How To Get A Florida Real Estate License

If you call or text Paula Stone 850-557-7991, she will walk you step by step through the entire process to get you approved to take the state exam and get your real estate license.  So, please don’t let all this overwhelm you.  She will help you from start to finish.

How to get a Florida real estate license is the first thing you need to know to get started. In a few short weeks, you can be ready to take your state exam. Reviewing the steps before you take your course can help you understand the pre-license and post-license requirements. If you have any questions, you can give us a call. You can also verify information through the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) office at (850) 487-1395 or visit the Florida Real Estate Commission website.

Florida Real Estate License Requirements

First off you must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent. (more detailed information is available in Chapter 475.17, Florida Statutes), and fulfill the following:

Real Estate Associate

  • When you have made the decision to become a sales associate, we recommend you submit a completed Application and do the electronic fingerprinting, with appropriate fees, then start your class. This will ensure that you are approved to take the state exam as soon as you finish your course with little or no waiting.
  • Successfully complete a FREC-approved pre-licensing course for sales associates (Course I) consisting of 63 classroom or online hours and covering the topics required by the FREC. The course is valid for licensure purposes for two years after the course completion date. A minimum grade of 70% is required on the end-of-course examination. (If you fail your end-of-course examination, you must wait 30 days from the date of the original examination to retest) [Note: Online end-of-course examinations are administered online].
  • Pass the Florida Real Estate Sales Associate examination with a grade of at least 75 or pass the Florida Real Estate Law Examination with a grade of at least 30. Submit a completed RE 11 form to activate the license. The license is issued in an inactive status. Your broker will help you with this.

Post license

  • Successfully complete a FREC-approved post-licensing course for sales associate consisting of at least 45 classroom-hours, prior to the expiration of the initial sales associate license. This applies whether holding an active or inactive license,

Real Estate Broker

  • Hold an active real estate sales associate license and complete 24 months of real estate experience during the 5 year period preceding becoming licensed as a broker OR a licensed real estate sales associate or broker who has real estate experience in another state may apply the experience toward a Florida real estate broker license if the applicant has held an active sales associate or a current and valid broker license for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years. The real estate license must have been obtained from the real estate licensing authority by completing its education and examination requirements. NOTE: If the applicant holds a Florida real estate sales associate license, the applicant must fulfill the sales associate post-licensing education requirement before being eligible to obtain a broker license.
  • When you have made the decision to become a Broker or Broker associate, we recommend you submit a completed Application and do the electronic fingerprinting, with appropriate fees, then start your class. This will ensure that you are approved to take the state exam as soon as you finish your course with little or no waiting.
  • Successfully complete a FREC approved pre-licensing course for brokers (Course II) consisting of 72 classroom hours and covering the topics required by the FREC. The course is valid for licensure purposes for two years after the course completion date.
    A minimum grade of 70% is required on the end-of-course examination. (If you fail your
    end-of-course examination, you must wait 30 days from the date of the original
    examination to retest) [Note: Online end-of-course examinations are administered online].
  • Pass the Florida Real Estate Broker Examination with a grade of at least 75
  • Submit a completed RE 11 form to activate the license, otherwise, the license is issued in an inactive status. To immediately begin working as a real estate broker, submit the completed RE 11 form to the Division of Real Estate.

Post license

Successfully complete a FREC-approved post-licensing course for brokers consisting of at least 60 classroom hours prior to the expiration of the initial broker license.

Continuing Education

  • Florida licensees are required to renew their license every two years based on the issue date of the initial license. A total of 14 hours of continuing education is required, with three of those hours in required subjects as mandated by the Florida Real Estate Commission.

For more information on Continuing Education Requirements, read Florida Statute 475.182

License Application Process

Rowlett Real Estate School recommends that, if at all possible, as soon as you decide to take the sales associate license course or the broker license course, you should:

1. First make application to the state.

This will insure that you are approved to take the state test and will also allow you to take the state exam as soon as you finish your course with no waiting.

The application can be found online at www.myfloridalicense.com. To get to the Application click on Apply for License, select Real Estate as the Profession, select Sales Associate/Broker-Sales Associate, and select Sales Associate License – Florida Resident (Form RE-1). This page will show the Application Requirements. Go to the bottom of the page and select either Apply Using Online Servicesor Apply Using a Printable Application.

The school recommends you complete the application online because it is faster. Payment is due when the application is submitted. Payment can be made by credit card if submitting the application online, or by mailing a check in with the application.

Complete the application as honestly and accurately as you know how.

DISCLOSE ALL Especially the section on Background questions.

The application fee to the state of Florida is $105 for Sales Associate and $115 for Broker.

2. Get your Fingerprinting taken at a Pearson VUE Exam Center

Reservations are necessary for this process. Reservations can be completed online at https://fl.ibtfingerprint.com/

The fee for the fingerprint process is around 69 dollars, and payment is due when making the appointment.

You MUST bring two forms of valid non expired identification with you to your fingerprint appointment. One must be a photo bearing government issued ID. Signatures are required to be on both forms of Identification. Fingerprints will not be taken if you do not have the proper identification with you, and you will be considered absent and will forfeit a portion of your fingerprint fee.

You may not bring any other parties other than yourself with you for your appointment, such as children, family members, or pets.

3. While taking your class, you can check periodically for your application approval.

You can check the status of your application online at www.myfloridalicense.com on or if you prefer you may call “The Call Center” in Tallahassee at 850-487-1395 and ask if you are approved.

4. Complete the required course

5. It is advisable to go immediately and schedule to take the state board exam.

Once your application is approved by the state and you have completed and passed the required course, we recommend you schedule with Pearson VUE test center to take the State Board Exam as soon as possible. Call 888-204-6289 or go online to www.pearsonvue.com to schedule your exam at one of the Pearson VUE test centers. It’s best to make the appointment by phone as the appointment times are better updated. Payment is due when making the appointment.

Pearson VUE Schedule

Exams are scheduled Monday through Saturday.

· The call centers hours are:

· Monday through Friday: 8:00 A. M. to 11:00 P. M. EST

· Saturday: 8:00 A. M. to 5:00 P. M. EST

· Sunday: 10:00 A. M. to 4:00 P. M. EST

TESTING CENTER LOCATIONS

Location 1062 – Pensacola, Fl 32504

Pensacola Pearson Vue Test Center – Eastgate Plaza, 7141 D North 9th Ave

Location 1063 – Tallahassee, Fl 32301

Tallahassee Pearson Vue Test Center – Capital Circle Commerce Center,

508 Capital Circle SE Suite D-1

Location 3311 – Dothan, Al 36303

Dothan Pearson Professional Center – Carmel Plaza, 2623 Montgomery Hwy, Suite 4

What to bring with you to your appointment for State Board Testing at the Pearson VUE Testing Center

You MUST bring the Rowlett Real Estate School completion certificate for the required course to the exam center NOT the “wall certificate”. A copy of the completion certificate is accepted.

You MUST bring two forms of valid non expired identification with you to your appointment. One must be a photo bearing government issued identification. Signatures are required to be on both forms of Identification.

If you do not have the required items with you, you will be considered absent and will be denied access to the examination room. You will forfeit the full examination fee.

Upon arriving, you will be asked for the items above, and will be given a form to fill out. You will then be asked to stand in front of a camera for a picture that will appear on the pass/fail end of test form.

You will be asked to put your personal items in a locker and you can only take a non-programmable calculator in the testing room. No food, drink, candy, or gum is allowed in the testing room. No items are allowed in pockets of clothing, and Kleenex will be furnished if needed. The testing room is monitored by cameras and a staff member will escort you in and out of the room. The security rules are strictly enforced. A pencil and a sheet of paper will be furnished for notes and math problems.

You will be escorted by a staff member into the testing room to a user friendly computer based terminal that will be used for the exam. The staff member will give a brief explanation of how to use the testing equipment. You will be given a total of 3.5 hours to complete the examination. Use the time wisely. The computer allows you to mark the questions that may need more time to answer and then go back to them once the easier questions are answered. Remember, the goal is to answer as many questions correctly as possible, and this allows better use of the time. There is no penalty for guessing.

What happens if I pass or fail? The test is graded immediately upon completion at the test site.

PASS: Pearson VUE will give you a notice stating “PASS” and this will serve as a temporary license until the actual license is received by mail – approximately 3 weeks. The license will be considered inactive until you are employed by a broker/owner. The passing score will not be indicated on the notice.

FAIL: Pearson Vue will give you a notice stating “FAIL” with a breakdown of the score for the categories of law, principles and practices, and math. The breakdown will advise you of the areas that need to be studied before retaking the test.

The incorrectly answered questions may be reviewed by making an appointment with the testing service, but you must wait at least 24 hours to call for scheduling the review. A fee of $35.00 is charged for the review.

The test may be retaken, but you must wait at least 24 hours to call to reschedule. A fee of $31.50 is charged to retake the test.

Mutual Recognition

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation mutual recognition resources.

Florida has entered into a mutual recognition agreement with eleven (11) of the following states, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Qualified residents from these states may get a Florida real estate license by passing a forty (40) question examination. The exam tests knowledge of Florida real estate license law, statutes and administrative rules. The exam is the same for sales associates or brokers.
There are no requirements that an applicant must attend a course for this exam, but we do suggest the following methods of preparation.

Self Study the Sales Associate’s course text.

Florida Real Estate Principles, Practices & Law -Linda Crawford

Attend a sales associate class during the License Law segment.

This consists of the first twenty-four (24) hours of our Sales Associate Licensing Course.
This can be accomplished by attending the first three (3) classes. .

The License Law Course fee is $159.00. It includes the Sales Associate text above.
For scheduling, refer to our Pre Sales Associate License Course schedule for starting dates and classroom locations.

Attend the Sales Associate State Exam Cram Course

The Exam Cram Course price of $125.00 includes a review text.
For scheduling, refer to our Pre Sales Associate’s State Exam Cram Course schedule for starting dates and classroom locations.

Mutual Recognition rules apply only to individuals whom are NOT Florida
residents as defined by Florida Statute 475

What if I am licensed in a state other than those with Mutual Recognition?

If you are a licensed real estate Sales Associate or broker who have real estate experience in another state that is not mutually recognized. Then you may apply the experience toward a Florida real estate broker license if you have held an active Sales Associate, or a current and valid broker license for at least twenty-four (24) months during the past five (5) years.