Becoming a Florida real estate broker is a strong step forward in your career. Not only does this advanced license look great on a resume, it also allows you to work independently, open real estate brokerage firms, and manage other agents within these firms.

Getting the Florida Real Estate Broker License is a fairly simple process, but it does require you to complete five steps, and have a few prerequisites before applying or taking the broker’s exam.

This guide covers all of these requirements in a simple, easy-to-understand way that will make it easier for you throughout this process.

Florida Real Estate Agent vs. Real Estate Broker

Florida offers two different types of real estate license: Sales and Broker.

A sales agent’s license is the initial license that real estate agents get in order to sell real estate.

A broker’s license is an advanced license that allows the license holder to operate at a higher level within real estate businesses in Florida.

People often confuse sales agents and brokers. A simple way to look at the difference is that holders of the sales agent’s license are called real estate agents, while holders of the broker’s license are called real estate brokers.

Florida Real Estate Broker License Requirements

First, to be eligible for a real estate broker’s license, you must meet the prerequisites to become a real estate broker in Florida.

These prerequisites are:

• Have completed the necessary steps to obtain your real estate salesperson license, including completion of the 63-hour pre-licensing course and the 45-hour post-licensing sales associate course.
• Maintain an active real estate salesperson license in the five years preceding your broker’s application. In those five years, you must have spent at least 24 months actively working as a sales associate.

Once you’ve successfully completed the necessary steps to obtain your Florida real estate sales associate license and gained the required industry experience, you can begin the process of obtaining your broker’s license.

How to Become a Real Estate Broker in Florida

Once you meet all the requirements listed above, you can follow these five steps to help you get your real estate broker license in Florida.

Step 1: Complete a Florida Broker Pre-Licensing Course

The first step to getting your real estate broker license in Florida is to take the 72-hour pre-licensing course.

The 63-hour course you took to obtain your real estate salesperson license laid the foundation for your brokerage education. They covered the fundamentals of working in the real estate industry and included topics like listing agreements, closings, state-specific laws, and much more.

The required 72 hours of broker pre-licensing courses include the following course topics:

• Real Estate Business
• Real Estate License Law
• Agency Relationships
• Brokers
• Fair Housing
• Property Rights
• Deeds and Titles
• Contracts
• Mortgages
• Closings

If you hold an active license in another state, you may be able to transfer your license to Florida, as the state does offer reciprocity. In Florida, this is known as a mutual recognition agreement. You must provide a certified copy of your license history. This document cannot be more than 30 days old.

Once you’ve completed all of the required pre-licensing coursework, your school will administer an end-of-course exam. The purpose of this examination is to ensure you have retained and can apply the concepts you learned in the pre-licensing course. You must receive a minimum grade of 70% on this final exam to move on to the next phase. This is not the state broker examination.

After receiving a passing grade on your final exam, you will receive a certificate of completion. Save this for your application.

Step 2: Submit a Florida Broker License Application

Now that you’ve completed your pre-licensing education and passed the final course exam, you can apply for your broker’s license. In Florida, you may not sit for your official broker examination until your application has been submitted, paid the application fee, and been fingerprinted for a background check.

To submit your broker license application, you may complete the online application via the DBPR Online Services Portal or submit a paper application by mail. The application fee is $43.00

Make sure to include any required documentation regarding prior experience and pre-licensing education.

Step 3: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

Once you’ve successfully submitted your license application, your next step is to have your fingerprints taken. You must submit your fingerprints via a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)-approved Livescan Service Provider.

To begin this process, locate the Livescan Service Provider you wish to use and contact the provider using the contact information provided. The provider will share the necessary information regarding making an appointment and paying the fingerprinting fee. Fingerprinting fees are set by the vendor and range from $50 to $80.

When you contact the vendor to set your appointment, you will need your Social Security number and the appropriate ORI number. The ORI number for real estate brokers is FL920010Z. It is very important that you provide the vendor with this information.

The FDLE requires that all applicants submit their application for licensure before being fingerprinted. It can take up to five business days for the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) to receive the results of your fingerprint scan.

Step 4: Pass the Florida Real Estate Broker Exam

After completing the steps above, you must take the real estate broker licensing exam via Pearson VUE.

The examination fee is $36.75.

The Florida real estate broker examination consists of 100 multiple choice questions. The test covers state-specific laws and regulations, brokerage management, real estate investments, and other principles you learned in broker school. You must complete the examination in 210 minutes.

You must receive a 75 or higher to pass the Florida Real Estate Broker Exam.

If you don’t receive a passing grade on your broker exam, Florida does allow you to retake the exam. There’s no limit on how many times you can retake the test, but you must wait at least 24 hours before contacting Pearson VUE to schedule a retake.

For more information on the exam, Pearson VUE provides a Candidate Handbook containing the Florida Real Estate Broker Exam Content Outline.

Taking an exam prep course provides you helpful tools and materials, such as quizzes and specific state-only practice exams, to increase your chances of passing your broker license exam the first time.

Step 5: Application Review

Once you receive a passing score on your broker exam, you will have access to an inactive version of your license.

To activate it, you must complete the DBPR RE13 form and file it with the state. This can be done online or via mail.

The Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) should issue your license within 10 business days. To learn the status of your application, you may contact the FREC at (850) 487-1395 or via contact form.

Congratulations!

Now that you’ve successfully passed the broker licensing exam and obtained your license, there are a few things you need to do to keep your broker license active and updated.

Florida Real Estate Broker License Renewal and CE

In the state of Florida, real estate broker licenses must be renewed every two years. Renewal dates are either March 31 or September 30, depending upon when your initial license was activated. The FREC will send you a renewal notice via email within 45 days of your expiration date.

You can renew your license using the DBPR online portal. The renewal fee for brokers is $72.

To renew your broker license in Florida, you will be required to complete 14 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. CE can be taken in the classroom or online. You must complete three hours of education covering Florida Core Law topics and three hours covering Ethics and Business Practices. For the remaining eight hours, you may choose from the FREC-approved course list.

Florida Post-Licensing Education

The FREC requires all new brokers to complete a 60-hour post-license course. This must be completed before your first license renewal date and is considered an extension of your broker CE requirements.

Depending upon when you pass your examination, you will have 18 to 24 months to complete this coursework. If you fail to comply, Florida will revert your license to a real estate salesperson license.

FLDBPR – Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation

Mailing Address:

Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC)
2601 N. Blair Stone Rd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Phone: (850) 487-1395

Fax: (850) 488-8040

Email: Contact Form

Website: http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/real-estate-commission/