How to Become a Real Estate Broker in Florida
Becoming a Florida real estate broker is a step up from sales associate — you must already be a licensed sales associate with real-world experience before you qualify. Here's the experience requirement, the 72-hour broker course, the state exam, and the DBPR application.
By Scott Schubiner
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker & Instructor · Published July 24, 2026
Prerequisites
Unlike the sales associate license, the broker license builds on prior experience. Before you can apply, you must:
- Hold an active Florida real estate sales associate license
- Have held an active license and worked for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years (the experience requirement)
- Have completed the 45-hour sales-associate post-licensing education
- Meet the general Chapter 475 qualifications: be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED), and be of good character
Note that active real estate experience earned in another state may count toward the 24-month requirement.
“A person may not be licensed as a real estate broker unless, in addition to the other requirements of law, the person has held: 1. An active real estate sales associate’s license for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years in the office of one or more real estate brokers licensed in this state or any other state, territory, or jurisdiction of the United States or in any foreign national jurisdiction …”Read the full text
The 5 steps to your broker license
- 1Meet the 24-month experience requirement. Hold an active real estate sales associate license and work under it for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years before you apply.
- 2Complete the 72-hour broker pre-licensing course. Finish a FREC-approved 72-hour Broker pre-licensing course and pass its end-of-course exam.
- 3Submit your DBPR broker application. File the Florida DBPR broker application (form RE 2) and fee ($70.00, read on the DBPR form on 2026-08-30 — verify the current amount on DBPR) online.
- 4Pass the Florida broker state exam. Schedule and pass the Florida Real Estate Broker exam at Pearson VUE (100 questions, 75% to pass).
- 5Activate your broker license. Activate your license — as a broker, a broker associate, or by opening your own brokerage.
Applying through the DBPR portal, step by step
Florida real estate licenses are issued by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Here's how the online broker application works:
Log in and choose the Broker application
Go to MyFloridaLicense.com and log into your existing profile. Under the Real Estate Commission board, choose the Broker application (DBPR form RE 2, or RE 13B if you are transferring experience from another state). You'll confirm your license history, post-licensing education, and experience.
Selecting the Broker application in the DBPR portal Screenshot: Selecting the Broker application in the DBPR portal
Pay the application fee and submit
Pay the state application fee ($70.00, read on DBPR form RE 2 on 2026-08-30 — confirm the current amount on the DBPR fee schedule) by card and submit. DBPR reviews the application and, on approval, issues authorization to test so you can schedule the broker exam at Pearson VUE.
What it costs
The all-in cost to upgrade to a broker license, using Comet CE's course price. State and vendor fees are current as of 2026 — verify the latest amounts on DBPR and Pearson VUE.
Fingerprinting is priced by the Livescan vendor you choose and the examination fee is set by Pearson VUE, so neither is published by the state. Get both from the vendor at the point you book.
Enroll in the $114.90 broker course
Typically 2–3 months once you meet the 24-month experience requirement — the course is self-paced; the rest is application review and exam scheduling.
Start the 72-hour broker course
Once you've met the experience requirement, the 72-hour FREC-approved broker course is your next step. Comet CE's is 100% online and self-paced.
View the Broker Pre-License course