What happens if you dont renew your Florida real estate license?

Real estate agents in Florida are required to renew their licenses every two years. The first time you have to renew it requires a little additional work compared to the renewals going forwards. Your license expires between 18 and 24 months after you first acquire it depending on when you took your exam. Be prepared on how to renew it, so you don't lose it.

Florida Post-License Renewal

The first time you have to renew your real estate license, you have to take 45 credit hours of classes if you are a sales associate, or 60 hours if you are a broker. The only time you do not have to take this initial course work is if you have completed a four-year degree in real estate. The 45 or 60 hours of courses build new knowledge on top of what you learned in your pre-license courses.

Classes are taken through accredited online schools or trade schools. On top of the costs of the classes, you have to pay a flat renewal fee of $32 for sale associates and $36 for brokers. You can choose from a wide range of topics. Here are the possible courses you can take according to Florida law: 

  • Property management

  • Real estate appraisal

  • Real estate finance

  • The economics of real estate management

  • Real estate marketing

  • Real estate technology

  • Sales and listing of properties

  • Business office management

  • Courses teaching practical real estate application skills

  • Development of business plans

  • Marketing of property

  • Time management

Make sure you complete these classes before your license expires, or you will be back to square one. You will have to retake the pre-license courses, retake the exam, and do the renewal coursework again.

Continuing Education in Florida

Two years after you complete your post-license renewal, you have to complete continuing education classes. These classes are only 14 total credit hours, unlike the 45 or 60 for the post-license renewal. The 14 hours are split into two categories: six mandatory credit hours and eight elective credit hours. 

Mandatory Florida CE Classes

There are two mandatory classes that you have to take when you are continuing your education. They are core law and ethics and business practices. Both of these are three credit hours. 

Core law keeps you up to date on the constantly changing laws of real estate. It will help you avoid making any mistakes that will penalize you in your practice. Ethics and business practices covers any of the ethical situations you may encounter in your practice. 

Elective Florida CE Classes

You have a myriad of options when it comes to completing your eight hours of elective credits. You can pick different classes every two years as well, instead of always having to take the same two mandatory classes. These classes range from 3-4 credit hours and include some of the following options:

  • Advocating for Short Sale Clients

  • Assistance Animals and Fair Housing

  • Diversity

  • Second Home Ownership

  • Taxes and Real Estate

Now that you know the differences between the first license renewal period compared to the second, you can schedule a class at the Aceable Real Estate School. The Aceable Real Estate School will give you all of the tools you need to succeed in getting your Florida real estate license. Tools like practice exams, narrated courses, webinars, and private tutoring will make learning easy.

With the recent population growth in Florida, the real estate market has been surging. Those with a Florida real estate license are making the most of this impressive growth!

Thinking about becoming a Florida real estate agent and taking advantage of the real estate boom? Here’s everything you need to know about how long your Florida real estate license will last and what is required to renew your license.

How Long Does a Florida Real Estate License Last?

Generally speaking, your Florida real estate license is good for 24 months. However, your first renewal period is treated differently. 

Your first renewal period can be as little as 18 months and as long as 24 months. Renewal periods after your first successful renewal will always be 24 months.

Florida Real Estate Course Requirements for Renewals

Your pre-license Florida real estate course is just the beginning of your real estate education. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) requires you to complete additional Florida real estate courses to renew your license.

Your First Renewal Period

During your first renewal period, you need to complete 45-hours of post-licensure courses, which cover topics like:

  • Ethics

  • Law

  • Valuation

  • Contracts

  • Financing

  • Property management

The actual topics can vary slightly from one real estate school to the next, but as long as the courses are approved by DBPR, they'll count toward your renewal requirements. 

Subsequent Renewal Periods

During each subsequent renewal period, you’ll need to complete 14 hours of Florida real estate courses (also known as continuing education). These include:

  • Three hours of legal updates

  • Three hours of ethics and business practices

  • Eight hours of specialty credits (also referred to as elective courses)

When to Enroll in Your Post-License and Continuing Education Courses

Completing your post-license and continuing education courses on time is critical. If you don't complete your courses within your renewal period, your real estate license will expire. You won't be able to practice real estate until you complete your courses and the renewal process.

The DBPR does not extend renewal deadlines for incomplete real estate coursework. We recommend enrolling in your post-license and continuing education courses three to six months before your license expiration date. This should give you plenty of time to complete the coursework, pass the course test, and submit your completion records to the DBPR. It can take the DBPR a week or two to review your proof of course completion.

How to Enroll in Real Estate Courses for Your Florida Real Estate License Renewal

Any state-approved real estate school can offer a Florida real estate course online. Each course must be approved by the DBPR before being offered to students. 

You can use the DBPR’s Continuing Education Course Search to find a qualified course provider. It lists both 45-hour post-licensure courses and 14-hour continuing education courses. Most schools will allow you to enroll online, and many give the option of enrolling by phone as well.

How to Renew a Florida Real Estate License

Once your real estate courses are complete, the hard part of renewing your Florida real estate license is over. From there, you simply need to renew your Florida real estate license online via the DBPR portal.

You can start on the path to getting your Florida real estate license today by enrolling in your Florida real estate course. Don’t wait another day to launch your new career!

What happens if my real estate license expires in Florida?

When a Florida real estate license expires, it becomes null and void. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation will notify you 90 days before the license expires.

How long can my real estate license be inactive in Florida?

Your Florida real estate license can be inactive for two years, but the length of time you leave it in an inactive status will determine the path you need to take to reactivate it as we will explain below.

How can a Realtor lose their license in Florida?

Offenses That Can Result in a Real Estate License Suspension.
Violating a duty as imposed by the terms of a contract;.
Fraud in any form, whether it is misrepresentation, concealment, a false promise, or any other type of fraudulent dealing in a business transaction;.
Aiding another real estate professional's misconduct;.

How do I reactivate my real estate license in Florida?

If your license has been inactive for less than one year, you can get it reactivated by completing 14 hours of continuing education. If it has been inactive for more than 12 months but less than 24 months, you'll have to take 28 hours of continuing education credits, including the core law requirements.