The short answer is yes, a felon may be able to a real estate license in Florida. The more accurate answer, like so many things, is “it depends.” When you fill out your state application, you are required to list your criminal history. This includes any crime – convictions (even if adjudication was withheld), no contest pleas, juvenile offenses, young and dumb offenses – everything.
The Florida Real Estate Commission, or FREC, will look at your situation and make a determination based on your individual situation. I have seen murderers and sex offenders get a license. I have also seen people with possession of marijuana or careless driving denied a license. What makes a difference?
FREC considers the crimes. They are more concerned about crimes of dishonesty, such as theft, fraud, or passing bad checks than they are other crimes.
FREC considers the circumstances. For example, someone who shoplifted baby formula will probably be viewed differently than someone who shoplifted lipstick.
They consider when it happened. If you received a DUI fifty years ago and have been to AA every day since then, that is treated differently than the person who was convicted of a DUI last year.
They consider what you have done since then. If you have become a contributing member of society, they treat that differently than someone who is just meandering along and taking up space.
They consider your level of remorse. If you get up there and say, “I punched the guy in the nose because he should not have been talking to my girl.” That will be treated differently than if you say, “You know, my anger overwhelmed me. It was a stupid mistake. I wish I could have a redo on that day.”
So to sum it up, felons can definitely get a Florida real estate license – it all depends on your situation.
If you are looking to get a Florida real estate license, please consider Demetree School of Real Estate in Orlando, Florida.
Note that neither I nor anyone in the Climer family is a part of Climer School of Real Estate. My father, Ron Climer, sold that school in 2014. It has sense been sold to Gold Coast Schools and sold again to a large corporate education company. I opened a school in 2019 called Demetree School of Real Estate.