Although the process for obtaining your real estate license is similar in many states, no two states are quite the same. Getting your real estate license in Florida is a little easier than it is in other states, which is great news for people looking to sell vacation homes or welcome snowbirds into the state.
If you’re considering making a big career change, here’s what you need to know to prepare to obtain your Florida real estate license and start working in the Sunshine State.
What Are the Prerequisites for Obtaining a Real Estate License in Florida?
No states require real estate agents to have a college education, although many real estate agents find that a formal education in a relevant field makes them better at their jobs. This part is optional.
You can pursue a college education if you feel as though it will help you better yourself in your new real estate career. You can get the same education later on down the road when you’re financially secure enough to avoid student loan debt.
The only educational requirement necessary to begin the process of obtaining a real estate license in Florida is a high school diploma or a GED.
The state of Florida has recently adjusted its state laws to allow students to pursue their GED with flexible classes online. If you don’t have a GED and you live a busy lifestyle, these classroom courses are easily accessible and highly affordable.
You also need to have a United States social security number, and you must be at least 18 years of age. You do not need to be a resident of Florida to get your license there. This sunny state has reciprocity agreements with the following states:
- Arkansas
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
If you have a criminal record, you may not be able to obtain a real estate license. Felonies often exclude people from becoming real estate agents, but most misdemeanors are usually acceptable.
What Are the Steps To Get a Real Estate License in Florida?
There are roughly six steps to obtaining a real estate license in Florida. These steps need to be completed in a specific order. If you plan ahead, it should be easy to streamline the process of obtaining your license in as little time as possible.
- Complete the required real estate agent course
- Pass the course completion exam
- Submit to a background check and fingerprinting
- Fill out your license application, pay the fee, and send it in
- Pass your two-part final exam
- Receive your Florida license
When you take your real estate agent course, your instructor will have a list of guidelines and things you need to do. They’ll be able to point you in the direction of helpful resources and tell you who to contact about specific aspects of the process in the event that you have any questions.
What Is the Real Estate License Course in Florida?
Every state has its own real estate pre-license course that covers what state and national laws mandate that agents know before they begin working. These courses teach learners about regulations and laws, how mortgages and real estate contracts work, the structure of the real estate business, and how to work within a real estate brokerage.
The real estate license course in Florida is one of the shortest courses in the United States. Some states require learners to complete nearly 200 hours of material. Florida requires a mere 63-hours.
To put that into perspective, manicure technicians have to complete 240 hours; barbers have to put in 1,200 hours. Becoming a real estate agent is simpler than beginning most trades.
Once you’ve completed your clock hours, you’ll take an exam at the end of the course. To pass, you’ll need to make a grade of 70% or higher. If you fail, you can retake the test again within one year of that date. If you fail twice, you have to take the entire course over again.
Never Stop Learning
If you need more time to learn, you can spend more time learning. The minimum is 63 hours, but you may choose to take longer if you need a little more time to process the information.
Make sure to take great notes throughout the process, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something. Take your time studying before your exam to improve your odds of passing on the first try.
When you pass your class, you’ll need to find a sponsoring licensed broker. You won’t be able to work for yourself as a real estate agent unless and until you become a real estate broker. When you begin working in real estate, you’ll work under a broker who oversees your work.
This person is your first job opportunity. You want them in your corner throughout the process, and they may be willing to help you prepare for your final state exam if you intend to come work for them once you’re licensed. Later, you can take your Florida broker’s license and become a broker yourself.
What is the Real Estate License Exam in Florida?
After you’ve submitted your fingerprints to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), they’ll review your record. Most people will be approved. With that approval, you’ll be given an application ID number for a real estate license. This ID number serves as your formal permission to take the official real estate license exam.
The Florida Salesperson License Exam is actually two exams, but they’re given in the same session. The first exam is real estate law, regulations, and practices specific to the state of Florida. The second exam is focused on national and federal real estate information. You must pass both exams to obtain your real estate license.
If you fail one of the two exams, you won’t have to retake both. You’ll still receive credit for the exam you passed.
The goal should always be to pass on the first try. If you need to take time to study, make sure you’ve given yourself enough time. The real estate broker that is sponsoring you would likely be willing to help you pass your real estate exam. If you’re concerned about passing, arrange a sit-down for some study help.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Real Estate License in Florida?
How much it costs to get a real estate license depends on how much you need to spend to achieve what’s necessary. If you only have to take the course and the exam once, your grand total will come in at less than $400.
- Cost of The Course – $200
- Cost to Apply for License – $89
- Cost of Florida Real Estate License Exam – $36.75
- Cost of Fingerprinting – $40 – 60
When budgeting for your course, take everything into consideration. Your commute, the time you have to take off work, and childcare costs are important parts of the bigger picture.
If you’re saving up, stash at least twice what you need to avoid the bumps in your budget from costs you forgot to consider. After passing your exam, it will take seven to 10 business days to receive your license.
How Long Does It Take To Get a Real Estate License in Florida?
You can get your real estate license in Florida in as little as two months. This flexibility doesn’t mean you have to move through the course so fast. The course is already very short, which is a double-edged sword.
It’s obviously easier and more convenient to complete a shorter course, but the course only teaches you the bare minimum. You want to walk away from the Florida real estate exam, completely mastering the material and feeling as confident as possible.
Many people take as long as five months to get their license from beginning their course to receiving their license. They have the right idea. Pace yourself and make sure you’re getting everything you can from this experience. Take practice exams often. It’s critical to treat real estate school and the licensure process seriously.
When you consider how five months of learning compares to four years of university education, the time is just a drop in the bucket. You’ll be enjoying your real estate career before you know it.
How To Make Money as a Real Estate Agent in Florida
Florida’s short real estate course only teaches you the things that the law requires you to know. It doesn’t give you any of the information you need to become productive or successful as a real estate agent. It doesn’t teach you how to advertise: effective advertising practices are essential elements of any real estate agent’s success.
In short — you may be able to legally act as a real estate agent, but you haven’t actually learned how to be a great real estate agent. You still have a vast wealth of information to uncover before you’ll actually start making a living in the real estate industry.
Learn and Listen
You will want to keep learning; your education needs to continue past the post-licensing process. Podcasts are an excellent tool for passive learning. You’re going to spend a lot of time driving around as a real estate agent.
You’ll be attending a lot of meetings and going to a lot of open houses, which means you’ll spend a lot of time driving. Swapping the music for a real estate industry podcast is a great way to learn useful information without taking up extra time.
Read and Take Notes
If you’re a reader, stop scrolling through your phone and pick up a book. Whip out your copy of Harris Rules: A Real Estate Agent’s Practical, No-BS, Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming Rich and Free by Tim and Julie Haris and learn from the experts.
They’ve been in the business long enough to know what works and what doesn’t and are here to pass on their business success tips. If you’re not much of a reader, the podcast philosophy still applies. If you get it as an audiobook, you can learn while you’re putting away laundry or cooking dinner. It won’t take extra time.
Get a Real Estate Coach
The best way to maximize your potential as a real estate agent is to get a real estate coach. Harris Real Estate University offers coaching programs for real estate agents of all levels of experience, including beginners.
Learners get access to an online account furnished with our massive self-service learning library that covers every aspect of selling, buying, and listing properties, as well as generating leads.
You’ll be able to talk with a Harris certified coach about your personal goals. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses will help you become the best real estate agent you can be. Let your coach guide you to your fullest potential.
Schedule a free coaching consultation to learn how a coach can help you slay your goals.
Sources
Online Services | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Florida GED Policies | GED Online
Sales Associate Initial Application (RE 1) | My Florida License
