How long does it take to get a Florida Real Estate License?
by Kacie Goff on 2019-09-25 10:06am
You’re ready to start your new career path. You know real estate is the right field for you and you’re excited to help people across Florida get into their dream homes. But before you can start, you need to get a license from the state. If you’re wondering how to get a real estate license in Florida or how long the process will take, we’ve got you covered. You can use this article as a guide to the process.
We’ll give you more than just an overview, too. We’ve also built out some tips and tricks you can apply to make sure you’re able to get your Florida real estate license as quickly as possible.
How to get a real estate license in Florida and how long it takes
If you want to practice real estate in the state of Florida, you need to work with the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) to get a real estate license. Here are the steps you’ll need to go through and how long each will most likely take you to complete.
Pick your license type
First, you’ll need to use the state’s website to decide which license type is right for you.
Basically, if you want to go work for a real estate company, you’ll only need your real estate sales associate license. But if you want to operate independently, you’ll need a broker’s license. You can only get the latter if you have 24 months of real estate experience in Florida or another state so most people start with a sales associate license, then upgrade to a broker’s license once they have the required experience.
To help you pick the right license type, here are the Florida real estate license requirements for each:
Because most people start with a sales associate license, we’ll talk about the details for securing that license from here on out.
Time spent: 1 day or less
Apply to take the required exam
Next up, you need to submit an application to the DBPR to take the exam that’s required to get your sales associate license. You can complete this application online but you’ll likely need to go in person to do the required fingerprinting. Or, if you’d prefer to complete a hard copy of the application and mail it in, you have that option, too.
Make sure you include the $83.75 fee and any required legal documents so your application can get processed as quickly as possible by the state. Even if you get all your information to the DBPR in one go, it still generally takes about 30 days for them to process your application. But don’t worry. You can use that time to complete another to-do on your license-getting list.
Time spent: 1 day or less, plus 30 days waiting for the state to approve your application Unless you have a four-year degree in real estate, you need to complete 63 hours of coursework from a state-approved Florida real estate school before you can get a real estate sales associate license. But don’t worry that you’ll have to spend weeks in a classroom. You have the option to do an online real estate school in Florida, meaning you can complete all of your required hours at your computer and at your convenience. That way, you have the 30 days while the state is reviewing and approving your application to take the real estate exam to get through the 63 hours of your Florida sales associate license course. Once you finish your Florida real estate license course, your education provider should issue you a Certificate of Completion. Hold onto it because you’ll need it to take your exam. The best Florida real estate license school options will prepare you for the pre-licensure exam you need to take. Look for courses that include exam prep for the Florida real estate exam so you can go into that test confidently without having to do extra work to get ready. Time spent: 63 hours, ideally spread over 30-day waiting period to get approved for the state exam Once the DBPR approves you to take the Florida real estate exam, you need to sign yourself up. This exam is administered by a company called Pearson VUE and you can go to their website to schedule your exam. Just click the “Create Account” button to get started with scheduling your exam. Make sure you’ve finished your 63 hours of pre-licensure courses before your exam date. You’ll need to show proof that you’ve completed that coursework to sit for the exam. Pearson VUE has an exam information booklet for sales associates that you can review to learn more about what to expect during your exam. Time spent: 1 hour or less to schedule the exam, 1 day to take it You’re almost ready to start helping people buy and sell homes in Florida. Your final step is to find a licensed Florida broker to employ you. Once you do, you’ll need them to sign your license activation application. Send in your form and you’ll be ready to legally work as a real estate agent in the state of Florida. Time spent: Once you find a broke to employ you, 1 day or less You probably already noticed this is a pretty involved process. It’s probably going to take a couple of months to get through each step and get your real estate license. But you can do yourself a favor to shrink that time: start your 63-hour Florida sales associate license course as soon as you submit your application to take the real estate exam to the state. That way, the 30 or so days it takes them to process your application isn’t just wasted time. Instead, it’s a perfect window to knock out all of your Florida real estate school hours, which are basically exam prep for the Florida real estate exam, too. Use this guide and you’ll be able to streamline the process for getting your Florida real estate license. But if you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our world-class customer service team. 
Complete the required Florida real estate license course
Take and pass your exam
Activate your new real estate license
Key takeaways to help you get your Florida real estate license fast
