Transaction Coordination

How to Become a Transaction Coordinator in Florida

What FREC lets an unlicensed assistant do in Florida, where Chapter 475 draws the line, who may pay you, the one-employer rule for licensees, the 63-hour sales associate route and the AS IS deadlines you'll track.

Ijharul Islam October 21, 2026 8 min read

How to become a transaction coordinator in Florida, in short: unlicensed TCs can do FREC's listed tasks, like assembling closing documents and following up on loans, but Chapter 475 makes assisting in the negotiation or closing for pay a licensed act. A sales associate license takes a 63-hour course, a score of 75 on the exam and 45 post-licensing hours.

More on this topic: TC and brokerage operations, every guide in one place.

This guide covers the Florida specifics: the statute, FREC's informal list, pay rules, the one-employer rule for licensees and the contract you'll work on. For the general path into the job, see how to become a transaction coordinator. It's general information, not legal advice; confirm your duties with your broker or a Florida real estate attorney.

Key takeaways

Florida's definition of broker includes anyone who, for compensation, “directs or assists” in the negotiation or closing of a transaction (§ 475.01(1)(a)), so the TC line sits close.
Operating as a broker or sales associate without an active license is a third-degree felony (§ 475.42(1)(a)).
FREC's informal list lets unlicensed assistants assemble closing documents, follow up on loan commitments, type contract forms for approval, compute commission checks and deliver documents.
A licensed sales associate may have only one registered employer at a time (§ 475.215(2)).
A sales associate license takes a 63-hour FREC-approved course, fingerprints, an exam score of at least 75 and a 45-hour post-licensing course before the first renewal.

Does a transaction coordinator need a license in Florida?

Not for the administrative tasks FREC has said an unlicensed assistant may do, but Florida's statute is broad. Section 475.01(1)(a) defines a broker to include anyone who, for another and for compensation, “directs or assists in the procuring of prospects or in the negotiation or closing of any transaction” that results in a sale, exchange or lease. A sales associate is anyone doing those acts under a broker's direction (§ 475.01(1)(j)).

So the question is what you actually do on the file. Operating as a broker or sales associate without a valid, current active license is a third-degree felony (§ 475.42(1)(a)), and Florida Realtors notes that a licensee who aids, assists or employs an unlicensed person to practice real estate commits a violation under § 475.25(1)(a).

What can an unlicensed transaction coordinator do in Florida?

FREC keeps an informal list of activities an unlicensed employee or assistant may perform, published by Florida Realtors. The TC-relevant items, set against the acts the statute reserves for licensees:

Task on FREC's list	Condition or limit
Follow up on loan commitments and get loan status reports	After a contract has been negotiated
Assemble documents for closing; act as a courier	Administrative handling only
Type contract forms	For approval by the licensee and supervising broker
Receive, record and deposit earnest money, security deposits and advance rents	For the brokerage
Order repairs	As directed by the licensee
Schedule appointments	For the licensee to show listed property
Compute commission checks; monitor licenses and personnel files	Back-office work
Secure public documents from the courthouse or utility district; gather information for a CMA or appraisal	Gathering information, not giving an opinion
Answer questions about a listing	Only from licensed-employer-approved printed information that is objective, not subjective comments

What the statute reserves for licensees, from § 475.01(1)(a), when done for another and for compensation:

Selling, buying, exchanging or renting real property, or offering, attempting or agreeing to negotiate it.
Taking part in procuring sellers, buyers, landlords or tenants.
Directing or assisting in the procuring of prospects or in the negotiation or closing of a transaction.
Advertising or holding yourself out as being in that business.

At an open house, the list allows an unlicensed assistant to be present only for security and to hand out materials. It's an informal list, not a rule, so ask your broker to confirm your scope in writing.

Who can pay a Florida transaction coordinator?

It depends on your license status and the work. Florida Realtors says licensees may not pay anyone who isn't licensed in Florida or another state for real estate services. It also says a sales associate may pay a licensed assistant for work that doesn't need a license, but work that needs a license must be paid by the broker.

For an unlicensed independent TC, that means your invoices should describe administrative work only. Put the scope in a written transaction coordinator agreement, and see what transaction coordinators charge for how TCs structure fees.

Can a licensed Florida transaction coordinator work for more than one brokerage?

Not as a sales associate or broker associate: § 475.215(2) says they may have no more than one registered employer at any one time. A broker may hold additional broker licenses (§ 475.215(1)). Chapter 475 doesn't address an unlicensed TC who does only administrative work for several brokerages, so get each broker's written approval and follow each brokerage's file rules.

How do you get a Florida real estate sales associate license?

Pass a 63-hour course and the state exam, then activate with a broker. DBPR's requirements:

Step	What DBPR and the statute require
Eligibility	18 or older, a high school diploma or equivalent, and honest, truthful and of good character (§ 475.17(1)(a))
Pre-licensing course	A FREC-approved 63-classroom-hour sales associate course; valid for 2 years after completion
Application	Completed application, electronic fingerprints and fee
Exam	Florida Real Estate Sales Associate Examination with a grade of at least 75
Activation	The license is issued inactive until activated, by form RE 11 or by the broker online
Post-licensing	A FREC-approved course of at least 45 classroom hours before the initial license expires

Remember § 475.215(2): once licensed, you work under one registered employer.

Which Florida contract deadlines will you track?

Mostly the ones in the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar AS IS contract. Our guide to the Florida inspection period and contract deadlines covers each in detail; the ones you'll check on almost every file:

Deadline	Where in the AS IS contract	Default if left blank
Escrow deposit	Paragraph 2(a)	Within 3 days after the Effective Date
Inspection period	Paragraph 12(a)	15 days after the Effective Date
Loan approval	Paragraph 8(b)	Loan Approval Period of 30 days after the Effective Date
Title evidence	Paragraph 9(c)	At least 15 days before closing, or 5 for a cash deal
Weekend and holiday rule	Standard F	A time period ending on a Saturday, Sunday or national legal public holiday extends to the next day that isn't one

Following up on the loan commitment and assembling closing documents are on FREC's list. Negotiating repairs after the inspection is not.

How do you become a transaction coordinator in Florida, step by step?

Read § 475.01(1)(a) and FREC's list, and decide whether you'll work licensed (one registered employer) or unlicensed (administrative only).
Learn the AS IS contract and the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar residential contract your agents use.
Get experience as an assistant or in-house TC, or with overflow files from an established TC.
If you want a license, take the 63-hour course, apply with fingerprints, pass the exam with 75 or better and plan the 45-hour post-licensing course.
Set up your business: a written agreement per agent or broker, fees that are for administrative work only if you're unlicensed, and advice on insurance.
Set up your tools for deadlines, documents, signatures and invoicing.
Win your first agents; see how to get transaction coordinator clients.

Frequently asked questions

Can you be a transaction coordinator in Florida without a license?

Yes, if you stick to administrative work such as the tasks on FREC's informal list. Assisting in the negotiation or closing for compensation falls in Florida's definition of a broker.

Can an unlicensed assistant handle escrow deposits in Florida?

FREC's list allows an unlicensed assistant to receive, record and deposit earnest money, security deposits and advance rents for the brokerage.

How many hours is the Florida real estate course?

The sales associate pre-licensing course is 63 classroom hours, and a 45-hour post-licensing course is due before the first license expires.

Can a Florida sales associate work as a TC for several brokerages?

Not under their license: § 475.215(2) allows no more than one registered employer at a time. Ask your broker before taking outside files.

How much do transaction coordinators make in Florida?

There's no official figure; the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't track TCs as an occupation. Most independent TCs charge a flat fee per file, so check local postings and ask TCs in your market.

How does Closingbird help a Florida TC?

Closingbird reads the executed AS IS contract and fills in the dates it finds, which you check and edit, then reminds each deadline owner every morning. It doesn't roll a deadline off a weekend or holiday by itself, so when Standard F moves a date, set the fixed date. There's no state forms library: you bring your own Florida forms. Agents can send you deals through an intake link. See how it works for transaction coordinators. Start a free trial (14-day free trial, no credit card required) or see pricing.

Sources

Checked in October 2026. Rules and prices change, and many vary by state, so confirm with the source, your state's real estate commission or your broker before you rely on them.

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