For Sale by Owner in Florida: Rules, Disclosures and Paperwork

Last updated November 14, 2026. Citations come from the Florida statutes and official agency pages linked in Sources. Where we could not confirm something on an official page, we say so.

A Florida owner who sells their own property does not need a real estate license, but still has to give the buyer required disclosures and sign a properly witnessed deed. This guide uses Chapter 475 and the disclosure statutes.

Licensing

• The broker licensing law does not apply to 'any individual, corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture, or other entity which sells, exchanges, or leases its own real property', except that the exemption is not available if an agent, employee or independent contractor paid on a transactional basis is employed to make sales to customers in the ordinary course of an owner's business of selling real property to the public. (Fla. Stat. Sec. 475.011(2))
• 'Broker' means a person who, for another and for compensation, sells, buys, rents or negotiates the sale of real property; it covers persons who procure sellers or purchasers of real property of another, directed or assisted, and who receive or expect compensation. (Fla. Stat. Sec. 475.01(1)(a) (2025 Florida Statutes))
• A licensee commits a violation by sharing a commission with, or paying a fee to, a person not properly licensed, for referral of real estate business, clients, prospects or customers. (Fla. Stat. Sec. 475.25(1)(a))

Paperwork you still need

• A seller must give a purchaser of residential property a flood disclosure at or before contract execution. (Fla. Stat. Sec. 689.302)
• A seller (unless it is in the contract) must present the property tax disclosure summary at or before contract execution. (Fla. Stat. Sec. 689.261(1)-(2))
• Contracts for the sale of buildings must include the radon gas notification. (Fla. Stat. Sec. 404.056)
• A deed must be signed in the presence of two subscribing witnesses and carry printed names and addresses for recording. (Fla. Stat. Sec. 689.01(1); 695.26(1))

What we could not confirm

• Mortgage payoff and lien release procedures not opened.
• Whether an FSBO seller must use a title agent or attorney: no statute confirmed.
• Statements that FSBO sellers need no license beyond the owner exemption are supported only by s. 475.011(2) on the opened page.

How to sell a house in Florida when this applies to you

1. Find out what the title company needs. For an inherited or transferred house, that usually means the recorded document that shows who owns it today.
2. Get a payoff for any mortgage and the amount of any unpaid property tax. Both are paid from the sale proceeds at closing.
3. Compare offers on what you net after repairs, commissions and closing costs, not on the headline price.
4. If you want a fast, simple closing, ask for a written cash offer. We buy houses as-is, with no repairs and no agent commission. See how we buy houses in Florida.

For Sale by Owner in Florida FAQ

Do I need a license to sell my own house in Florida?

No. The licensing law does not apply to an individual selling their own property, with the limits the statute lists (Sec. 475.011).

What disclosures are required?

A flood disclosure, a property tax summary and, for buildings, a radon notice, as the statutes provide.

Can I sell my Florida house as-is?

Yes. A cash buyer purchases as-is, and the title company pays any mortgage and unpaid property tax from the proceeds at closing.

Sources

• Fla. Stat. Sec. 689.01(1)
• Fla. Stat. Sec. 689.302
• Fla. Stat. Sec. 689.261(1)-(2)
• Fla. Stat. Sec. 404.056
• Fla. Stat. Sec. 475.011(2)
• Fla. Stat. Sec. 475.01(1)(a) (2025 Florida Statutes)

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Laws, forms and fees change, so confirm details with the official office or a Florida Florida attorney or tax professional.