HISTORY AND PURPOSES OF REAL ESTATE LICENSE LAWS
History of Florida’s real estate license law
In the early 1900s, the Florida Legislature determined it was necessary to protect public welfare by regulating the real estate industry. As a result, Florida put into place laws and authorities to regulate the licensing and practices of real estate brokers, sales associates, and schools in the state.
In 1923, the Legislature passed Chapter 475 and added it to the Florida Statutes as the first real estate license law.
Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). The DBPR was created and structured by Title IV, Section 20.165 of the Florida Statutes and is governed by Chapter 120, F.S.
Division of Real Estate (DRE). As a division of the DBPR, the Division of Real Estate provides all the services necessary to administer Chapter 475. The DRE establishes both the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board and the Florida Real Estate Commission.
Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). To further administer the license law and regulate real estate professionals, the Florida Legislature established the FREC in 1925 under Chapter 475 and gave it the authority to establish rules necessary to perform its duties.
