Florida Real Estate License Cost Breakdown

Before you worry about Real Estate schools or exam dates, it helps to know what you’re actually paying for.

Big picture, your costs fall into five categories:

1. Education costs (courses + optional prep)
2. State & exam fees (DBPR + Pearson VUE)
3. Background check & fingerprinting
4. Post-licensing & renewals
5. Business start-up costs (brokerage, association, MLS, marketing)

Snapshot: What Does a Florida Real Estate License Really Cost?

Here’s a big-picture cost breakdown for a new Sales Associate license.

*Estimates are based on DBPR/FREC requirements and current 2024–2025 pricing from major Florida schools and associations.

Realistic initial licensing total (everything up to getting your first license number): ~$420 on the low end to around $1,000+ on the high end, depending mainly on which course/prep options you choose.

Education Costs: Courses & Study Materials

63-Hour Pre-Licensing Course (Required)

Florida law requires all Sales Associate applicants to complete a 63-hour FREC I pre-licensing course and pass the final exam before taking the state exam.

Schools set their own prices:

• Budget friendly online self-paced: ~$140–$250
• Mid-range online or livestream: $200–$400
• Premium classroom/live + extras: $400–$650+

Factors that affect pricing:

• Live vs self-paced
• Extra instruction or tutoring
• Whether exam prep is included
• Hard copy textbook vs e-book only

If you’re trying to spend less upfront, it’s realistic to stay around $150–$250 with a reputable online school while still meeting DBPR/FREC requirements.

Optional Exam Prep & Practice Tools

Florida does not require exam prep beyond your 63-hour course, but since the exam can be challenging, most students invest in at least one extra study tool.

Common optional tools:

• “Crash Course” weekends
• Question banks + simulated exams
• Video review modules
• Pearson VUE general real estate practice tests ($19.95 each)

Typical pricing:

• Basic practice tests or mini-bundles: ~$20–$60
• Full exam-prep packages/weekend crash courses: $100–$250

Think of this as an insurance to pass the first time: one solid prep product is usually cheaper than paying the exam fee multiple times.

State & Exam Fees: What You Pay to DBPR & Pearson VUE

These are the required government/vendor fees you can’t avoid.

DBPR Application & Initial License Fee

All new Sales Associates file the DBPR RE 1 Sales Associate Application. The official checklist on the current form shows:

Fee: $62.75. Make a check payable to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

That fee covers your application processing and your initial license in the current fee structure.

Why you’ll see different numbers online:

• Some sites still quote an older price of $83.75 or talk about a temporary 50% discount (around $39.37) from recent legislative fee-reduction programs.
• Those discounts were temporary; the most recent DBPR form and current 2025 exam-prep resources consistently show $62.75 as the standard amount.

Planning tip: Budget $62.75 for your DBPR application, but always confirm the exact number in your myfloridalicense.com account at checkout.

Pearson VUE Exam Fee (Per Attempt)

Florida contracts Pearson VUE to administer the Sales Associate exam at in-person testing centers.

Current industry-standard exam fee:

• Most exam prep providers, schools, and licensing guides list the Florida Sales Associate exam at $36.75 per attempt.

The exam is:

• 100 multiple-choice questions
• 3.5 hours
• Passing score: 75%

If you fail, you can retake as many times as needed (within the validity of your course and application), but you will have to pay $36.75 every time you schedule.

Background Check & Fingerprinting Costs

Florida requires all real estate applicants to submit electronic fingerprints for a background check.

What DBPR Says

• DBPR offers fingerprinting at its Tallahassee headquarters for $36.
• The fingerprint FAQ emphasizes that private Livescan providers set their own prices. Contact them directly for exact fees.

Typical Price Range

Current Florida school and career-guide estimates:

• Most candidates pay about $50–$80 at Florida-approved Livescan vendors.
• Some metro-area providers charge closer to $90+, especially if they bundle “priority processing” or mobile services.

Safe budget: $50–$90, unless you use DBPR’s in-house Tallahassee option at $36.

Post-Licensing, CE & Renewal Costs

Your spending doesn’t stop once you’ve passed the exam. Florida requires education and renewal requirements to keep your license active.

45-Hour Post-Licensing Course (First Renewal Only)

FREC requires every new Sales Associate to complete 45 hours of approved courses before the first renewal deadline. If you miss it, your license becomes invalid.

What’s the cost:

• Discount online schools: around $79–$120
• Larger schools and premium packages: $150–$300+

Practical range to budget: $100–$250, unless you specifically want a more hands-on classroom or live webinar option.

Ongoing Continuing Education (CE)

After post-licensing is done, each two-year renewal cycle requires:

• 14 hours of CE, including:
  
  • 3 hours Florida Core Law
  • 3 hours Ethics & Business Practices
  • 8 hours electives

CE pricing:

• Basic 14-hour online bundles: $20–$50
• Higher-end or bundled packages (with extra support/features): $50–$200

DBPR Renewal Fee

DBPR renewal notices show that current renewal fees for sales associates are about $32, with a $25 late fee if you miss the deadline.

So, for each 2-year cycle after your first:

• CE bundle: ~$20–$150
• Renewal fee: ~$32
• Total ongoing “maintenance” cost every 2 years: usually $50–$200.

Business Start-Up Costs (Beyond Licensing)

Once you’re licensed, there are non-DBPR costs that can easily outweigh your licensing expenses.

These aren’t controlled by FREC/DBPR, but they matter for your budget:

REALTOR® Association & MLS Dues

If you decide to become a REALTOR® and access the MLS, you’ll pay:

• Local association dues
• Florida Realtors® dues (state level)
• National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) dues
• MLS subscription fees

For example, 2025 dues at Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association (ORRA) total about $811 per year for agents. This includes local + Florida Realtors + NAR + voluntary contributions, before MLS fees.

Other Florida licensing boards show a similar pattern—annual costs often run from a few hundred dollars to $800+ per year.

Brokerage, Marketing & Tools

These costs vary a lot, but you should at least be aware of:

• Brokerage “desk”/tech/transaction fees
• Business cards, signs, basic marketing
• Lockbox/key access
• Website, CRM, email marketing tools
• Paid leads or ads

Many new agents spend another few hundred to a few thousand dollars in their first year on these items, depending on how aggressive they want to be with marketing.

Example Budgets 

Here are three realistic initial licensing budgets (not including association/MLS/business extras):

“Bare-Bones” Budget

• Pre-licensing course (discount online): $150
• Fingerprinting: $60
• DBPR application: $62.75
• Exam fee (one attempt): $36.75
• No exam prep

Total: ≈ $310+

You’ll need to be disciplined about self-study to avoid retakes or having to pay for extra prep tools.

“Typical” Budget

• Pre-licensing course (solid mid-range online or livestream): $250–$350
• Fingerprinting: $60–$80
• DBPR application: $62.75
• Exam fee (one attempt): $36.75
• Exam prep package: $100–$200

Total: roughly $510–$730

This matches most 2024–2025 estimates that new Florida agents spend about $500–$900 to get licensed.

“Extra Support” Budget

• Premium/prestige pre-license program with live instruction, printed materials, and bundled exam prep: $500–$650+
• Fingerprinting: $80–$90
• DBPR application: $62.75
• Exam fee: $36.75
• Maybe a second exam attempt: + $36.75

Total: $720–$900+

You’re paying more upfront in exchange for a more structured, guided experience.

Final Thoughts: Quick Cost Summary

Getting a Florida real estate license isn’t one flat fee—it’s a few main categories:

• Upfront education: Most people spend $150–$650+ on the 63-hour pre-licensing course, plus $50–$250 if they add an exam prep.
• State & exam costs: Plan on about $62.75 for the DBPR application, $36.75 per exam attempt, and $50–$90 for fingerprinting. For most students, that puts the initial license total around $400–$800, with very bare-bones paths closer to $300 and premium options near $900+.

After you’re licensed, you’ll budget for a 45-hour post-licensing course, ongoing CE every two years, a license renewal fee, plus ongoing business costs like association/MLS dues, brokerage fees, and marketing. Understanding these categories upfront helps you plan realistically and avoid surprise expenses on your way into the Florida real estate business.