Just licensed in Florida? Your first steps as a new sales associate
Congratulations on passing. Here is what Florida expects from you next, checked against the state's own rules.
In Florida your entry-level license is called a sales associate license, issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Real Estate (FREC). These are the deadlines and rules that matter in your first months.
Last verified 17 October 2026 against the official sources listed below. Rules change, so confirm anything critical with the agency and your broker.
Your first steps in Florida
Get active under a broker
You can only work for the broker registered as your employer. A sales associate cannot operate independently.
Put your post-licensing deadline in your calendar today
45 hours of post-licensing education, completed before your first license expiration date. If you miss it, your license becomes null and void. To get it back you retake the pre-license course and pass the state exam again. (Holders of a four-year real estate degree are exempt from post-licensing.)
Plan your first renewal
Your first license period runs 18 to 24 months, not a full two years. Post-licensing takes the place of continuing education for that first renewal; after that, 14 hours every two years (3 core law, 3 ethics, 8 specialty).
Sort out insurance, MLS and association membership
E&O insurance: Not required by the state rules we checked. Many brokerages require it or include it in their fees, so ask yours before you sign. Joining the local Realtor association and MLS is usually through your brokerage and comes with its own fees, so budget for them before your first deal.
Set up your brand before your first client calls
Clients will look you up. A professional bio, a simple website and a Google Business Profile go a long way. Our free agent bio generator and first-year cost calculator can help you plan it.
The one new agents most often miss: Your first license period can be as short as 18 months. Missing the post-licensing deadline voids the license outright rather than making it inactive.
Official sources
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