How to get a Sales Associate license in Florida

Florida real estate agent licenses

Florida issues 3 real estate agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for several of the Florida real estate agent licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

1. Every license level (all 3)

Requirements

Minimum age

18 years old¹⁵

High school diploma or GED

Required¹⁵

Background check

Background check required⁴
Fingerprints required¹⁵

Social Security number

A United States Social Security number is required to apply.⁴¹⁴

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years⁶

When it expires

Biennial license period. DBPR mails a renewal notice 60 days before the period ends.⁷

Continuing education

At least 14 hours each renewal period⁷

Required topics

3 hours Core Law each renewal period¹⁶
3 hours Business Ethics each renewal period¹⁶
At least 8 hours of specialty courses¹⁶

Approved courses

Florida accredited universities, colleges and community colleges, area technical centers, registered real estate schools; approved providers may offer specialty courses only. Pass mark 80%.¹⁶

Exemptions

First renewal: post-licensing education applies instead of 14-hour CE.¹²
Active members in good standing of The Florida Bar are exempt.¹⁶

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $25⁵ (late renewal of an involuntarily inactive license, in addition to the current renewal fee for each period)

If it expires

A license not renewed by the end of the period automatically reverts to involuntarily inactive.⁷
Involuntarily inactive 12 months or less: 14 hours of commission-prescribed CE to reactivate.¹⁷
Involuntarily inactive more than 12 but fewer than 24 months: 28 hours of commission-prescribed education to reactivate.¹⁷
Involuntarily inactive more than 2 years: the license expires and is null and void.¹⁷
Reinstatement of a void license for illness or economic hardship: apply within 6 months.¹⁷

Renew online

myfloridalicense.com¹⁸

From another state

2. Every license level except Broker Associate

Fees

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, Pearson VUE⁸²³, when you schedule.

How to apply

1. Apply to DBPR online or on the printable application (RE 1 for sales associates, RE 2 for brokers) and pay the fee. The course can come after the application.⁴¹⁴ myfloridalicense.com⁴¹⁴
2. Submit fingerprints through an FDLE-registered Livescan provider right after applying.⁴¹⁴
3. After DBPR approval, book and pass the state exam with Pearson VUE (75 of 100 points).⁸²³

Apply online

myfloridalicense.com⁴¹⁴

Application form

Form (PDF, www2.myfloridalicense.com)⁴¹⁴

3. Every license level except Sales Associate

Requirements

Education or training

72 classroom hours²
Course II, Commission-prescribed broker pre-license course²
Who may teach it: Florida accredited universities, colleges, community colleges and area technical centers offering transferable credit, or real estate schools registered under s. 475.451. Pass mark 70%; no more than 8 classroom hours missed. Correspondence only for hardship.²
Alternative: 4-year degree or higher in real estate from an accredited institution: exempt.²

Education or training

60 classroom hours²⁵
Broker post-licensing education before the first renewal (license is void if missed)¹²
Who may teach it: Accredited Florida colleges, career centers, registered real estate schools or Commission-approved sponsors; pass mark 75%.²⁵
Alternative: 4-year real estate degree: exempt.¹²

Experience

At least 24 months¹²
Active sales associate under one or more brokers (Florida, another US jurisdiction or a foreign one), government employment on a current sales associate license, or a broker license elsewhere¹⁵
Supervision: Under one or more licensed brokers¹²
License you must hold first: Florida sales associates must also have finished sales associate post-licensing education.¹²
Substitute: Government employee holding a current sales associate license for 24 of the last 60 months¹²
Substitute: Broker license in another jurisdiction for 24 of the last 60 months¹²
Substitute: Out-of-state experience counts; certification of license history required²³

Exam

Florida Broker licensure examination³
Given by: Pearson VUE²³
Passing score: 75 points out of 100³
When you can take it: DBPR must approve the application before the exam can be scheduled; fingerprints are submitted through an FDLE-registered Livescan provider right after applying. Bring the course completion certificate, the examination admissions authorization letter and ID to the exam. The course is valid for 2 years.²⁶
45 points law³
40 points principles and practices³
15 points real estate mathematics³
Time limit: The application expires 2 years after receipt if the exam is not passed, and course completion is invalid if the exam is not passed within 2 years of completion.²⁷
Exam waived: No Florida exam for qualifying military applicants holding a valid license elsewhere.²²

Who needs a Sales Associate license

Performs brokerage acts for others for compensation, under the direction, control or management of a broker or owner/developer. Only one registered employer at a time.¹³

Exemptions and dollar thresholds:

• Exempt from ch. 475 part I: owners selling, exchanging or leasing their own real property (unless using transaction-paid agents in the ordinary course of selling to the public).²⁸
• Exempt: attorneys at law and CPAs within the scope of their duties, attorneys in fact executing contracts or conveyances only, and court-appointed fiduciaries.²⁸
• Exempt: salaried onsite leasing employees of an apartment community.²⁸
• Exempt: salaried condominium or cooperative managers arranging rentals of 1 year or less.²⁸
• Exempt: renting transient occupancy in a public lodging establishment licensed under ch. 509.²⁸
• Tenant finder fees: apartment owners or property managers may pay an unlicensed tenant up to $50 per transaction.²⁸

Requirements for a Sales Associate license

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Applies to every license level.

Education or training

63 classroom hours²
Course I, Commission-prescribed pre-license course²
Who may teach it: Florida accredited universities, colleges, community colleges and area technical centers offering transferable credit, or real estate schools registered under s. 475.451. Pass mark 70%; no more than 8 classroom hours missed. Correspondence only for hardship.²
Alternative: 4-year degree or higher in real estate from an accredited institution: exempt.²
Alternative: Active members in good standing of The Florida Bar: exempt.²

Education or training

45 classroom hours²⁵
Post-licensing education before the first renewal (license is void if missed)¹²
Who may teach it: Accredited Florida colleges, career centers, registered real estate schools or Commission-approved sponsors; pass mark 75%.²⁵
Alternative: 4-year real estate degree: exempt.¹²

Exam

Florida Sales Associate licensure examination³
Given by: Pearson VUE⁸
Passing score: 75 points out of 100³
When you can take it: DBPR must approve the application before the exam can be scheduled; fingerprints are submitted through an FDLE-registered Livescan provider right after applying. Bring the course completion certificate, the examination admissions authorization letter and ID to the exam. The course is valid for 2 years.²⁶
45 points law³
45 points principles and practices³
10 points real estate mathematics³
Time limit: The application expires 2 years after receipt if the exam is not passed, and course completion is invalid if the exam is not passed within 2 years of completion.²⁷
Exam waived: No Florida exam for qualifying military applicants holding a valid license elsewhere.¹⁰

How much a Sales Associate license costs

How to apply

1. Complete the 63-hour Course I pre-license course, unless exempt, and pass the end-of-course exam at 70%.²
2. Activate with an employing broker: file RE 11 signed by the broker, or have the broker add you online.²⁹

Renewal and continuing education

Renewal fee

$64⁵

Broker Associate

Qualified as a broker but works as a sales associate under another broker; DBPR's portal calls it Broker Sales Associate. One registered employer at a time.¹¹

How to apply

1. Meet all broker requirements, then work under an employing broker: file RE 11 signed by the broker, or have the broker add you online.¹¹

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 3 under Applies to every license level.

Broker

Appraises, auctions, sells, exchanges, buys or rents real property or business enterprises for others for compensation, or advertises doing so. Must keep an office with a sign.¹⁴

Requirements

Business requirements

Partnerships, LLPs, LLCs and corporations acting as a broker must register; registration lapses if no active broker member holds a license.³⁰

Fees

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

1. Complete the 72-hour Course II pre-license course, unless exempt, and pass the end-of-course exam at 70%.²
2. Register your office and any firm with the Commission.³⁰

Renewal

Renewal fee

$72⁵

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2 and group 3 under Applies to every license level.

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a real estate agent in Florida, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Florida is on the Florida license lookup page.

Look up a license

myfloridalicense.com¹⁸

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Fla. Stat. 475.01 (definitions)
• Fla. Stat. 475.011 (exemptions)
• Fla. Stat. 475.15 (firm registration)
• Fla. Stat. 475.161 (licensing of broker associates and sales associates)
• Fla. Stat. 475.17 (qualifications)
• Fla. Stat. 475.175 (examinations)
• Fla. Stat. 475.180 (nonresident licenses)
• Fla. Stat. 475.181 (licensure)
• Fla. Stat. 475.182 (renewal; continuing education)
• Fla. Stat. 475.183 (inactive status)
• Fla. Stat. 475.42 (violations and penalties)
• Fla. Stat. 455.02 (military licensure)
• Fla. Stat. 455.213
• Fla. Stat. 455.2281
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-1.011
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-1.014 (inactive renewal)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-2.027 (applications by individuals)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-2.0261 (refunds)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-2.029 (examination)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-3.008 (pre-licensing education)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-3.009 (continuing education)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-3.010 (reactivation education)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-3.013 (hardship)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-3.020 (post-licensing education)

Common questions

Real estate agent licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming