Real Estate License from Florida to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Tennessee accept a Florida real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from Florida to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) / TN Department of Commerce & Insurance, verify your Florida license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. Tennessee offers no reciprocal license, but a holder of an active out-of-state real estate license may qualify under Tennessee statute to substitute their real estate education, the national portion of the examination, and/or their experience for Tennessee's requirements; the Tennessee (state) portion of the PSI exam is still required.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Tennessee publishes no agreement covering Florida, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on Tennessee's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) / TN Department of Commerce & Insurance commits to in writing; for anything discretionary (exam waivers, education credit), get the commission's answer in writing before you rely on it.
What's different between Florida and Tennessee
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Tennessee. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Florida to Tennessee (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Tennessee to Florida (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Florida matter?
Coming from Florida does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Tennessee.
- Reciprocity agreements
Tennessee's row names no reciprocity agreement states.
Florida's reciprocity agreement list names 10 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and West Virginia), not including Tennessee.
- Application fee
Tennessee lists $91 for an out-of-state applicant and Florida lists $62.75 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Pre-license education
Tennessee's first-time-applicant standard is 90 hours of pre-license education; Florida's is 63.
Tennessee's is 27 education hours higher than Florida's.
- Exam rules on record
Tennessee and Florida carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Tennessee (this move): Tennessee offers no reciprocal license, but a holder of an active out-of-state real estate license may qualify under Tennessee statute to substitute their real estate education, the national portion of the examination, and/or their experience for Tennessee's requirements; the Tennessee (state) portion of the PSI exam is still required
- Florida (the reverse move): Mutual-recognition applicants skip the national exam and the 63-hour pre-license course; a 40-question Florida real estate law exam (30 of 40 correct to pass) is required
What changes, Florida → Tennessee
| Florida (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education | 63 | 90 |
| Application fee | $62.75 (DBPR RE-1 state application fee; the PSI/testing-vendor exam fee and the electronic fingerprint fee are paid separately) | $91 (Initial Real Estate Affiliate Broker application fee filed at core.tn.gov; separate PSI exam and IdentoGO fingerprint vendor fees apply) |
| Processing time | No board-stated timeframe; the license is issued after DBPR reviews the application and the applicant passes the 40-question Florida law exam | Commission does not publish a processing-time estimate |
| Licensing authority | Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) / DBPR | Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) / TN Department of Commerce & Insurance |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) / TN Department of Commerce & Insurance website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC) / TN Department of Commerce & Insurance (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Complete a 60-hour real estate principles/fundamentals course plus the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates (may be substituted for a qualifying out-of-state licensee).
- Pass the PSI licensing examination (Tennessee state portion required).
- Provide proof of errors and omissions (E&O) insurance and proof of high school graduation.
- Complete the Eligibility for Entitlements Verification form.
- Complete an electronic fingerprint-based TBI/FBI background check (ORI# TN920784Z, service code 28TZ99).
- Application must be signed by your Principal Broker.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep selling in Florida after I'm licensed in Tennessee?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Florida license active (renewals and CE continue separately) and you hold both; many border-market agents do exactly this.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- TN Real Estate Commission - Renewal, Reciprocity & Other Resources ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TN Real Estate Commission - Affiliate Broker Licensure (requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida FREC — Mutual Recognition States (10-state list; 40-question law exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida DBPR — RE-1 Sales Associate Application (application fee $62.75; mutual recognition section) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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