How to Complete and Submit the Florida DBPR RE-13 Broker Transactions Form

The DBPR RE 13 Broker Transactions form is the Florida document brokers use to change license status, affiliate with or leave a real estate company, request a multiple license, qualify a sole proprietorship, or downgrade from broker to broker sales associate. The Florida Real Estate Commission requires the change to be reported within 10 days, and your license is not considered in force until the commission processes the update.¹ You download the PDF from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation at myfloridalicense.com. Most transactions carry no fee.

Pick Your Transaction First

The form covers five transactions, and each one tells you which sections to complete. Identify yours before you start filling anything in.²

Qualify a real estate company. Use this to become the active broker for a corporation, partnership, or LLC. The same box covers moving from inactive to active, transferring to a new employer, and upgrading from broker sales associate (BL) to broker (BK). Complete Sections II and V.
Broker request for multiple licenses. Use this if you already qualify one entity and want to serve as the qualifying broker for another. This is the only transaction that carries a fee: $77 per additional license. Complete Sections II and V.
Become inactive. Use this to move your license to inactive status. If you hold multiple broker licenses and request inactive status for one, that license is cancelled and voided. Complete Sections II and V.
Become active by qualifying a sole proprietorship. Use this to activate your license operating under your own name or a trade name. Complete Sections III and V.
Downgrade from broker (BK) to broker sales associate (BL). Use this to work under another broker’s supervision rather than operating independently. Complete Sections IV and V.

The 10-Day Deadline and Why It Matters

Section 475.23 of the Florida Statutes states that a license “shall cease to be in force” when a broker changes business address or a sales associate changes employer, and the licensee has 10 days to notify the commission on a form it provides.¹ Leave a brokerage on Monday and file a month later, and you technically had no valid license during the gap. Any real estate activity in that window can trigger discipline.

Completing the Form Section by Section

The form has five sections. You only complete the ones tied to your transaction, and the checklist on page one tells you which.

Section I: Transaction Type

Check the single box that matches your transaction. This routes the form inside DBPR, so checking the wrong box or more than one gets it sent back. If you are qualifying a real estate company, remember that the same checkbox covers transfers, employer changes, and BL-to-BK upgrades.²

Section II: Broker and Company Information

Use this section for three transactions: qualifying a real estate company, requesting a multiple license, and going inactive. You need your broker license number (prefix BK) along with the license number and legal name of the real estate company you are joining or leaving.² The company name must match the Florida Division of Corporations records exactly. An ampersand instead of the word “and” is enough to cause a rejection.

Section III: Qualify a Sole Proprietorship

If you are activating as a sole proprietor, skip Section II and complete this one instead. You provide your name as it appears on your license, your BK number, phone number, email address, the name of your sole proprietorship or trade name, and a physical business address. A P.O. Box is not acceptable. The address must be a stationary building with an enclosed room where you can conduct transactions, as required by Section 475.22.²

Section IV: Downgrade from Broker to Broker Sales Associate

Fill out this section if you want to work under another broker’s supervision. You provide your personal information and your new employer’s details. If your employer is a sole proprietor, include that broker’s name, BK license number, and signature. If you are joining a real estate company, provide the company name and license number along with the qualifying broker’s signature.

Section V: Affirmation by Written Declaration

Every transaction requires Section V. This is the signature block where you certify under Section 559.79, Florida Statutes, that the information is truthful and that you are authorized to execute the application. The form functions as an affidavit, so false information carries the consequences of lying under oath. An unsigned form is returned without processing.²

Fees

Most RE 13 transactions are free. Adding a broker to a real estate company, going inactive, qualifying a sole proprietorship, and downgrading to broker sales associate carry no charge. The exception is the Broker Request for Multiple Licenses at $77 per additional license, payable to DBPR.² Include payment with the form. The department will not process the multiple-license request without it.

Where to Send the Form

Mail the completed form to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399.³ Some DBPR transactions can be submitted through the online services portal at myfloridalicense.com, but several RE 13 transactions have shown “Application Currently Unavailable Using Online Services” on recent checklists.⁴ Check the portal before mailing. Online availability changes periodically, and electronic submission is faster when it is open.

Before you seal the envelope, work through the transaction checklist on page one. The most common reasons forms come back: a missing signature in Section V, an incorrect or missing company license number, and a forgotten $77 payment for a multiple-license request.

After You File

DBPR processes applications in the order received. The department’s FAQ notes that license changes tied to renewals are typically mailed within one to two weeks, though timing varies by the type of change.⁵ Keep a copy of the completed form and any mailing receipt. If your 10-day window is tight, that documentation is your proof of compliance during the wait.

Once processed, the updated status appears in the public licensee search on myfloridalicense.com. You can check at any time. If approved, you receive notification or an updated digital license confirming the new status or affiliation.

If You Are the Qualifying Broker for a Company

Becoming or leaving the qualifying broker for a corporation, LLC, or partnership has consequences beyond your own license. Section 475.15 ties the entity’s registration directly to your active license. Every firm that acts as a broker must register with the commission, and if the license of its sole active broker lapses, the firm’s registration is automatically cancelled for that period.⁶ The entire brokerage stops operating legally until a replacement broker is registered. If you are leaving as the only qualifying broker, the firm has 14 days to appoint a temporary or permanent replacement, and no new brokerage business can be conducted during that time.

This is why the form requires an authorized officer’s or partner’s signature when you are being added as a qualifying broker. The entity is confirming it has authorized you to serve in that role. Confirm the entity’s registration with the Florida Division of Corporations is current before filing, because DBPR will verify it against state records.

1
Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 475.23 – License to Expire on Change of Address
2
Department of Business and Professional Regulation. DBPR RE 13 Broker Transactions
3
Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Contact Us – MyFloridaLicense.com
4
Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation. Change from Broker to Broker Sales Associate (RE 13)
5
Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Licensing Portal – FAQ
6
Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 475.15 – Registration and Licensing of General Partners, Members, Officers, and Directors of a Firm