Florida Post-Licensing Courses
Required after you are licensed and before your first renewal. Sales associates take 45 hours; brokers take 60. This is separate from continuing education and the deadline is not negotiable.
- Sales Associate 45 HourRequired for every new Florida sales associate before their first license renewal. Where pre-licensing prepares you for the exam, this course prepares you for the work: prospecting, listing…
- Broker 60 HourRequired for Florida brokers before their first renewal after licensure. Covers the operational side of running a brokerage, including office management, trust account administration, supervising associates, and the…
Why the deadline matters
A Florida sales associate who does not complete post-licensing before their first renewal has their licence rendered null and void. Not suspended, not subject to a fee. To practise again you would start the process from the beginning.
The material is different from pre-licensing in a way that surprises people. Pre-licensing gets you through an exam. Post-licensing covers the work itself: prospecting, listing and selling property, financing, time management, and building a business that is still there in three years.
Check your renewal date now. The requirement is simple, but the deadline catches a predictable number of new licensees every cycle.
Florida Real Estate Post-Licensing questions
What is Florida real estate post-licensing education?
Florida real estate post-licensing education is required education that newly licensed Sales Associates and Brokers must complete before their first license renewal.
Post-licensing education is different from the pre-licensing course completed before obtaining a Florida real estate license. It is designed to build upon the principles learned during pre-licensing education and focus more heavily on the practical knowledge and skills needed to work successfully as a real estate professional.
Florida requires:
- 45 hours of post-licensing education for Real Estate Sales Associates
- 60 hours of post-licensing education for Real Estate Brokers and Broker Associates
The required courses must be approved by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) and completed by the expiration date of the license’s first renewal period.
Post-licensing education is an important requirement because failure to complete it on time can cause a Florida real estate license to become null and void.
How many hours of post-licensing education does a Florida Real Estate Sales Associate need?
A newly licensed Florida Real Estate Sales Associate must complete 45 hours of FREC-approved post-licensing education before the first license renewal deadline.
The 45-hour Sales Associate post-license requirement applies after obtaining the initial Florida real estate license, whether the license is active or inactive.
Florida Sales Associate post-licensing education is intended to expand upon pre-license concepts and develop practical skills that can be applied to real-world real estate transactions and business activities.
Course subjects may include real estate marketing, property management, finance, appraisal, technology, listing and selling property, business planning, office management, time management, and other practical aspects of working as a Florida real estate professional.
Students must successfully complete the required course and applicable end-of-course examination before the expiration date shown on their license.
How many hours of post-licensing education does a Florida Real Estate Broker need?
A newly licensed Florida Real Estate Broker or Broker Associate must complete 60 hours of FREC-approved broker post-licensing education before the first renewal of the broker license.
Florida’s 60-hour Broker post-license requirement is more advanced than the Sales Associate requirement and focuses on subjects relevant to operating, managing, investing, and supervising within a real estate brokerage environment.
The 60 hours may be offered as separate approved courses. For example, Florida Broker post-licensing education is commonly divided into two 30-hour courses covering areas such as Broker Management and Broker Investment.
Broker post-license education may address topics including brokerage operations, advanced real estate finance, investment analysis, property management, accounting, business planning, legal issues, marketing, commercial and residential brokerage, and other advanced real estate subjects.
The full required 60 hours and applicable course examinations must be successfully completed before the initial broker license expires.
When must I complete my Florida real estate post-license course?
Florida real estate post-licensing education must be successfully completed before the expiration date of your initial Sales Associate or Broker license.
The exact deadline is the expiration date printed on your Florida real estate license and shown in your DBPR account. Florida real estate licenses generally expire on either March 31 or September 30, depending on the applicable licensing cycle.
Do not assume that you have a full two years from the day you receive your license. Your initial licensing period depends on when the license is issued and the applicable renewal cycle.
Because post-licensing education includes required coursework and an end-of-course examination, it is advisable not to wait until the final days before expiration.
Licensees should check their license information through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and make sure all post-licensing requirements are completed before the deadline.
Can I complete my Florida real estate post-licensing course online?
Yes. Florida allows approved Sales Associate and Broker post-licensing courses to be completed through distance education, including online courses.
A qualifying online Florida real estate post-license course must meet the requirements established by the Florida Real Estate Commission and be approved for post-licensing credit.
Online post-licensing education can provide flexibility for real estate professionals who need to complete their education around work, family, and business schedules.
Students should make sure that the course they select is specifically approved for Florida post-licensing credit. A general real estate training course, exam-preparation program, or professional development course should not be assumed to satisfy the Florida post-license requirement.
When taking an online post-license course, students must complete the required course material and successfully complete the applicable end-of-course examination.
Is there an exam for Florida real estate post-licensing courses?
Yes. Florida post-licensing courses include an end-of-course examination, and a score of at least 75% is required for satisfactory course completion.
The examination is part of the approved post-licensing education program and is separate from the Florida state licensing examination that was taken to initially obtain the Sales Associate or Broker license.
Florida’s post-license education is intended to be practical and training-oriented. The end-of-course examination is therefore designed to measure a licensee’s understanding of the material covered by the approved course.
For distance-learning courses, students must complete the course requirements before taking the end-of-course examination.
Successfully passing the required course examination is necessary for the education provider to recognize the course as satisfactorily completed.
What happens if I do not complete my Florida post-license education before my first renewal?
Failure to complete Florida’s required post-licensing education before the first renewal deadline can cause your real estate license to become null and void.
This is significantly different from simply having an expired license that can be renewed by paying a late fee.
For a Florida Sales Associate who fails to complete the required post-licensing education on time, Florida law provides that the license becomes null and void. A person who wants to become licensed again generally must requalify by completing the required Sales Associate pre-licensing education and passing the state licensing examination again.
Florida also requires Brokers to complete their required post-licensing education before the expiration of the initial broker license. Failure to satisfy the first-renewal requirements can likewise result in the broker license becoming null and void.
Because the consequences can be substantial, newly licensed real estate professionals should treat their post-licensing deadline as an important licensing requirement rather than waiting until the end of the renewal period.
Do I need to complete Florida post-licensing education if my real estate license is inactive?
Yes. The Florida post-licensing requirement generally applies to newly licensed Sales Associates and Brokers whether their licenses are active or inactive.
Placing a newly issued real estate license in inactive status does not eliminate the initial post-license education requirement.
For example, a Florida Sales Associate who receives a license but does not immediately activate it under a broker must still complete the required 45 hours of Sales Associate post-licensing education before the initial license expires.
Similarly, a newly licensed Broker or Broker Associate must satisfy the applicable 60-hour Broker post-licensing requirement before the first renewal deadline.
This is especially important for individuals who obtain a Florida real estate license but do not immediately begin practicing. The post-license deadline continues to apply even though the license may not currently be active.
Always check the expiration date and education requirements associated with your license through DBPR.
Do I have to complete the 45-hour Sales Associate post-license course before becoming a Florida Real Estate Broker?
Yes. A Florida Sales Associate who is required to complete post-licensing education must satisfy that requirement before becoming eligible for licensure as a Florida Real Estate Broker.
Completing the Sales Associate post-license requirement is separate from completing the 72-hour Florida Broker Pre-Licensing Course.
A Florida Sales Associate planning to become a Broker should therefore pay close attention to both requirements.
Generally, the progression involves maintaining a current and valid Sales Associate license, completing the required 45-hour Sales Associate post-licensing education, obtaining the required qualifying real estate experience, completing the Broker pre-license education, and satisfying the other requirements for Florida Broker licensure.
Florida law generally requires a Broker applicant to have at least 24 months of qualifying real estate experience during the preceding five years, in addition to meeting the applicable education, application, and examination requirements.
Completing Sales Associate post-licensing education on time is therefore important not only for keeping the Sales Associate license valid but also for professionals who plan to advance to a Florida Broker license.
Are there exemptions from Florida real estate post-licensing education?
Yes. Florida provides a post-licensing education exemption for qualifying licensees who have earned a four-year degree or higher in real estate from an accredited institution of higher education.
A licensee seeking this exemption should provide the required educational documentation to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation so the exemption can be recognized.
It is important to note that being an attorney or an active member of The Florida Bar does not exempt a licensee from Florida’s post-licensing education requirement.
This is an important distinction because Florida attorneys may qualify for certain exemptions involving other real estate education requirements, but the attorney exemption does not apply to Sales Associate or Broker post-licensing education.
A licensee relying on an educational exemption should make sure DBPR has received and accepted the required documentation before the license expiration date. Do not assume an exemption has automatically been applied simply because you have a qualifying degree.
When in doubt, verify your individual education requirements and license status directly with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation before your first renewal deadline.
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