A Florida Community Association Manager license, formally an LCAM, is required to manage a condominium, cooperative, or HOA that exceeds state size thresholds. Getting licensed means completing 16 hours of DBPR-approved education, passing a background check, and passing a 100-question state exam with a 75 percent score before DBPR issues the license.
Licensing requirements, fees, and continuing education rules change over time, including two legislative updates in 2024 and 2025 covered below. Confirm current requirements directly with the Florida DBPR before applying or renewing.
Florida is one of the few states that requires a state-issued license, not just a voluntary certification, to manage community associations professionally. If you already work in the field or are planning a career as a community association manager in Florida, the licensing process is a fixed set of steps rather than a moving target, but a couple of the requirements changed recently enough that it is worth checking before you assume older guidance still applies.
What Is a Florida Community Association Manager (CAM) License?
A CAM license, also called an LCAM (Licensed Community Association Manager), is required for anyone paid to manage a Florida community association above certain size thresholds, generally associations with more than 10 units or a budget over $100,000. This is distinct from national credentials like the CMCA, AMS, and PCAM, which are voluntary professional certifications rather than a legal requirement to practice. Our guide to community association management covers how those national credentials work and how they differ from a state license.
A CAM license is also not the same as a Florida real estate license. CAM licensing falls under Chapter 468 of the Florida Statutes, a separate statute from real estate brokerage, and the two are not interchangeable. Someone leasing units on behalf of individual owners generally needs a real estate license, while someone managing the association itself needs the CAM license. Performing either role under the wrong license exposes both the individual and the association to regulatory risk.
Florida CAM License Requirements
• Be at least 18 years old with a valid Social Security number
• Complete 16 hours of DBPR-approved pre-licensure education within the 12 months before sitting for the exam
• Submit fingerprints through an FDLE-registered Livescan vendor for a state and national background check
• Pass the state licensing exam
• Submit the DBPR application and pay the required fee
Florida residency is not required. You can complete the pre-licensure course, sit for the exam, and hold a Florida CAM license without living in the state.
The Florida CAM Exam
The exam is administered through Pearson VUE and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions covering state and federal law as it applies to community associations, budget preparation, meeting notice and procedure, insurance, management practices, and association maintenance. You have three hours to complete it, and a score of 75 or higher is required to pass.
If you do not pass on the first attempt, you can retake the exam as many times as needed, with a 24-hour minimum wait between attempts.
How Much Does a Florida CAM License Cost?
The DBPR application fee is $228, according to the Community Associations Institute. That figure does not include the pre-licensure course or background check, so total out-of-pocket costs vary depending on which approved course provider you choose and the format (self-paced online courses are typically less expensive than in-person classes). Industry estimates put the full cost, course plus background check plus application and exam fees, in the range of roughly $485 to $675, though this is a provider-dependent estimate rather than a fixed state cost.
License Renewal and Continuing Education
Community Association Manager licenses expire September 30 of every even-numbered year, according to Florida DBPR. The renewal fee is $105, separate from the initial application fee. The standard continuing education requirement is 15 hours per renewal cycle, broken into four required categories: 3 hours of legal update, 3 hours on insurance and financial management, 3 hours on operation of the association's physical property, 3 hours on human resources topics, plus 3 additional elective hours.
Under HB 1203, signed into law June 3, 2024, any manager providing services to a homeowners' association must also complete a minimum of 5 hours of continuing education per cycle specifically about HOA topics, with 3 of those hours covering recordkeeping. DBPR's own published requirement does not fully specify whether those 5 hours sit within the standard 15-hour total or add to it, and secondary sources describe it differently, so managers who serve HOA clients should confirm the exact total hours directly with DBPR or an approved CE provider before assuming a specific number.
One exemption applies regardless of association type: managers who have held an active Florida CAM license for 10 or more consecutive years with no disciplinary action are exempt from continuing education entirely, though the license still must be renewed and the renewal fee still applies.
Ongoing Compliance: What Changed in July 2025
Licensing is not a one-time task. Under HB 913, effective July 1, 2025, licensed CAMs must maintain an active online DBPR account and use the “Community Associations Managed” function to identify their employing management firm and every community where they serve as the designated manager. Any changes to that information must be updated within 30 days. Management firms have a parallel obligation to list every licensed CAM working for them. This is an ongoing compliance requirement, not a one-time application step, and it applies to managers who were already licensed before the rule took effect.
Building a Career as a Licensed CAM
A Florida CAM license opens the door to working as an on-site manager, a portfolio manager overseeing multiple communities, or starting a management company of your own. If starting a company is the goal, our guide to how to start an HOA management company walks through the business side once licensing is handled, and our overview of the role of a professional HOA manager covers what the day-to-day responsibilities actually look like.
Once you're licensed, the right platform makes the day-to-day work a lot more manageable. ManageCasa, Powered by Minii AI gives community association managers one place to handle accounting, board communication, and compliance across every community they manage. See how the HOA management platform supports licensed CAMs, or check current plans and pricing to see what fits your portfolio.
Related Guides
What Is Community Association Management? A Complete Guide
HOA Manager Role: Responsibilities and Benefits
How to Start an HOA Management Company in 2026: 8 Steps
HOA Manager Burnout & Retention in 2026: Survey Results
How do I get a CAM license in Florida?
Complete 16 hours of DBPR-approved pre-licensure education, submit fingerprints for a background check through an FDLE-registered vendor, pass the 100-question state exam with a score of 75 or higher, and submit the DBPR application with the required fee. Total time from enrolling in a course to holding an active license typically runs under five weeks.
What is a CAM license in Florida?
A CAM license, formally an LCAM, is a state-issued license required to manage a Florida condominium, cooperative, or HOA that exceeds statutory size thresholds, generally more than 10 units or a budget over $100,000. It is separate from voluntary national credentials like the CMCA, AMS, and PCAM, and separate from a Florida real estate license.
Who needs a CAM license in Florida?
Anyone paid to perform community association management duties for an association above the size threshold needs a license. Volunteer board members managing their own community are not required to hold a CAM license, since the requirement applies to compensated, professional management.
How much does a Florida CAM license cost?
The DBPR application fee is $228. Total costs including the required pre-licensure course and background check typically range from about $485 to $675 depending on the course provider chosen, though this range is an industry estimate rather than a fixed state fee.
How often do I need to renew my Florida CAM license?
Florida CAM licenses expire September 30 of every even-numbered year. Renewal requires a $105 fee and 15 hours of continuing education across four required categories. Managers who serve any HOA must also complete a minimum of 5 HOA-specific hours under a 2024 law, though DBPR's published requirement does not fully clarify whether those hours count within the 15-hour total or add to it, so confirm the exact total directly with DBPR or a CE provider. Managers with 10 or more consecutive years of active, discipline-free licensure are exempt from continuing education but still must renew.
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