If you want to venture into the real estate industry in Florida, you first need to get a license to allow you to proceed with business. You need more than your passion for property and people to run a successful real estate business in Florida.
In addition, you must be over 18 years old, have a US social security number, and be a high school graduate or equivalent. If you already meet these requirements, you are ready for the next steps of getting a license.
Here is how to get your real estate license in Florida.
Contents
1. Take the Pre-License Course
The first step to getting a real estate license in Florida is taking a pre-license course approved by the state. The course takes 63 hours, focuses on real estate math, practice, laws, and principles, and can be taken completely online. The course costs range from $130 to $240. People who practice law in Florida don’t need to take this pre-license course. Instead, they can take the sales associate exam. However, they should first attach a copy of their current Florida bar card to the license exam application.
2. Apply for the Real Estate Exam in Florida
You need to get your electronic fingerprints for the Department of Business and Professional Regulations (DBPR) to run a background check. However, you need to have the fingerprints at least five days before submitting your license application.
You can find fingerprint vendors online and choose the one most convenient for you in terms of location and cost. The cost is usually between $50 and $80, and you will need to show your social security number and the specific ORI number for Florida.
Once you have your fingerprints, you can submit your application to the DBPR and pay a fee of $83.75, payable online or via mail as a check or money order. The DBPR will review your application, and the Pearson company will send you an email notification if your application is approved, a process that takes 10 to 30 days.
3. Take the Exam
Pearson company supervises the Florida exam process and charges $36.75 per exam. They will send you an email with the subject line ‘Authorization to Test’ to inform you of your eligibility to take the exam. They will also send you the candidate ID number, which you will use to sign- up for the exam.
The Florida state exam is offered daily and can be taken conveniently online at home from anywhere, or at a Pearson Vue test center. Test centers are located throughout the United States. You should pass the exam with at least 75 points out of 100. Once you pass, you can download and print your license from the DBPR site using your secure account.
Conclusion
In this comprehensive process of how to get your real estate license in Florida, you need to know that your license is not active after downloading it. You need an affiliation with a licensed broker to activate your license. You can find a list of brokers on the DBPR site. You can then join local realtor boards associated with the broker to become a realtor officially.
