Which category is exempt from Florida real estate licensure?

• A. CPAs and attorneys to prepare forms and handle closings on behalf of their clients; attorneys in fact; state-certified appraisers in federally-related transactions; partners in a partnership who don't receive a share of profits that exceeds their ownership interest, corporations that sell/lease their own property; court appointees (can be paid a fee, but not a commission)
• B. Salaried employees exempt from licensure
• C. An employee performing real estate services for an owner must be licensed
• D. All individuals performing real estate services must be licensed

Answer: (A)

In Florida, licensure is required to perform real estate services for others for compensation, but there are specific exemptions carved out in the statute. The category shown is exempt because it covers professionals who may handle real estate-related tasks within their own regulated roles or in contexts outside the typical brokerage relationship, so they don’t need a real estate license to perform those duties. Specifically, CPAs and attorneys may prepare forms and handle closings for their clients, attorneys in fact can act under powers of attorney, state‑certified appraisers can work in federally related transactions, partners in a partnership who don’t receive more than their ownership share, corporations that sell or lease their own property, and court appointees who are paid a fee (but not a commission). These exemptions exist because licensure targets real estate brokerage activities, while these roles fall under other professional or fiduciary duties. The other options aren’t exemptions: salaried employees aren’t automatically exempt; an employee performing real estate services for an owner isn’t universally exempt; and the idea that all individuals performing real estate services must be licensed ignores the specific statutory exemptions.