Property Management requirements in Florida

1. Must a Florida property management company have a real estate broker’s license?

YES. Key components of property management (renting and leasing) are considered a real estate activity under existing Florida real estate licensing laws. A property manager needs a brokers license if he or she is paid by commission, and is handling rentals and leases for others.

No license is required for managing personally owned properties. There is a “Property Manager” license or certificate you should have. Also, certain rental properties need a license through the Div. of Hotels and Restaurants.

2. Are there any exceptions to the requirement that a Florida property manager have a broker’s license?

YES. For example, if a property owner employs someone to manage their property, and that “employee is paid a salary”, as opposed to being paid a commission or on a transactional basis, a broker’s license is not required.

For more information about these and other Florida property management requirements and exceptions, please contact the Florida Real Estate Commission.

Before hiring a property manager to manage your Florida rental property, you should always check that he or she is licensed appropriately. You can check the license status of Florida property managers at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Licensee Search webpage.

3. Must Florida community association managers have a real estate broker’s license?

No. However, a Community Association Manager license is required if someone receives compensation for providing management services for the following types of associations:

An association with ten or more units
An association with a budget of $100,000 or greater

4. Florida Real Estate Broker License Requirements

Florida real estate broker licensing requirements include:

Age: Must be at least 18 years of age.
High School: Must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Experience: Must have held a current real estate sales associate license for at least 24 months during the 5 year period immediately preceding becoming a licensed broker.
Education: Successfully complete a Florida Real Estate Commission approved pre-licensing course for brokers, consisting of 72 classroom hours and covering specified topics. Courses are valid for licensure purposes for two years after completion. In addition, successfully complete a FREC-approved post-licensing course for brokers, consisting of 60 classroom hours before the initial broker license expires.
Exam: Pass the Florida Real Estate Broker Examination with a grade of at least 75.
Fee: $115 ($20 application fee; $90 license fee; $5 unlicensed activity fee).
Application: complete and submit broker license application which is available online.

5. Florida Real Estate Salesperson License Requirements

Florida real estate salesperson licensing requirements include:

Age: Must be at least 18 years of age.
High School: Must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Education: Successfully complete a Florida Real Estate Commission 63-hour sales associate course.
Trustworthiness: Must be of good moral character; must have a background check and submit fingerprints.
Exam: Pass the Florida Real Estate Sales Associate Examination with a grade of at least 75%

6. Florida Community Association Manager License Requirements

Florida community association manager licensing requirements include:

Age: Must be at least 18 years of age.
Education: Must complete at least 18 hours of pre-licensure education from an approved provider.
Trustworthiness: Must be of good moral character; must have a background check and submit fingerprints.
Exam: Pass the Community Association Management Exam.
Then Pay the License fee in your state.

IMPORTANT: This information is intended for informational purposes only and under no circumstances should it be considered legal advice or relied upon without first confirming its contents with your state real estate commission. Laws are updated frequently, and this information may not reflect the current law in your state. To confirm the specific requirements for each state, please contact your state real estate commission.