How to Get a Florida Real Estate Sales Associate License: Steps, 63-Hour Course, 45-Hour Post-Licensing and CE

Short answer: To become a Florida real estate sales associate you must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or its equivalent, and complete the Commission-prescribed 63-hour prelicensing course (Course I). You then apply to the DBPR with digital fingerprints and the fee, pass the 100-question state exam with 75 or higher, and work under a registered broker. Before your first license renewal you must finish 45 hours of post-licensing education; after that, 14 hours of continuing education are required each renewal period.

Step 1: Meet the basic qualifications

Section 475.17(1)(a) of the 2026 Florida Statutes says an applicant who is a natural person must be at least 18 years of age; hold a high school diploma or its equivalent; be honest, truthful, trustworthy, and of good character; and have a good reputation for fair dealing. FREC Rule 61J2-2.027 requires applicants to disclose, among other things, any criminal convictions or pleas regardless of adjudication, any other names used, and any prior license discipline or denials in any jurisdiction. Disclose fully: an application can be denied for conduct that would have been grounds for discipline under Chapter 475.

Step 2: Complete the 63-hour prelicensing course

Rule 61J2-3.008(1), F.A.C. requires anyone who wants to be licensed as a sales associate to complete the Commission-prescribed course designated as Course I. It consists of 63 hours of 50 minutes each, inclusive of examination, in real estate principles and practices, basic real estate, and license law. The 2026 statute, s. 475.17(2)(a)1., caps the course for a sales associate at a total of 63 classroom hours of 50 minutes each, inclusive of examination.

• End-of-course exam: a grade of 70% or higher on the end-of-course examination is satisfactory completion (Rule 61J2-3.008(4)(a)).
• Attendance: notice of satisfactory completion is not issued if the student has absences in excess of 8 classroom hours (s. 475.17(2)(a)1.).
• Distance learning: the statute requires the Commission to approve distance learning as an option, with a timed distance learning course examination.
• Degree exemption: under s. 475.17(6), the prelicensing and post-licensing education requirements do not apply to anyone with a 4-year degree or higher in real estate from an accredited institution.
• Two-year clock: if you do not pass the licensing exam within 2 years after your course completion date, the course completion is invalid for licensure (s. 475.181(2)). The DBPR booklet also says an expired course will not be accepted at the exam site.

Step 3: Apply to the DBPR

Under s. 475.175(1), you are entitled to take the exam if you submit to the department the signed or electronically authenticated application, digital fingerprint data, and fee. The fingerprints are checked by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI. Under s. 475.181(2), the application expires 2 years after the date it is received if you do not pass the exam.

As of 2026, Rule 61J2-1.011 (current text effective November 22, 2022) sets the sales associate application fee at $11.00 and the initial licensure fee at $46.75. As of 2026, statutory add-ons are also collected (a $5 unlicensed activity fee under s. 455.2281 and a Real Estate Recovery Fund fee of $1.50 per license year under s. 475.482), and fingerprint processing and the Pearson VUE exam fee are separate charges, so confirm your total with the DBPR before you apply.

Step 4: Pass the state exam

The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions, a total of three and a half hours, and a passing grade of 75 points (DBPR booklet effective January 2025). You must bring your course completion certificate to the test center every time you test. See Florida exam structure and passing score for the 19 content areas, and retaking the Florida exam if you do not pass.

Step 5: Get licensed and work under a broker

The Commission certifies an applicant who meets the requirements of ss. 475.17, 475.175 and 475.180, and the department then issues the license (s. 475.181). A sales associate performs brokerage acts under the direction, control, or management of another person (s. 475.01). Under s. 475.42(1)(b), a sales associate may not operate as a broker or work as a sales associate for anyone not registered as his or her employer.

Step 6: Finish 45 hours of post-licensing before your first renewal

Rule 61J2-3.020(1) says everyone who passes the sales associate exam must complete a Commission-prescribed post-licensing course before the first renewal following initial licensure. For a sales associate it consists of one or more courses that do not exceed 45 hours of 50 minutes each, inclusive of examination. The 2026 statute, s. 475.17(3)(a), says the courses total at least 45 classroom hours if prescribed.

The deadline is strict. Under s. 475.17(3)(c), the license of a sales associate who does not complete post-licensing education before the first renewal is considered null and void. To work again, the person must retake the prelicensing course and pass the state exam again. A student with absences over 10 percent of the required classroom hours does not receive a completion notice. The Commission may allow an additional 6-month period only for individual physical hardship, as defined by rule (s. 475.17(5)(a)).

Step 7: 14 hours of continuing education each renewal after that

Sales associates are not required to meet the 14-hour continuing education requirement before the first renewal (s. 475.17(5)(b)); the post-licensing course covers that cycle. For later renewals, s. 475.182(1)(a) requires proof of at least 14 classroom hours of 50 minutes each of continuing education during each biennium. Rule 61J2-3.009 requires the 3-hour Core Law course and the 3-hour Business Ethics course once each renewal period, and the specialty course hours must total at least 8 hours.

Keep your course completion certificates for at least 5 years after completing each course (Rule 61J2-3.015, current text effective February 9, 2023). A license that is not renewed at the end of the license period automatically reverts to involuntarily inactive status (s. 475.182(3)). The license law and education topics make up the 6% "License Law and Qualifications for Licensure" area of the exam; see our Florida license law lesson and the full Florida course.

Independent exam-prep guide. Not affiliated with the Florida Real Estate Commission, the DBPR or Pearson VUE. Always confirm current requirements with the DBPR.