The Florida Legislature recently enacted several changes to Florida’s license law. The first change corrects a problem that allowed licensees to renew an involuntarily inactive license by taking two continuing education courses. The second change reduces the amount of time a license application remains valid. Effective July 1, 2006, the law changed as follows:
1. Pre-license course credits will expire if the applicant has not passed the state licensing exam within two years of completing the course. The applicant will have to re-take the course to qualify for licensure. For the two years previous to this, the course was good indefinitely.
2. Licensees who fail to renew after the first renewal the license who are in an involuntarily inactive status:
a. for LESS than 12 months, must pass a 14-hour continuing education course and pay the renewal fee and a late fee.
b. for MORE than 12 months wants to renew the license, the licensee must pass a FREC-approved 28-hour education course course and pay the renewal fee and a late fee. The reactivation education course will be determined by FREC rule in the coming months.
3. The time period has been extended to two years for license applications to the state if the applicant has not sat for the exam at least one time. Currently license applications expire after one year.
In another area of the law, the advance fee statute requiring a broker to deposit at least 75% of advance fees into a special advance fee trust account has been deleted. For more information regarding real estate license renewal please visit the Department of Professional and Business Regulations website.
Bookmark on del.icio.us