Florida Real Estate License Renewal: Requirements, Deadlines and Fees

Last reviewed: August 5, 2026

To renew a Florida real estate license, complete the education required for your license stage and pay the renewal fee before midnight Eastern Time on the expiration date shown in your DBPR account. Florida real estate licenses generally expire on March 31 or September 30, but your own license record—not a general calendar—is the date that controls.

Start by signing in to DBPR Online Services to confirm your expiration date, license status, education record and amount due. You can also review the Florida Real Estate Commission renewal page for current instructions.

Florida real estate renewal requirements at a glance

For later renewals, the 14-hour continuing education requirement consists of:

• 3 hours of Florida Core Law
• 3 hours of Ethics and Business Practices
• 8 hours of specialty education

These requirements are summarized by the Florida Real Estate Commission and established through Florida Statute 475.182 and Rule 61J2-3.009 of the Florida Administrative Code.

What is the renewal deadline?

DBPR states that the required education and renewal payment are due no later than midnight Eastern Time on the expiration date. Florida real estate expiration dates fall on March 31 or September 30. If the expiration date falls on a weekend or holiday, DBPR says the deadline extends to midnight Eastern Time on the next business day.

Do not rely only on a renewal email. Verify your date directly in DBPR Online Services, and complete the process early enough to resolve missing course credits or account problems.

How much does Florida real estate license renewal cost?

As of August 5, 2026, the current fee rule lists the following base biennial license renewal fees:

• Sales associate: $64
• Broker: $72
• Late fee: $25

These amounts are published in Rule 61J2-1.011 of the Florida Administrative Code. The current rule lists a $25 late fee—not $45—and DBPR's September 2026 renewal notice also states that the late fee for that cycle is $25.

Florida Statute 455.2281 generally adds a $5 Unlicensed Activity Fee to each renewal. However, the statute requires DBPR to waive that fee when a profession's unlicensed-activity account meets specified financial conditions. For example, DBPR's March 2026 renewal notice announced a $5 waiver, while its September 2026 notice says no fee waiver is in effect.

For the September 30, 2026 renewal cycle, a licensee with no prior balance or other applicable charges would ordinarily pay $69 as a sales associate or $77 as a broker. These totals are cycle-specific, not permanent. The amount displayed in the licensee's DBPR account may differ based on license status, waivers, prior balances or other applicable charges and should be confirmed before payment.

If a license has already become involuntarily inactive, additional renewal-period charges may apply. Florida Statute 475.183 requires the department to collect the applicable renewal fees for the periods in which the license remained involuntarily inactive, in addition to any applicable late fee.

First renewal: post-license education is critical

The first renewal is different from later renewals. A newly licensed sales associate generally needs the 45-hour post-license course, while a newly licensed broker or broker associate generally needs 60 hours. The standard 14-hour CE course does not replace this first-renewal requirement.

Unless an applicable exemption or approved hardship extension applies, failure to complete first-renewal post-license education by the deadline generally causes the license to become null and void. A sales associate must requalify by completing the sales associate prelicense course and passing the state examination. A broker who wishes to continue operating as a broker must complete the broker prelicense course and pass the broker examination; Florida law provides a separate, time-limited path for obtaining a sales associate license after completing the 14-hour continuing education course within six months following expiration of the broker license. The consequences are described in Florida Statute 475.17. Confirm the procedure applicable to your license directly with DBPR.

Because the consequences are serious, confirm that the education provider has reported completion and that DBPR shows the correct requirement as satisfied.

What happens if you miss a later renewal?

A license that is not renewed at the end of its license period generally becomes involuntarily inactive. Under Florida Statute 475.183:

• A license involuntarily inactive for 12 months or less may generally be reactivated with at least 14 hours of prescribed continuing education.
• A license involuntarily inactive for more than 12 months but fewer than 24 months generally requires a 28-hour reactivation course.
• A license involuntarily inactive for more than two years automatically expires and becomes null and void.

Education alone does not complete reactivation. The licensee must also complete the applicable DBPR renewal or reactivation steps and pay all required renewal-period and late fees.

Do not perform services that require an active license while your status is inactive. Check your record and obtain instructions from DBPR before resuming licensed activity.

How to renew through DBPR

1. Sign in to DBPR Online Services.
2. Confirm your license status and expiration date.
3. Review the education requirement assigned to your license.
4. Complete the appropriate approved course.
5. Confirm that course credit appears in the DBPR record.
6. Pay the amount shown in the renewal portal.
7. Save the payment confirmation and updated license record.

DBPR recommends renewing online. Licensees should also keep their email and address current so official notices reach them.

Exemptions and hardship requests

A four-year degree or higher in real estate from an accredited institution may qualify a licensee for the post-license education exemption described in Florida Statute 475.17.

Active members in good standing with The Florida Bar may be exempt from the standard 14-hour continuing education requirement under Rule 61J2-3.009. That exemption does not cover first-renewal post-license education. DBPR expressly states that attorneys are not exempt from the 45-hour sales associate or 60-hour broker post-license requirement on its official real estate education page.

Do not assume an exemption has been applied automatically. Submit any required documentation and verify the result with DBPR before the deadline.

DBPR may consider documented hardship requests for certain post-license or reactivation requirements, but its renewal guidance states that extensions are not granted for the ordinary 14-hour continuing education requirement. Contact DBPR promptly if a genuine hardship may apply.

Final renewal checklist

Before your deadline, verify all four items:

• The expiration date in your DBPR record
• The correct education requirement for your license stage
• Successful reporting of your completed course
• Payment and renewal confirmation from DBPR

Florida Real Estate School offers online post-license, continuing education and reactivation courses for the different stages of Florida licensure. Select the course that matches the requirement shown in your DBPR account.

Information in this article was reviewed as of August 5, 2026 and is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee any particular fee, renewal outcome, eligibility determination or license status. Florida laws, administrative rules, fees, waivers, deadlines and DBPR procedures may change, and individual requirements may vary based on license type, status, history and account record. Before taking action, verify your expiration date, education record, fees and required steps directly with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), the Florida Real Estate Commission and the current Florida statutes and administrative rules. If you need advice regarding your particular circumstances, consult a qualified Florida attorney.