How to Keep Your Florida Real Estate License Active Without Paying MLS or Association Fees

If you have a Florida real estate license but you are not actively selling — maybe you work in another field, you took a break, or you simply do not want to pay $1,500 or more per year in fees just to keep your options open — you have a legitimate question: is there a way to keep that license active without joining a local association or subscribing to the MLS?

The answer is yes. Here is a clear explanation of how it works, what the DBPR actually requires, and what your options look like in practice.

What the DBPR Requires to Keep a Florida Real Estate License Active

The DBPR — the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — is the state agency that issues and regulates real estate licenses in Florida. When it comes to license status, the DBPR recognizes two main conditions: active and inactive.

An active license means your license is affiliated with a licensed real estate broker. You can legally perform real estate services under that broker's supervision.

An inactive license means your license is not affiliated with any broker. You can renew it and keep it from expiring, but you cannot legally perform any real estate activity — no showing properties, no writing offers, no earning commissions.

The key point: the DBPR does not require you to be a NAR member or subscribe to any MLS to maintain an active license. Those are requirements set by local associations and MLS boards — not by the state. Your license is a state credential. The DBPR only requires that your active license be held under a licensed Florida broker.

Why Most Agents End Up Paying Association and MLS Fees Anyway

Traditional brokerages typically require every agent to join the local association (such as ORRA in Orlando) and subscribe to the MLS. That combination usually runs:

- NAR / local association membership: $600–$800 per year

- MLS access: $600–$700 per year

Total: roughly $1,200–$1,500 per year, just to have an active license.

If you are not actively closing deals, that math does not work in your favor.

Can You Legally Hang Your License Without Joining NAR or the MLS?

Yes — as long as the broker you hang your license with does not require those memberships as a condition of affiliation.

Not all brokers mandate NAR membership or MLS access. Some brokerages operate entirely outside of local association structures. If you affiliate your license with one of those brokers, your license remains active with the DBPR without any association or MLS fees.

This is sometimes called "parking" or "hanging" your license. The license stays under the broker's supervision. You satisfy the DBPR requirement for an active license. You simply do not have MLS access or a Realtor designation — which, if you are not actively selling, you may not need at this point.

Who Is This a Good Fit For?

This option makes practical sense for:

- Licensed agents in another career who want to keep the license active in case they return to real estate

- Part-time or occasional agents who close one or two transactions per year and cannot justify full association fees

- Investors and wholesalers who hold a license for flexibility but do not use an MLS

- New licensees who passed the state exam but are not ready to commit to a full brokerage model

- Agents on a break — personal reasons, health, family, relocation — who do not want to let the license expire

What Happens If You Let a Florida License Go Inactive or Expire?

If you do not affiliate your license with a broker, the DBPR places it in inactive status. You can still renew it every two years, but you cannot earn a commission or represent a client.

If you do not renew by the DBPR deadline, the license expires. Once expired, getting it back typically requires completing the full 14-hour continuing education requirement or, in some cases, starting the application process over.

Keeping the license active under a broker — even one that does not require MLS — avoids this problem entirely.

The Process: How Long Does It Take?

The process of transferring or affiliating your license is handled through the DBPR's online portal (myfloridalicense.com). The steps are generally:

1. The receiving broker submits a request to affiliate your license through the DBPR system

2. You confirm or sign off on the transfer

3. The DBPR processes the affiliation — typically within 1 to 3 business days

4. Your license shows as active under the new broker in the DBPR database

A Note on Continuing Education

The DBPR requires Florida real estate licensees to complete 14 hours of continuing education every two years, regardless of whether the license is active or inactive. This is a state requirement, not a brokerage or association requirement.

One Option Worth Knowing About: Summerhill Partners

If you are looking for a licensed Florida broker to hang your license with — one that does not require NAR membership, local association fees, or MLS subscription — Summerhill Partners is worth a look.

Summerhill Partners is a DBPR-registered Florida brokerage that operates 100% online, serving agents across the entire state. There are no mandatory association memberships and no MLS fees. The process typically takes one to three business days from start to finish.

More information is available at summerhillpartners.us.

Summary

- The DBPR requires an active Florida real estate license to be held under a licensed broker — not a NAR member, not an MLS subscriber

- Local association and MLS fees are requirements of those organizations, not the state

- You can legally hang your license with a broker that does not require those memberships

- Your license stays active with the DBPR, you avoid $1,200–$1,500/year in fees, and you can reactivate to full production when you are ready

- The transfer or activation process goes through the DBPR portal and typically takes 1–3 business days

- Continuing education (14 hours every two years) is still required by the DBPR regardless of your affiliation status