How This Real Estate Affiliate Program Helps You Earn More
by Kacie Goff on 2019-08-01 11:55am
So you’re ready to get your Florida real estate license. Congratulations! But you probably know there are a few steps between deciding to apply for a license and actually getting it. And because there are costs associated with each — from the initial application to the required exam and Florida real estate license course — you may want to start budgeting for this process now.
How much should you save to cover the cost of getting a Florida real estate license? Good news. It’s not a huge amount. Generally, you should be able to get your license for under $500. Plus, the cost will be spread out over a couple of months — you won’t ever need to drop more than around $150 in one go.
That said, knowing exactly what you can expect cost-wise is helpful when you’re planning. So we built this guide. It takes you through the process of getting your license step by step, explaining how much each step will cost you. Ready to jump in? Here’s what you need to know to budget for getting your Florida sales associate license. If you ask someone how to get a real estate license in Florida, their first response probably wouldn’t be, “Get fingerprinted.” But you’re going to need to have your electronic fingerprints to complete the initial application that kicks off your license-getting process, so it’s helpful to knock this to-do off your list first. Plus, the state recommends getting fingerprinted at least five days before you send in any applications so your fingerprints have time to get into their system. You need to get your fingerprints taken by a state-approved livescan service provider. Here’s an FAQ that can help you better understand the process. The cost of getting fingerprinted will vary based on the provider you choose but you’re generally looking at just over $50. Cost: ~$50 In order to get your Florida real estate license, you’ll need to take — and pass — an exam administered by the state. It might seem a little premature to apply for that exam right out of the gate before you’ve done any studying, but sending in the application now actually saves you time. It usually takes the state’s Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) about 30 days to process your application. That’s a full month you can use to complete the required Florida sales associate license course (more on that in a minute), which will double as your exam prep for the Florida real estate exam. The DBPR gives you two options to submit this initial application: you can send it in online or mail in a hard copy. Either way, the fee that you pay to apply to take the exam is $83.75. Cost: $83.75 To make sure you know your stuff and are getting florida real estate license requirements correct, one of the requirements laid out by the state is a number of hours of education about various real estate topics. Specifically, in order to get your sales associate license, you need to take a 63-hour pre-license course. Good news: this course doubles as exam prep for the test you’ll need to take in step four. More good news: you don’t have to go to a classroom to do your 63 hours. A lot of the best Florida real estate school options offer online courses. All you need to do is find an online real estate school in Florida (just make sure it’s approved by the DBPR) and you can take your courses anywhere you have internet access and at any time that’s convenient for you. Again, the cost of your Florida real estate school will vary based on the provider you choose. That said, you can find the full 63-hour course you need for as little $135. Cost: $135+ Most Florida real estate agents would agree that this step is the hardest of the Florida real estate license requirements. But since you diligently completed your required sales associate course, you’re knowledgeable about all the topics you’ll be tested on. That course isn’t just useful for exam prep, either. You need to show proof you’ve finished all 63 hours before you can sit for your real estate agent exam. Once you complete those hours and hear back from the DBPR that you can schedule your exam, head to the Pearson VUE website to get set up. They’re the company that administers the exam and you can create an account on their website to schedule yours. You’ll need your candidate identification number the DBPR sent you in response to your application to make your reservation. The exam itself is three and a half hours long and closed-book, but you only need to score a 75% to pass, so don’t stress it too much. The exam administration fee is $36.75. Cost: $36.75 You’ve completed your 63-hour course and passed your exam. Now all you have to do is find a real estate broker to hire you so they can sign your license activation application. Once that’s submitted, you’re ready to legally buy and sell homes in the state of Florida. Congratulations! All told, getting your real estate license in Florida shouldn’t be a significant financial burden. If you do everything right, like finding fingerprinting and education providers on the low end of the cost spectrum and passing your exam the first time, you can keep the total to around $300. Check out the cost breakdown here. Even if you need to take your exam again or you have to pay a little more because the cheapest livescan fingerprinters aren’t in your area, you can usually get your real estate sales associate license for less than $500. Start saving now and you’ll be best able to cover the fees required for each step of the process. This estimate helps to streamline the process so you don't miss any step in getting your Florida Sales Associate License. But if you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our top-notch customer support team! Step one: Get fingerprinted
Step two: Apply to take the required exam
Step three: Complete your Florida sales associate license course
Step four: Pass your exam
Step five: Activate your license
Tallying up the cost of getting your Florida real estate license