Florida Real Estate Post-License: 45-Hour and 60-Hour Requirements
The pre-license course is not the last education requirement a new Florida licensee faces. Before the first renewal, sales associates owe a separate 45-hour post-license course, and brokers owe 60 hours - and the consequence for missing that deadline is severe: unlike a missed continuing education deadline, which typically produces only a late fee or a temporary inactive status, a missed post-license deadline makes the license null and void outright.
This page focuses specifically on the post-license step, which many new licensees confuse with either the pre-license course they already finished or the continuing education cycle that has not started yet. Understanding which product applies when is the difference between a routine renewal and an unplanned restart from zero.
What Is Florida's Post-License Requirement for New Sales Associates?
A newly licensed Florida sales associate must complete a FREC-approved 45-hour post-license course, covering material beyond the 63-hour pre-license course, before their first license renewal, typically 18 to 24 months after initial licensure.
Post-license is a one-time, non-renewable obligation, not an ongoing cycle; completing it once satisfies the requirement permanently, after which the licensee moves to the recurring 14-hour continuing education cycle instead.
What Happens If You Miss the Post-License Deadline?
A sales associate's license becomes null and void under Fla. Stat. Section 475.17 - not suspended, not merely expired, but terminated with no reinstatement path, forcing a full restart as a new applicant.
Chapter 475 in full, which governs Florida real estate licensure, is indexed at flsenate.gov.
Starting over means re-completing the 63-hour pre-license course, re-passing the state exam, and paying every application fee again from the beginning. This is one of the harshest compliance deadlines in Florida professional licensing, which is why tracking your own specific renewal date through your DBPR account matters more than relying on a general 18-to-24-month estimate.
Is the Broker Post-License Requirement Different?
Brokers complete 60 hours of post-license education instead of the sales associate's 45, before their first broker license renewal, under the same Fla. Stat. Section 475.17 null-and-void consequence if the deadline is missed.
A broker whose license becomes null and void this way has, per DBPR guidance, a limited cure option a sales associate does not: within six months of the expiration date, revert to sales associate status by completing a 14-hour continuing education course and paying the standard renewal fee. A sales associate who misses the 45-hour deadline has no equivalent downgrade option and must restart from a new application.
The broker post-license course is separate from the 72-hour Course II pre-license course a broker already completed to qualify for the license; see Broker License for how the broker path fits together end to end.
Can the Post-License Course Be Completed Online?
Yes - FREC permits distance education and livestream delivery for post-license courses, the same as it does for the pre-license course, with a provider-administered final assessment before a completion certificate issues.
As with the pre-license course, online approval and classroom approval are separate FREC approvals for the same provider, so confirm the specific delivery mode you want is actually approved before enrolling.
What Comes After Post-License Is Complete?
Once the post-license course is done and the first renewal is filed, the ongoing 14-hour continuing education cycle begins - 3 hours Core Law, 3 hours Ethics and Business Practices, and 8 hours Specialty/Elective, every 2 years thereafter.
This is where continuing-education-focused providers such as The CE Shop and McKissock Learning become relevant; The CE Shop's own Florida CE course list ran from $19 to $115, priced separately from the pre-license course this site is built around, and this site does not have a confirmed affiliate relationship with either provider. Colibri Real Estate also offers CE packages in addition to the pre-license course covered on Approved Providers; this site may earn a commission on that link. See Cost for the observed CE price range.
See the Florida Real Estate Pre-License Course hub for the full page index.
Sources
| Fact | Value | Authority | URL | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales associate post-license hours | 45 hours | FREC, Rule 61J2-3.020 F.A.C. | https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-r-61J2-3-020 | 2026-09-19 |
| Broker post-license hours | 60 hours | FREC, Rule 61J2-3.020 F.A.C. | https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-r-61J2-3-020 | 2026-09-19 |
| First renewal timing | 18 to 24 months after initial licensure | DBPR, Real Estate Educational Requirements | https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/re/documents/real_estate_ed_requirements.pdf | 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 |
| Broker's 6-month cure option (revert to sales associate) | 14-hour CE course plus standard renewal fee | DBPR customer help FAQ | https://myfloridalicense.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/738 | 2026-09-19 |
| 14-hour CE component breakdown | 3 Core Law + 3 Ethics + 8 Specialty/Elective | FREC, Rule 61J2-3.009 F.A.C. | https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-r-61J2-3-009 | 2026-09-19 |
| 14-hour CE price range (The CE Shop only) | $19 to $115 | The CE Shop (provider pricing page) | https://www.theceshop.com/online-education/florida/real-estate/broker-and-sales-license/continuing-education/courses.html | 2026-09-19 |
Frequently asked questions
Does completing post-license early change my renewal date?
DBPR does not publish whether early completion shifts a licensee's renewal date; confirm your specific date through your DBPR online account.
Is post-license the same course as continuing education?
No. Post-license is a one-time 45-/60-hour requirement due only at the first renewal; the 14-hour CE cycle is a separate, recurring requirement that begins afterward.
Can I use the same school for pre-license and post-license?
FREC does not publish whether every approved school offers both products; check the specific school's own course catalog, or see Approved Providers.
What if I am not sure which renewal date applies to me?
Confirm your specific renewal date through your DBPR online account at myfloridalicense.com rather than relying on the general 18-to-24-month estimate on this page.
Does a null-and-void license show up differently than an expired one?
DBPR does not publish how its public license lookup distinguishes a null-and-void license from an expired one; confirm directly with DBPR if this distinction matters to you.