Earlier in 2025, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill that would have deregulated several professional accreditations within Florida and abolished commissions/regulatory bodies—that exist as part of the larger Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)—overseeing those professions. One is the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC), the seven-member board that regulates real estate licensees and their education within Florida.
Despite a 69-42 vote in the House, the bill—which had been strongly opposed by Florida Realtors®—did not advance in the Florida Senate. At the beginning of December, though, a new bill was introduced in the House that is substantively similar, putting this deregulation agenda back on the table. A hearing for this new bill was held by the Florida House’s Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee on Thursday, December 11, after which the bill was voted to advance out of the committee.
In addition to its changes for the regulation of real estate licenses, the bill would also impact the accreditation of several other real estate connected professions, such as architects, appraisers and builders, as well as many unconnected to real estate (accountants, barbers, cosmetologists, etc.). Even critics of the bill, such as Florida Realtors®, have said it is not a specific attack upon the real estate industry but part of a larger deregulatory effort.
Several representatives from Florida professional associations which the bill impacts testified at the hearing, largely in opposition to it. One of the witnesses was Trey Goldman, legislative counsel at Florida Realtors®, offering testimony as to why the association opposes the bill.
Characterizing Florida’s requirements for attaining a real estate license as “middle of the road” compared to other states in the U.S., Goldman said that changing those license requirements as this legislation does would result in lower professional standards and fewer consumer protections in real estate.
Goldman also raised concerns about the impact of Florida real estate’s mutual recognition policy; this allows real estate licensees in nine other states to more easily obtain a Florida real estate license if they apply for one. Changing Florida’s license accreditation could, Goldman claimed, create misalignment with those states.
Note that the 449-page legislation often replaces references to specific commissions, such as FREC, with “the department,” reflecting the intent to streamline regulations by vesting authority in the DBPR itself, rather than subdivisions within it. During the hearing, Representative Yvette Benarroch (R) who is not supporting the bill as it stands currently, said she had concerns about “centralizing authority” within the DBPR, on top of feeling that the licensed professionals impacted by the changes were not being heard by the bill.
Several of the changes would change continuing education requirements for professional license holders, removing much of the need for licensed real estate professionals to take courses to retain their ability to practice real estate.
The bill also strikes through the FREC’s existing authority to prescribe “postlicensure education requirement” as a condition to practice real estate, while leaving in place a provision that any licensee who has attained a four-year degree in real estate from an accredited higher learning institution does not need to attend an education course to receive their initial license or continuing postlicensure education.
“Having bought and sold property many times, for the average person, their Realtor® is the link to all that is legal and knowledgeable in the process of this until they get to the closing table,” said Representative Richard Gentry (R) during the hearing when discussing the bill. “I don’t think that any agency (…) will have the collective knowledge of a board of peers.”
As it stands, five of the seven FREC members at a time are required to be licensed and active real estate brokers.
During the April debate on the previous bill, Florida Realtors® CEO Margy Grant testified that: “Unlike many regulated professions, real estate involves legal responsibilities, public trust and potentially significant risks to consumers who are often making the largest financial investment of their life. Removing FREC from the regulation of the real estate profession is too big a risk to take.”
Florida Realtors® did not respond to a request for comment by RISMedia at press time.
