How much active time do I need before FREC II?

At least 24 months of active sales-associate licensure during the preceding five years, or the equivalent governmental / out-of-state broker experience in § 475.17(2)(b). A certification of license history is required if the months are from another state.

Is the broker exam a national-plus-state test?

No. It is a 100-question Florida exam through Pearson VUE. Mutual-recognition applicants take 40 Florida law questions instead.

What happens if I skip the 60-hour broker post-license course?

The broker license reverts to a sales-associate license. That penalty differs from missing the sales-associate 45-hour course, which voids the license entirely.

Does a California or Texas broker license waive FREC II?

No. Those states are not on FREC's mutual-recognition list. You complete Course II and the 100-question exam, using out-of-state time only toward the 24-month experience test if the history letter supports it.

Florida Broker License Requirements (2026)

Required education: 72-hour FREC Course II
Exam fee: $36.75
Published fees: See fee table
Typical timeline: After 24 active months

What to know first

A Florida real estate broker license is a separate license from the sales-associate license. It is not a membership upgrade or a REALTOR® designation. Chapter 475.17(2)(b), Florida Statutes, and FREC Course II exist because DBPR holds the broker responsible for escrow, office registration, and the sales associates who work under that broker. That is why broker applicants face two requirements that sales-associate applicants do not: 24 months of active licensure during the preceding five years, and a 72-hour pre-license course based on the FREC II syllabus rather than a repeat of Course I.

The experience requirement counts months, not points as in Texas. DBPR's broker FAQ (updated September 12, 2025) and the licensing checklist require an active sales-associate license for at least 24 months during the preceding five years under one or more brokers, or equivalent governmental or out-of-state broker experience described in § 475.17. Out-of-state experience needs a current certification of license history showing initial exam type, current status, discipline, and how many active months fall inside those five years. Production does not make up for inactive years. California requires two years full-time in five years, documented on RE 226; Florida simply counts active months. North Carolina has no second broker exam at all, because new licensees are already brokers on provisional status.

Education is FREC Course II: 72 hours of 50-minute periods, inclusive of examination, covering appraising, investment, financing, and brokerage and management operations (Rule 61J2-3.008, F.A.C.). The school end-of-course exam must be passed at 70 percent; the certificate is good for two years. A four-year degree in real estate can exempt the pre-license course if you submit an original transcript to the Division of Real Estate education section. You may file the DBPR application before the 72-hour course is finished, but you cannot take the Pearson VUE exam without a valid course completion slip. If you still owe the 45-hour sales-associate post-license course, finish it: FREC and DBPR both treat that first-renewal obligation as a condition of remaining licensed, and schools commonly refuse to treat a broker applicant as complete until it posts.

The broker exam is a Florida-specific exam delivered by Pearson VUE; it is not split into national and state portions. The Candidate Information Booklet describes 100 multiple-choice questions in three and a half hours, twelve content areas, and a 75-point passing grade. Mutual-recognition applicants take a 40-question law exam instead of the full 100. After you pass, you must complete the 60-hour broker post-license course (or two 30-hour courses) before the first renewal; if you miss it, the broker license reverts to a sales-associate license, as FREC's education PDF states. That penalty differs from the sales-associate rule, where missing the 45-hour course voids the license. The application fee on the current DBPR FAQ is $91.75 ($14.75 application, $72 license, $5 unlicensed-activity). Fingerprints are taken through Pearson VUE's electronic process.

Your path to the license

Follow these steps in order. Deadlines and affiliation requirements can make a passed exam unusable if they are missed.

Confirm 24 active months in the last five years

Get your DBPR license history or an out-of-state certification. Inactive months do not count.
Complete FREC Course II (72 hours) at 70% on the school exam

Keep the two-year completion slip. A four-year real-estate degree needs an original transcript sent to the Division education section.
File DBPR RE-2 and pay $91.75

Upgrade, out-of-state, or mutual-recognition tracks are separate options on MyFloridaLicense. Finish sales-associate post-license if it is still outstanding.
Electronic fingerprints

Pearson VUE / FDLE LiveScan with the current ORI.
Pass the 100-question Pearson VUE broker exam at 75

210 minutes. Mutual recognition: 40-question law exam.
Register the brokerage if you will operate independently

Having sales associates work under you requires an office registration, not just the individual broker license.
Finish 60 hours of broker post-license before first renewal

Miss it and the broker license reverts to sales associate. This is not optional CE.

How long the 72-hour course takes

Coursework is usually the longest step you control. Weeks below are classroom or online hours only; add application processing, fingerprint clearance, and exam scheduling from the roadmap above.

Part-time: 8 weeksabout 10 hrs/week
Steady: 4 weeksabout 20 hrs/week
Full-time: 2 weeksabout 40 hrs/week

Overall estimate from our source review: After 24 active months, typically 2–4 months for Course II, DBPR, and Pearson VUE if the file is clean

Education and eligibility

Minimum age: 18 years old
Identification: A Social Security number is required. An ITIN is not confirmed as a substitute.
Residency and identification: A U.S. Social Security number is required. Out-of-state broker applicants use the same 72-hour course and 100-question exam unless they qualify for mutual recognition (nonresident, listed state, 40-question law exam). If you are a Florida resident when you apply, you cannot use mutual recognition.
Qualifying education: Commission-prescribed Course II: 72 hours of 50-minute periods covering appraising, investment, financing, and brokerage and management operations, inclusive of a school end-of-course exam (pass 70%). Certificate valid two years. Four-year real-estate degree may exempt the course if an original transcript is reviewed by the Division.
Education or filing deadline: The 72-hour course completion slip is valid for two years. An expired slip will not be accepted at Pearson VUE.
Character review: Chapter 475 character review after electronic fingerprints. Disclose convictions on the RE-2; failing to disclose is a separate problem.
Background process: Electronic fingerprints through Pearson VUE / FDLE LiveScan using the current DBPR ORI. Prints on file for a Florida sales-associate license are not automatically reused for a broker upgrade; follow DBPR's current fingerprint FAQ.
Experience: 24 months of active sales-associate licensure during the preceding five years, or equivalent governmental / out-of-state broker experience under § 475.17(2)(b)
Broker affiliation: A broker may operate a brokerage, register a trade name, and hang sales associates. Opening an office has its own DBPR registration; the individual broker license is not a firm license.

Documents to prepare

DBPR license history showing active months
Out-of-state certification of license history (initial exam type, status, discipline, active months in the last five years)

The licensing exam

The Florida broker licensure examination is 100 equally weighted multiple-choice questions in 210 minutes. Passing is 75 points. The Candidate Information Booklet organizes content around brokerage management, escrow and trust accounting, closing statements (candidates must be able to work a Closing Disclosure), and Florida license law under Chapter 475 and Rule 61J2. There is no separately scored national portion. Mutual-recognition candidates take a 40-question Florida law exam rather than the 100-question exam. Pearson VUE schedules the exam after DBPR issues an Authorization to Test.

Pearson VUE, under contract to DBPR / FREC (Florida-written broker exam, not a national-plus-state split) · Fee: $36.75

Part	Questions	Minutes	Pass
Florida broker examination	100	210	75%

If you fail, pay Pearson VUE again to retake. Mutual-recognition candidates take a 40-question law exam. Confirm the Pearson VUE fee on the current DBPR CBT schedule; the posted figure has been $36.75.

What to study

Florida Real Estate Broker Candidate Information Booklet

DBPR / Pearson VUE

100 questions, 210 minutes, 75 to pass, closing-statement content.
FREC education requirements PDF

DBPR Division of Real Estate

The 72 / 60 / 14 hour requirements and the rule that the license reverts if post-license is missed.

Application costs

These are commission or testing-vendor amounts we can cite. School tuition and optional preparation products are private-market prices.

Fee	Amount
Application	$91.75
Examination	$36.75
Initial license	$72

DBPR broker FAQ: $91.75 total ($14.75 application, $72 license, $5 unlicensed-activity). The Pearson VUE exam fee on the currently posted fact sheet has been $36.75; confirm when you schedule. Fingerprint fees are set by the vendor. The sources above do not list a broker renewal fee; confirm it with DBPR.

Published state fees

$200.50

Application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts cited above. Excludes school tuition.

Estimate your full cost →

Commission	Florida Real Estate Commission / DBPR Division of Real Estate 850.487.1395 Chapter 475, Florida Statutes; Rule 61J2, F.A.C.
Pre-licensing	72-hour FREC Course II Commission-prescribed Course II: 72 hours of 50-minute periods covering appraising, investment, financing, and brokerage and management operations, inclusive of a school end-of-course exam (pass 70%). Certificate valid two years. Four-year real-estate degree may exempt the course if an original transcript is reviewed by the Division. The 72-hour course completion slip is valid for two years. An expired slip will not be accepted at Pearson VUE.
Sponsoring broker	A broker may operate a brokerage, register a trade name, and hang sales associates. Opening an office has its own DBPR registration; the individual broker license is not a firm license.
Fingerprints	Electronic fingerprints through Pearson VUE as described on DBPR fingerprint FAQs. Required with the RE-2 even if you already hold a Florida sales-associate license.
CE / renewal	First renewal: 60 hours of broker post-license (or two 30-hour courses) with end-of-course exams. Subsequent renewals: 14 hours (8 specialty, 3 Florida law, 3 ethics and business practices). Missing first-renewal post-license reverts the broker license to sales associate.
Recovery fund	Florida Real Estate Recovery Fund, Chapter 475, Florida Statutes.

Mistakes that delay applicants

Counting inactive months as experience

The statute requires 24 months of active licensure in the preceding five years. A lapsed or involuntary-inactive sales-associate license does not accrue those months.
Expired Course II slip at Pearson VUE

The 72-hour certificate expires after two years. Even if DBPR has approved the RE-2, the test center will turn you away.
60-hour post-license reversion

This is different from the 45-hour sales-associate rule, where the license is voided. If you miss broker post-license, you become a sales associate again, which means you cannot supervise other associates or operate the firm you just registered.
Mutual recognition after you already moved to Florida

You must not be a Florida resident at application. The 40-question law exam is not available to someone who already lives in Orlando and wants to skip Course II.

Reciprocity and recognition

Partner / path	Accepted exam	Conditions
Georgia	—	Mutual recognition for nonresidents who hold an active Georgia license obtained by education and exam; 40-question Florida law exam.
Illinois	—	Mutual recognition for nonresidents; 40-question Florida law exam. Illinois's own process for out-of-state licensees is endorsement, which works differently.

FREC mutual recognition is available only to nonresidents licensed in listed states, who take a law exam; it is not a national compact. California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina are not on the current list. Confirm the current list on FREC's licensure information page before you file.

Renewal and staying active

First renewal: 60 hours of broker post-license (or two 30-hour courses) with end-of-course exams. Subsequent renewals: 14 hours (8 specialty, 3 Florida law, 3 ethics and business practices). Missing first-renewal post-license reverts the broker license to sales associate.

First license period is 18–24 months. Subsequent periods are 24 months.

Applicant checklist

Print DBPR or out-of-state history showing 24 active months in five years
Finish FREC II at 70% and keep a copy of the two-year completion slip
Clear any outstanding 45-hour sales-associate post-license
File RE-2, pay $91.75, LiveScan
Pass Pearson VUE at 75 (or 40-question law exam if mutual recognition)
Register the office if sales associates will work under you
Enroll in the 60-hour broker post-license course immediately

How Florida is different

Florida's broker experience floor is 24 active months in five years — shorter than Texas's 2026 four-year / 720-point rule and shorter than Pennsylvania's three years, comparable to California's two years full-time, and different from North Carolina, where there is no second exam. Education is a 72-hour FREC II course, not California's eight college-level courses, not Georgia's 60-hour broker prelicense, not New York's 75-hour broker course on top of 77 salesperson hours. Reciprocity is mutual recognition for nonresidents from FREC's current list (Georgia and Illinois among the large destinations on this site). California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina are not on that list. Florida's post-license rule is unusual: complete 60 hours, or the broker license reverts to sales associate.

Florida vs neighboring states

Florida Real Estate Broker License compared with nearby states
Jurisdiction	License title	Pre-license hours	Exam vendor	Exam questions	Exam fee	Published state fees	Renewal cycle	Min. age
Florida (this guide)	Broker	72	Pearson VUE	100	$36.75	$200.50	2 yr	18
Alabama	Broker	60	Pearson VUE	120	$73	$243	2 yr	19
Georgia	Broker	60	PSI	Not published	See handbook	$340	4 yr	21
Texas	Broker	900	Pearson VUE	145	$39	$384	2 yr	18
North Carolina	Broker	90	Pearson VUE	Not published	See handbook	See guide	1 yr	18
New York	Broker	152	New York DOS	Not published	$15	$385	2 yr	20

Hours are the pre-license total printed in each guide; states that count credits or named courses show “See guide.” Published state fees add the application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts the guide can cite — tuition is not included.

Frequently asked questions

How much active time do I need before FREC II?: At least 24 months of active sales-associate licensure during the preceding five years, or the equivalent governmental / out-of-state broker experience in § 475.17(2)(b). A certification of license history is required if the months are from another state.
Is the broker exam a national-plus-state test?: No. It is a 100-question Florida exam through Pearson VUE. Mutual-recognition applicants take 40 Florida law questions instead.
What happens if I skip the 60-hour broker post-license course?: The broker license reverts to a sales-associate license. That penalty differs from missing the sales-associate 45-hour course, which voids the license entirely.
Does a California or Texas broker license waive FREC II?: No. Those states are not on FREC's mutual-recognition list. You complete Course II and the 100-question exam, using out-of-state time only toward the 24-month experience test if the history letter supports it.

Salesperson vs Broker vs REALTOR
The wall license is a state product. REALTOR® is a membership mark. Illinois and North Carolina do not even issue a salesperson title.
Transferring a Real Estate License Across These States
There is no title transfer among California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. There are waivers, and most pairs have none.
How Long It Really Takes to Get a Real Estate License
The classroom is not the clock. Florida’s two-year FREC I window, Georgia’s 3/12-month application ladder, and North Carolina’s 18-month postlicensing are.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-02 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-01

Update history

October 8, 2026 Rewrote the guide text for readability and added state comparison tables. No requirements, fees, or deadlines changed.
September 2, 2026 Requirements, fees, and deadlines checked against the primary sources cited on this page.

Spotted something out of date? Send a correction.

At a glance

Broker requirements

Pre-licensing: 72-hour FREC Course II
Verified state fees: About $130–$220 in DBPR, Pearson VUE, and LiveScan fees, plus 72-hour Course II tuition (confirm the current amount at checkout)
Time to license: After 24 active months, typically 2–4 months for Course II, DBPR, and Pearson VUE if the file is clean
Difficulty: 4 of 5 · demanding
Exam provider: Pearson VUE, under contract to DBPR / FREC (Florida-written broker exam, not a national-plus-state split)
Experience: 2 years of 24 months of active sales-associate licensure during the preceding five years, or equivalent governmental / out-of-state broker experience under § 475.17(2)(b)

Quick jumps

What to know first
License roadmap
Education & eligibility
Licensing exam
Application costs
Common mistakes
Reciprocity
Renewal
Compare nearby states
FAQ

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