your responsibility to notify the state authority with a Demographic Changes for Real Estate Individuals form.
- Secondly, you should be on the lookout for renewal reminders and notices from Florida DBPR if you are nearing the end of 24 months from the date of issuing of your license. Even if you do not get an email or a mail from the state authority, you can set up a reminder to renew your license before the tentative two year expiration date.
- Thirdly, you can start preparing for your continuing education in advance to ensure you meet the state post-license education requirements. This is important especially if it is going to be your first license renewal, as you will be expected to complete all the courses. If you fail to do so within two subsequent attempts, then your license will be considered as void or null.
If you follow all the above steps diligently, then renewing your real estate license should not be a hassle or a cause of worry.
Plan Ahead and Meet Deadlines
The secret to success in the real estate industry is to plan in advance and stay ahead of the competition curve. To put this belief in practice, you can start early by creating an account on the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) website.
As this account is a must for renewing your license, creating it before the renewal deadline is going to help you save time and last-minute rush.
To create an account, simply visit the Florida DBPR website and provide your personal information and professional details required to complete the registration process.
Once you do that, the next step is to link your existing Florida real estate license to your online profile. This process is very simple and takes only a few steps to complete.
Firstly, you will be asked to provide details about your license number, type of license, your social security number, and other credentials to confirm your identity. Once you go through these steps, your profile will be registered with the Florida DBPR online database.
Complete Continuing Education in Advance
Practicing real estate professionals must complete continuing education to keep their licenses active and valid. This coursework has to be gone through before the expiry date of the license. This means you have two years or 24 months to complete the required coursework and keep your license active and ready for the future.
Many agents and brokers prefer to undergo Florida real estate continuing education and complete the 45 or 60 hours of coursework during their practice to avoid last minute stress and unwanted delays.
Preparing in advance is a good strategy as it gives you enough time to practice and review your courses, which boosts your confidence and improves your execution.