Title XXXII, Regulation of Professions and Occupations

The commission may enact bylaws for its own government and adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of law conferring powers or duties upon it. The commission may decide questions of practice arising in the proceedings before it, having regard…

The commission shall adopt a seal by which it shall authenticate its proceedings. Copies of the proceedings, records, and acts of the commission, and certificates purporting to relate the facts concerning such proceedings, records, and acts, signed by the chair, the custodian of …

(1) The commission by rule may establish fees to be paid for application, examination, reexamination, licensing and renewal, certification and recertification, reinstatement, and recordmaking and recordkeeping. The fee for initial application and examination may not exceed $100. …

Each partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, or corporation which acts as a broker shall register with the commission and shall renew the licenses or registrations of its members, officers, and directors for each license period. However, if the part…

The commission shall license a broker associate or sales associate as an individual or, upon the licensee providing the commission with authorization from the Department of State, as a professional corporation, limited liability company, or professional limited liability company.…

(1)(a) An applicant for licensure who is a natural person must be at least 18 years of age; hold a high school diploma or its equivalent; be honest, truthful, trustworthy, and of good character; and have a good reputation for fair dealing. An applicant for an active broker’s lice…

(1) A person shall be entitled to take the license examination to practice in this state if the person:(a) Submits to the department the appropriate signed or electronically authenticated application, digital fingerprint data, and fee. The digital fingerprints shall be forwarded …

(1) Notwithstanding the prelicensure requirements set forth under ss. 475.17(2) and (6) and 475.175, the commission in its discretion may enter into written agreements with similar licensing authorities of other states, territories, or jurisdictions of the United States or foreig…

(1) The department shall license any applicant whom the commission certifies, pursuant to subsection (2), to be qualified to practice as a broker or sales associate.(2) The commission shall certify for licensure any applicant who satisfies the requirements of ss. 475.17, 475.175,…

(1)(a) The department shall renew a license upon receipt of the renewal application and fee. The renewal application for an active license as broker, broker associate, or sales associate shall include proof satisfactory to the commission that the licensee has, since the issuance …

(1) A license which has become voluntarily inactive may be renewed pursuant to s. 475.182 upon application to the department. The commission shall prescribe by rule continuing education requirements, not to exceed 12 classroom hours for each year the license was inactive, as a co…

(1) A licensed broker may be issued upon request additional licenses as a broker, but not as a sales associate or as a broker associate, whenever it is clearly shown that the requested additional licenses are necessary to the conduct of real estate brokerage business and that the…

(1) Each active broker shall maintain an office, which shall consist of at least one enclosed room in a building of stationary construction. Each active broker shall maintain a sign on or about the entrance of her or his principal office and each branch office, which sign may be …

A license shall cease to be in force whenever a broker changes her or his business address, a real estate school operating under a permit issued pursuant to s. 475.451 changes its business address, or a sales associate working for a broker or an instructor working for a real esta…

Whenever any licensee desires to conduct business at some other location, either in the same or a different municipality or county than that in which she or he is licensed, such other place of business shall be registered as a branch office, and an annual registration fee prescri…

(1) The commission may deny an application for licensure, registration, or permit, or renewal thereof; may place a licensee, registrant, or permittee on probation; may suspend a license, registration, or permit for a period not exceeding 10 years; may revoke a license, registrati…

Without consideration of the related facts and circumstances, the mere payment or promise to pay compensation to a licensee does not determine whether an agency or transactional brokerage relationship exists between the licensee and a seller, landlord, buyer, or tenant.History.—s…

Sections 475.2701-475.2801 may be cited as the “Brokerage Relationship Disclosure Act.”History.—s. 3, ch. 97-42.

In order to eliminate confusion and provide for a better understanding on the part of customers in real estate transactions, the Legislature finds that the intent of the Brokerage Relationship Disclosure Act is to provide that:(1) Disclosed dual agency as an authorized form of re…

The authorized brokerage relationships described in ss. 475.2755 and 475.278 apply in all brokerage activities as defined in s. 475.01(1)(a). The disclosure requirements of s. 475.278 apply only to residential sales as defined in s. 475.278(5)(a).History.—s. 3, ch. 97-42; s. 9, c…

(1) For purposes of this part, in any real estate transaction other than a residential sale as defined in s. 475.278(5)(a), and where the buyer and seller have assets of $1 million or more, the broker at the request of the customers may designate sales associates to act as single…

(1) BROKERAGE RELATIONSHIPS.—(a) Authorized brokerage relationships.—A real estate licensee in this state may enter into a brokerage relationship as either a transaction broker or as a single agent with potential buyers and sellers. A real estate licensee may not operate as a dis…

(1) As used in this section, the term:(a) “Disposition” means a transfer or voluntary conveyance of the title or other ownership interest in residential real property.(b) “Residential loan alternative agreement” means a signed writing or a signed and written legal instrument or c…

(1) In all proceedings before the commission or the courts, civil or criminal, in which the payment, receipt, or expectation of a commission, compensation, or a valuable consideration is a necessary element of the offense, proof of the performance of the act, service, or conditio…

The commission may adopt rules establishing disciplinary guidelines, notices of noncompliance, and citations for violations of ss. 475.2755 and 475.278.History.—s. 3, ch. 97-42; s. 14, ch. 98-250; s. 10, ch. 99-384.

(1) An order revoking or suspending the license of a broker shall automatically cause the licenses of all sales associates and broker associates registered with the broker, and, if a partnership or corporation, of all members, officers, and directors thereof to become involuntari…

If the order of the court or commission denying a license or taking any disciplinary action against a licensee is finally reversed and set aside, the defendant shall be restored to her or his rights and privileges as a broker or sales associate as of the date of filing the mandat…

The commission shall not be required to advance any fees or costs to any officer or witness, or to execute any bond in any proceeding in the courts, any general statute to the contrary notwithstanding, but in every case in which the commission is liable for any fees or costs, a v…

No contract for a commission or compensation for any act or service enumerated in s. 475.01(3) is valid unless the broker or sales associate has complied with this chapter in regard to issuance and renewal of the license at the time the act or service was performed.History.—s. 44…

(1) VIOLATIONS.—(a) A person may not operate as a broker or sales associate without being the holder of a valid and current active license therefor. Any person who violates this paragraph commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, or…

In all criminal cases, contempt cases, and other cases filed pursuant to this chapter, if a party has sold, leased, or let real estate, the title to which was not in the party when it was offered for sale, lease, or letting, or such party has maintained an office bearing signs th…

(1) Each person, school, or institution, except approved and accredited colleges, universities, community colleges, and career centers in this state, which offers or conducts any course of study in real estate practice, teaches any course prescribed by the commission as a conditi…

(1) No person representing a real estate school offering and teaching real estate courses under this chapter shall make, cause to be made, or approve any statement, representation, or act, oral, written, or visual, in connection with the operation of the school, its affiliations …

(1) Each broker or sales associate who furnishes a rental information list to a prospective tenant, for a fee paid by the prospective tenant, shall provide such prospective tenant with a contract or receipt, which contract or receipt contains a provision for the repayment of any …

The commission shall inform the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation of any disciplinary action the commission has taken against any of its licensees. The division shall inform the commission of a…

There is created the Florida Real Estate Recovery Fund as a separate account in the Professional Regulation Trust Fund.(1) The Florida Real Estate Recovery Fund shall be disbursed as provided in s. 475.484, on order of the commission, as reimbursement to any person, partnership, …

(1) Any person is eligible to seek recovery from the Real Estate Recovery Fund if:(a) Such person has received a final judgment in a court of competent civil jurisdiction in this state against an individual broker or sales associate in any action wherein the cause of action was b…

When the commission receives certified notice of any action, as required by s. 475.483(1)(b), the commission may intervene, enter an appearance, file an answer, defend the action, or take any action it deems appropriate and may take recourse through any appropriate method of revi…

(1) Any person who meets all of the conditions prescribed in s. 475.482(1) or (2) may apply to the commission to cause payment to be made to such person from the Real Estate Recovery Fund:(a) Under s. 475.482(1), in an amount equal to the unsatisfied portion of such person’s judg…

The funds in the Real Estate Recovery Fund may be invested by the Chief Financial Officer under the same limitations as apply to investment of other state funds, and the interest earned thereon shall be deposited to the credit of the Real Estate Recovery Fund and shall be availab…

(1) The commission shall adopt such rules as are necessary to effect the efficient administration of ss. 475.482-475.486.(2) It is unlawful for any person or the person’s agent to file with the commission any notice, statement, or other document required under the provisions of s…

Each broker shall keep and make available to the department such books, accounts, and records as will enable the department to determine whether such broker is in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Each broker shall preserve at least one legible copy of all books, ac…

Duly authorized agents and employees of the department shall have the power to inspect and audit in a lawful manner at all reasonable hours any broker or brokerage office licensed under this chapter, for the purpose of determining if any of the provisions of this chapter, chapter…

(1) Appropriate civil action may be brought by the department in circuit court to enjoin a broker from engaging in, or continuing, a violation of this part or doing any act or acts in furtherance thereof. In any such action, an order or judgment may be entered awarding such tempo…

When any act performed under this part must be performed in writing or acknowledged with a signature, the provision of an instrument or writing by electronic means or facsimile, including a signature transmitted by electronic means or facsimile, is binding and sufficient.History.…

The Legislature deems it necessary in the interest of the public welfare to regulate real estate appraisers in this state.History.—ss. 9, 11, ch. 91-89; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 14, ch. 2000-332.