BECOMING A LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER

Education

An applicant must successfully complete the state required sales associate’s 63 hour online or classroom educational course prior to taking the state examination.

A multiple choice type final exam of 100 questions upon completion of this course must be passed with a minimum score of 70%. Successful students receive a notice of satisfactory completion upon completion of the course, which is valid for 2 years. The student should either attach the notice to the state examination application or present it upon appearance for the state examination.

Application

An application which is submitted within 60 days of the expiration date of the notice is satisfactory completion may not be accepted (chapter 475.17 F.S., &61J2-3.008, F.A.C)

An applicant must be of legal age, possess a high school diploma or its equivalent and be mentally competent. Legal age (majority) in Florida is 18 (Chapter 475.17 F.S., & 61J2-2.027, F.A.C).

An Individual making application for the state examination is presumed to desire licensure. The application is currently includes a request for an inactive license and this status may be changed by filling

a DBPR form, which is obtained by the Division of Real Estate (DRE) and is available online. The DRE is part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

A check with the appropriate fee which includes the fee for the initial license, must accompany the examination application. The check for the fee is to be made payable to the DRE. As of July 26 applicants are required to submit fingerprints in electronic format.

The DRE will consider an applicant for licensure based on information submitted on the application and a favorable report from the fingerprints checks with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Applicants must be of good character, truthful, honest, trustworthy and competent to conduct negotiations and partisan ate in transactions safely on behalf of investors and this with whom he or she may undertake a relationship of trust on confidence.

An applicant must disclose if he or she uses any aliases (i,e,. AKA or also known as). Applicants do not need to be Florida residents or U.S. citizens. Nonresidents must provide a notice of irrevocable consent indicating that a suit may be brought in any county in Florida in which a plaintiff having a cause of auction resides. Service of any process or pleading in suits against at out-of-state licensee may be made to the director of the DRE and a copy sent by registered mail addresses to the licensee. Any resident licensee who becomes a nonresident must notify the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) of the change in residency within 60 days and comply with the none silent requirements (Chapter 475.180[2][b].F.S.).

If an applicant wishes to take the examination in a native language other then English or Spanish, he or she must pay the board the full cost of preparing and administrating the exam (Chapter 455.217, F.S.).

Applicants must disclose if they have ever been:

• Denied a real estate sales associate or broker license, had one suspended or revoked in another state, or been denied licensure or registration to practice a regulated profession
• Convicted of a crime or ever entered a plea of nolo contendere (no contest)
• Guilty of any conduct or practice that would have been grounds for suspension or revocation under chapter 475, F.S.
• Declared mentally incompetent

Applicants who misrepresents his or her background on the application will have his or her license revoked.

The following is true regarding the disposition and processing of the application by the DRE:

• If the application is in proper form, processing will begin. the DRE has 90 days from the date when the last correctly submitted application was received to inform an applicant of approval or denial of application. an applicant whose application is denied has a right to a hearing.
• Should the application contain an error, it will be returned to the applicant for correction. The DRE has 30 days within which to check for errors and commissions
• Currently the DRE notifies the applicant that an examination date may be scheduled with the testing service after the application is approved. This process depends upon the individual applicant and backlog applications.
• After the application’s approval, the applicant must appear for the examination within 2 years of the date the DRE received the application or file a new application (61J2-2.0227, F.A.C.).

Appointments to take the state examination are made by contacting the state’s testing service, and paying the applicable examination fee. Examination dates also can be changed without penalty up to 4 business days before the scheduled examination with provisions made for illness and death in the family.

State Licensing Examination

An applicant must pass a 100 item written multiple-choice state license examination with a minimum score of 75%. Failure of the state examination requires another examination fee and currently a waiting period of 24 hours to reschedule with the testing service.

ion and examinees who fail the exam may request a review of incorrectly answered questions with the testing service. Upon passing, the testing service will issue appropriate documentation to the applicant.

License Renewal

A real estate sales associate must complete a 45-hour post-license education course prior to the first renewal following initial licensure. Failure to complete this requirement prior to the first renewal will cause the license to be null and void.

After the first renewal and for all subsequent renewal periods, the sales associate must complete a 14-hour continuing education course. This continuing education course may be taken as a distance learning (online or correspondence) course or in a classroom.

BROKER LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

Education

Prior to taking the state examination for a broker’s license, an applicant must successfully complete the state-required broker 72-hour online or classroom educational course. A multiple-choice type final examination of 100 points must be passed with a minimum score of 70%. Successful students receive a notice of satisfactory completion that is valid for 2 years. The applicant should either attach the notice to the state examination application or present it upon taking the state exam. An application submitted within 60 days of the expiration date of the notice of satisfactory completion may not be accepted (Chapter 475.17, F.S. & 6132-3.008, F.A.C.).

An applicant who received a 4-year degree in real estate from an accredited institution of higher education is exempt from commission-prescribed prerequisite education courses for licensure (6132-3.008(9), F.A.C.).

Application

An applicant must be of legal age (18), mentally competent, and in addition to the other requirements of law must have held a/an:

active sales associate’s license for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years in the office of one or more brokers licensed in this state or any other state, territory, or jurisdiction of the United States or in any other foreign national jurisdiction. current and valid real estate sales associate’s license for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years in the employ of a governmental agency for a salary and performing the duties authorized for real estate licensees.

• current and valid real estate broker’s license for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years in this state or any other state, territory, or jurisdiction of the United States or in any other foreign national jurisdiction (Chapter 475.17 F.S).

The beginning date is the date on which the active sales associate’s employment began. The service requirement is not satisfied when an owner-employer employs a sales associate.

An applicant must select one of 2 options for the first broker’s license as part of the brokers application. The applicant may request the continuation of his or her present employment, in which case a broker associate license will be issued: or the applicant may request the issuance of an inactive broker license. Filing the appropriate DRE forms with the DBPR may change license status to that of an active broker.

The appropriate fee, which includes the fee for the initial license, must accompany the examination application. Applicants are required to submit fingerprints in electronic format.

An applicant must make it appear on the application that he or she has the character, reputation, and competency to deal with those with whom he or she may undertake a relationship of trust and confidence as explained under the requirements for the sales associate’s license.

Processing and disposition of the application is the same as explained under the requirements for the sales associate’s license in the preceding section.

Applicants do not need to be Florida residents or U.S. citizens. Nonresidents must provide a current certification of license history from the state were the applicant earned their experience. The history must contain the initial license exam type, current license status, disciplinary information, and number of active months within the preceding 5 years. They must also provide a notice of irrevocable consent to service indicating that a suit may be brought in any county in Florida in which a plaintiff having a cause of action resides. Service of any process or pleading in suits against an out-of-state licensee may be made to the director of the DRE and a copy sent by registered mail to the licensee.

Any resident licensee who becomes a nonresident must notify the FREC of the change in residency within 60 days and comply with the nonresident requirements (Chapter 475.180[2][b],, F.S.).

For more information on applying for a Florida real estate license please visit the state website: myfloridalicense.com/intentions2.asp?chBoard=true&SID=&boardid=25&professionid=25B

State Licensing Examination

An applicant must pass a written multiple-choice state license examination with a minimum score of 75%. The broker areas of competency are based on a knowledge, understanding, and application of real estate law; real estate principles and practices including appraising, finance, investment, and brokerage management; and real estate mathematics. The questions consist of approximately 45 points on law, 40 points on principles and practices, and 15 points on real estate mathematics (61J2-2.029, F.A.C.).

Examination questions and answers are confidential information. Those who fail the state exam may request a review of incorrectly answered questions with the testing service.

Upon passing the examination, the applicant is issued an inactive broker’s license. Active broker or broker associate status can be obtained by filing additional forms after passing the examination.

License Renewal A real estate broker must complete 60 hours of post-license online or classroom education courses prior to the first renewal following initial licensure. Failure to complete this requirement prior to the first renewal will cause the broker’s license to be null and void.

Alter the first renewal and for all subsequent renewal periods, brokers have the same continuing education requirement as sales associates. The 14-hour continuing education course must be completed and may be taken by distance learning (online or correspondence) or classroom.

It an applicant is applying for a broker license during his or her initial sales associate license period, satisfactory evidence that he or she has completed the post-license education for sales associates must be given to the DRE. Submitting a copy of the sales associate’s post-license education completion course report with the broker application normally satisfies this requirement.