Property management is the operation, control, and oversight of real estate. It encompasses all aspects of running an income property, from finding and screening tenants to maintaining the property, collecting rent, and handling any issues that arise. This article will explain Florida’s property management licensing requirements, when you can perform property management services without a license, and when you will need a license to perform property management services. We will also look at the different types of property management certifications in Florida.
Yes — if you manage property for someone else for compensation. Leasing units, collecting rent, or negotiating leases for another owner for a fee requires a Florida real estate license under Fla. Stat. § 475.01, held as a Sales Associate (working under a broker) or a Broker. You can manage your own property, or work as a salaried on-site apartment employee, with no license (Fla. Stat. § 475.011). The first step to getting licensed is the 63-hour Sales Associate pre-license course.
Is There A Property Management License in Florida?
There is no specific property management license in Florida. However, if a property manager performs certain activities, a real estate license may be required. Furthermore, Florida has specific license requirements for Community Association Managers, CAM’s. So, when do you have to have a license to be a property manager in Florida?
Activities That A Licensed Property Manager Can Perform
A property manager or estate manager is a person or firm charged with operating a real estate property for a fee when the owner cannot personally attend to such details or is not interested in doing so.
The property may be:
- Individual title owned
- Owned under sectional title
- Or share block company-owned.
The property may also be registered for:
- Residential
- Commercial
- Retail
- Or industrial use.
Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 475.01), renting and leasing commercial and residential properties for another person for compensation is a licensed real estate service. If a person in Florida provides these services for another person and receives a commission, they must have a real estate license.
Florida State requires property management companies to be licensed real estate brokers if they are collecting rent, listing properties for rent or helping negotiate leases. A property manager may be a licensed real estate sales associate. The sales associate must be working under a licensed real estate broker in these circumstances. Most states in the United States have a public license check system online for anyone holding a real estate salesperson or real estate broker’s license.
Property management can be a lucrative career to follow. In Florida, the average annual income for a property manager in 2026 is $64,216, according to Indeed.com.
If you want to become a property manager in Florida and require your real estate license, you will first need to complete your pre-licensing education for sales associates. Follow the link to view our online courses & save with our special offers now! Pre Licensing Sales Associate Course.
Activities That An Unlicensed Property Manager Can Perform
Some property management services can be provided without a license in Florida, but only under the specific statutory exemptions set out in Fla. Stat. § 475.011:
- Owners who manage their own property are exempt from the requirement of obtaining a real estate license. However, owners who do not live near the rental property may be required, by the local government, to hire the services of a property management company.
- A person employed as a manager of a cooperative or condominium and is paid a salary is not required to hold a real estate license on the condition that the properties are rented for less than a year.
- A person who rents or advertises temporary accommodation or public lodgings does not need a real estate license. This rule also applies to partnerships, corporations, or other legal entities.
- An employee who receives a salary from a registered broker or a property owner of an apartment community does not require a license if they work on-site performing leasing activities for the apartment community.
- A corporation and its employees are not required to be licensed if they are leasing property owned by the corporation.
- Agents who work in mobile home lot rentals are not required to hold a license.
In the State of Florida, practicing unlicensed real estate services is a third-degree felony. A third-degree felony is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000.
Property managers are permitted by law to offer a maximum $50 referral fee to unlicensed individuals for rentals. This referral fee is only applicable to rentals and does not include any other real estate services.
Property Management Roles And Services
One important role of a “Property Manager” is acting as a liaison between the ownership or asset manager and the actual tenant/leasee tenant, providing a buffer for those owners desiring to distance themselves from their tenant constituency.
The services required in the specialism of property management will include a minimum of these basic primary tasks:
- Leasing
- Advertising
- Accounting
- On-site Interior Inspections
- Tenant Screening
- Email Move Out Inspections
- Cost-Effective Maintenance
- Collecting Rents
- Reporting to the Property Owner or Company
How to Start a Property Management Company in Florida
Running a property management company that manages property owned by others for a fee in Florida requires a real estate broker license. A licensed sales associate can perform property management activities, but only while working under a broker — to own the firm, sign management agreements in the company name, and hold tenant rent and security deposits in an escrow (trust) account, you must be a licensed real estate broker (Fla. Stat. § 475).
The typical path to launching a Florida property management business is:
- Get your real estate license. Start with the 63-hour Sales Associate pre-license course and pass the Florida state exam.
- Gain experience, then upgrade to a broker license. After the required active experience, complete the 72-hour Florida Broker pre-license course and pass the broker exam so you can operate independently.
- Form your business entity (usually an LLC or corporation) and register the brokerage with the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR).
- Open an escrow/trust account to hold rent and deposits separately from operating funds, as Florida requires of brokers handling client money.
- Protect and build the business with errors-and-omissions and general liability insurance, plus leasing, accounting, and maintenance systems.
Because every route into property management starts with getting licensed, the fastest first step is completing your pre-licensing education.
Florida Property Management Licensing – Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a property manager in Florida?
Can you manage property in Florida without a real estate license?
What license does a Florida property manager need?
What is a CAM license in Florida?
How do you start a property management company in Florida?
What Property Management Certification is there in Florida?
In addition to obtaining a real estate license in Florida, there are organizations where property managers can join or obtain certification to progress their careers. These organizations include:
- National Association of Residential Property Managers
- Institute of Real Estate Management
- National Apartment Association
- Vacation Rental Management Association
If you are looking to take your first steps in becoming a property manager in Florida, and you need to get your real estate license, enroll in our Pre-License Real Estate Course today and begin your new career!
Learn more about getting your Florida license by following the link to our easy guide on How to Get Your Florida Real Estate License
Customer Support: Call us at (877) 331-6235 or Contact us by Email
If we can assist you with Technical Support, General License Inquiries or Questions about Course Material please contact us.
Questions about course material: An Instructor is available Monday through Friday a week from 9 am to 7 pm (EST)
Technical Support or any other questions: Our office staff are available Monday through Friday a week from 9 am to 7 pm (EST)
We do our best to reply promptly to emails on Weekends
*Except for Major Holidays
Join Over 100,000 Students Enroll With MLS Campus now
Become Part of MLS Campus School to Further Your Career.
Ready to get your Florida real estate license?
Study online at your own pace with state-approved, instructor-supported courses. Browse the Florida packages or head back to our homepage to explore everything MLS Campus offers.