Real Estate License from Montana to Florida: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Florida accept a Montana real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from Montana to Florida by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) / DBPR, verify your Montana license, and meet Florida's endorsement requirements. 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.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Florida publishes no agreement covering Montana, but it does evaluate out-of-state licensees individually — so this move runs on Florida's endorsement judgment rather than a guarantee. The requirements below are what the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) / DBPR 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 Montana and Florida
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Florida. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Montana to Florida (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Florida to Montana (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Montana matter?
Montana gets Florida's most common result: 40 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get the same one, so for most movers the origin does not change the answer.
The others get: reciprocity agreement (10).
- Reciprocity agreements
Florida's reciprocity agreement list names 10 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and West Virginia), not including Montana.
Montana's row names no reciprocity agreement states.
- Application fee
Florida lists $62.75 for an out-of-state applicant and Montana lists $80 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Pre-license education
Florida's first-time-applicant standard is 63 hours of pre-license education; Montana's is 70.
Florida's is 7 education hours lower than Montana's.
- Exam rules on record
Florida and Montana carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Florida (this 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
- Montana (the reverse move): National portion waived under the Out-of-State Licensee/Waiver Process: the applicant passes only the Montana STATE portion of the salesperson examination; the 70-hour pre-licensing education required of new applicants is not required
What changes, Montana → Florida
| Montana (current) | Florida (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education | 70 | 63 |
| Application fee | $80 ($80 application fee; separate Pearson VUE examination fee paid to the test vendor) | $62.75 (DBPR RE-1 state application fee; the PSI/testing-vendor exam fee and the electronic fingerprint fee are paid separately) |
| Processing time | Board of Realty Regulation does not publish a processing-time range | No board-stated timeframe; the license is issued after DBPR reviews the application and the applicant passes the 40-question Florida law exam |
| Licensing authority | Montana Board of Realty Regulation (Department of Labor & Industry) | Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) / DBPR |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Florida sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Florida's current requirements on the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) / DBPR website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) / DBPR (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Be at least 18 and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Not be a Florida resident at the time of application.
- Have obtained the out-of-state license by meeting that state's own education and examination requirements (not by reciprocity).
- Hold a valid, current, active license in good standing in the mutual-recognition state.
- Submit a certification of license history and complete an electronic fingerprint background check.
- 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 Montana after I'm licensed in Florida?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Montana 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.
- 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)
- MT Board of Realty Regulation — Real Estate Salesperson license information ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MT Board of Realty Regulation — Real Estate Salesperson Licensing Requirements & Application Checklist (Updated 11/2025; Out-of-State Licensee/Waiver Process; $80 fee; 70-hour pre-licensing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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