The Spotlight series is intended to provide helpful information about important business and professional licenses issued by the State of Florida. This installation is on the state licenses required to work as a sports agent (“athlete agent”) in Florida.
In addition to the state licensing process, many professional leagues and unions require a separate certification prior to an agent representing an athlete in that sport. Please refer to the resources provided by those organizations before you begin the licensing process.
Who needs a Florida athlete agents license?
The following individuals must be licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation:
Anyone who directly or indirectly recruits or solicits a student for any type of financial gain or to enter into a contract.
Anyone who procures, offers, promises or attempts to obtain employment, promotional fees or benefits for a student athlete with a professional sports team or promoter or with any promoter who markets or attempts to market the student athlete’s athletic ability or athletic reputation, needs to obtain an athlete agent’s license.
Anyone who works as an unlicensed athlete agent, or anyone who knowingly aids or abets an unlicensed person to conduct business as an athlete agent, is guilty of a third-degree felony, under section 468.4562, Florida Statutes
What are the requirements for an athlete agents license?
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and of good moral character. All applicants are subject to a criminal record check by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Applicants must also have not, within the past 5 years, had a conviction or entered a plea of no contest regardless of adjudication, for any crime that relates to the practice of an athlete agent.
How much does it cost?
An application for licensure as an athlete agent has a $880 fee. Applications for reinstatement of a null an avoid license have a $505 fee.
Can an unlicensed individual ever act as an athlete agent?
An unlicensed individual may act as an athlete agent if a student athlete or person acting on behalf initiates communication with the individual and within 7 days after an initial act as an athlete agent, the individual applies for licensure. The department may issue a temporary license while an application for licensure is pending.
What else do I need to know?
NCAA bylaws provide that a student athlete is ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she has ever agreed to be represented by an agent for marketing his or her athletic ability.
Agents must renew their licenses on May 31st of even-numbered years.
Thanks to Jada Roulhac for her work on this piece. Please note that this page is made available by the law firm for educational purposes only, and that it is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Visiting this page does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and the firm.