Florida Real Estate Pre-License FAQ
This page answers questions that do not fit neatly on the hub, requirements, cost, or provider pages - reciprocity, enforcement, reactivation, and transfer questions readers ask once they understand the basic 63-hour requirement.
Does Florida Accept a Real Estate License From Another State?
Yes, through mutual recognition, not a full waiver - DBPR's current list of nine mutual recognition states names Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
A mutual recognition applicant must not be a Florida resident at the time of application, must hold a current license in good standing issued by the mutual recognition state, and must not have obtained that state's own license by reciprocity. The applicant's out-of-state education and exam substitute for Florida's course, but the applicant must still pass a 40-question Florida-specific real estate law exam (30 points or higher to pass). Confirm the current state list directly at DBPR's mutual recognition page before assuming a specific state qualifies, since this list can change.
Who Enforces Florida's Real Estate Licensing Requirement?
The Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC), operating under DBPR's Division of Real Estate, is the sole authority that licenses schools, approves courses, and disciplines licensees for violating Florida real estate law.
This site is not FREC, not DBPR, and has no enforcement authority; see About for what this site is and how its content is verified against FREC's own published rules.
Can You Renew a Florida Real Estate License Without Repeating the Pre-License Course?
Yes, under normal circumstances - the 63-hour or 72-hour pre-license course is a one-time requirement for initial licensure; ongoing renewals instead require the 45-/60-hour post-license course once, then the 14-hour continuing education cycle every two years after.
The pre-license course only needs repeating if a candidate never passed the state exam within the course's 2-year completion validity window, or if a license became null and void under Fla. Stat. Section 475.17 and the person is starting over as a brand-new applicant.
What Happens If a Florida Real Estate License Is Inactive?
A Florida real estate license left involuntarily inactive for 12 to 24 months requires the licensee to complete a FREC-approved 28-hour reactivation course under Rule 61J2-3.010 of the Florida Administrative Code before returning to active status.
This 28-hour reactivation course is a distinct product from both the pre-license course and the post-license course, and this site does not currently publish a dedicated reactivation page. An involuntarily inactive license left unreactivated for more than 2 years automatically expires under Fla. Stat. Section 475.183.
Is a Florida Real Estate License Transferable Between Brokerages?
Yes - a Florida sales associate license attaches to the individual, not the brokerage, and a move to a new sponsoring broker is filed on DBPR Form RE 11 (Change of Status for Sales Associates and Broker Sales Associates).
The departing qualifying broker deactivates the license and the new qualifying broker activates it, both on the same RE 11 form; the form requires the new qualifying broker's signature, phone number, and email address, and carries no separate DBPR fee for a standard change of status. See DBPR's RE 11 form for the current version before filing.
Does the Core Law CE Restriction Affect a Brand-New Licensee?
Not immediately - the Core Law provider restriction under Rule 61J2-3.009 F.A.C. applies only once a licensee reaches the 14-hour biennial continuing education cycle, after the first post-license renewal, not during pre-licensing or post-licensing itself.
A brand-new applicant working through the 63-hour pre-license course does not encounter this restriction at all; it only becomes relevant years later, once the post-license course is behind them and the ongoing CE cycle begins. See Post-License for how that transition plays out.
See the Florida Real Estate Pre-License Course hub for the full page index.
Sources
| Fact | Value | Authority | URL | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regulator and enforcement authority | FREC / DBPR Division of Real Estate | FREC/DBPR | https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/real-estate-commission/education/ | 2026-09-19 |
| Reactivation course requirement | 28 hours, triggered by 12-24 months involuntarily inactive | FREC, Rule 61J2-3.010 F.A.C. | https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-r-61J2-3-010 | 2026-09-19 |
| Null-and-void consequence | Fla. Stat. Section 475.17 | Florida Legislature | http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0475/Sections/0475.17.html | 2026-09-19 |
| Involuntarily inactive license automatically expires after 2 years | Fla. Stat. Section 475.183 | Florida Legislature | http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0475/Sections/0475.183.html | 2026-09-19 |
| School permit governing statute | Fla. Stat. Section 475.451 | Florida Legislature | http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0475/Sections/0475.451.html | 2026-09-19 |
| Mutual recognition states | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island, West Virginia | DBPR mutual recognition page | https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/real-estate-commission/mutual-recognition-states/ | 2026-09-19 |
| License transfer between brokerages | DBPR Form RE 11, no fee assessed for this transaction | DBPR RE 11 form | https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/re/documents/DBPR_RE_11_Change_of_Status_Associates.pdf | 2026-09-19 |
| Core Law CE provider restriction | 3 hours, restricted to accredited universities/colleges or a real estate school registered under Section 475.451 | FREC, Rule 61J2-3.009(5) F.A.C. | https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-r-61J2-3-009 | 2026-09-19 |
Frequently asked questions
Does completing an out-of-state real estate course satisfy Florida's requirement?
Florida does not publish a course-equivalency provision for out-of-state real estate education; assume it does not apply unless myfloridalicense.com states otherwise for your specific state.
Is floridarealestateprelicense.com the same organization as FREC or DBPR?
No. This is an independent aggregator; see About and Affiliate Disclosure for exactly what this site is and how it earns money.
What is the difference between the 63-hour course and the 28-hour reactivation course?
The 63-hour course is the initial pre-license requirement for a new applicant; the 28-hour course is a separate requirement only for an existing licensee whose license went inactive for 12 to 24 months.
Can a broker license become null and void the same way a sales associate license can?
Yes. The same Fla. Stat. Section 475.17 null-and-void consequence applies to a broker who misses the 60-hour post-license deadline, though a broker has a limited six-month cure option a sales associate does not; see Post-License. Chapter 475 in full is indexed at flsenate.gov.
Where can I ask a question this page does not answer?
This site does not operate a support desk; direct licensing questions to DBPR through myfloridalicense.com, and see About for how this site's own content is maintained.