Real Estate License from Pennsylvania to Florida: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Florida accept a Pennsylvania real estate license?
A real estate license transfers from Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Florida publishes no agreement covering Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania to Florida (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Florida to Pennsylvania (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Pennsylvania matter?
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania's row names no reciprocity agreement states.
- Application fee
Florida lists $62.75 for an out-of-state applicant and Pennsylvania lists $97 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; Pennsylvania's is 75.
Florida's is 12 education hours lower than Pennsylvania's.
- Exam rules on record
Florida and Pennsylvania 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
- Pennsylvania (the reverse move): An applicant actively licensed as a salesperson or broker in another state within the last 5 years takes and passes only the Pennsylvania state portion of the exam (national portion waived); a non-resident reciprocal license requires no Pennsylvania examination.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Florida
| Pennsylvania (current) | Florida (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education | 75 | 63 |
| Application fee | $97 (Standard salesperson initial fee = $72 licensure + $25 application; reciprocal-license fees are billed through PALS. Renewal is $96 biennially.) | $62.75 (DBPR RE-1 state application fee; the PSI/testing-vendor exam fee and the electronic fingerprint fee are paid separately) |
| Processing time | Commission does not publish a fixed timeline; see its Licensure Processing Guides and Timelines | 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 | Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) | 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 Pennsylvania after I'm licensed in Florida?
Yes — real estate licenses stack. Keep the Pennsylvania 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)
- PA - Real Estate Salesperson Licensure Snapshot (requirements, exam waiver, reciprocity, Act 41) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA State Real Estate Commission - main page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com