A Florida sales associate must deliver a deposit to the broker by the end of the next business day. The broker's escrow-deposit deadline is the end of the third business day following receipt. Receipt by the sales associate counts as receipt by the broker. These are overlapping deadlines, not one day plus three extra days.
Rules checked October 18, 2026. This article addresses deposits received by a real estate brokerage for its escrow account.
Track two actions from the same receipt date
| Action | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Associate delivers the deposit to the broker/employer | End of the next business day after receipt |
| Broker places the deposit in escrow | End of the third business day after receipt, including receipt by the associate or another brokerage representative |
Exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The receipt day is day zero; begin counting on the next business day. Rules 61J2-14.008(3), 61J2-14.009, and 61J2-14.010 govern these duties. DBPR also explains the meaning of “immediately” for escrow deposits.
Worked example: associate receives a check Monday
Assume no legal holiday and an ordinary deposit subject to these rules.
- Monday: associate receives the check; this is the receipt date for both deadlines.
- Tuesday, day 1: last day for the associate to deliver it to the broker.
- Wednesday, day 2: the escrow clock continues.
- Thursday, day 3: last day for the broker's escrow deposit.
The Tuesday handoff does not restart the clock. If the broker receives the check directly on Monday, Thursday is still the third following business day.
Worked example: a weekend and holiday
The associate receives a check Friday, and Monday is a legal holiday. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are excluded. Tuesday is day 1, Wednesday day 2, and Thursday day 3. The associate's delivery deadline is Tuesday; the escrow-deposit deadline is Thursday.
Does the broker guarantee that every check will clear?
No. Rule 61J2-14.008(1)(b) addresses a broker's culpably negligent failure to deposit a check in the regular course of business, nonpayment caused by that negligence, and resulting damage. A returned check alone does not automatically establish that the broker owes its face amount. A late deposit also must not be treated as harmless just because the check eventually clears. See the rule text in DBPR's Real Estate Law Book, Chapter 61J2-14.
For a study question about liability, underline the facts about delay, causation, and loss. For an actual transaction, promptly involve the supervising broker; the facts determine the response and any liability.
Try three practice questions
- An associate receives a deposit Wednesday. There are no holidays. When must it reach the broker, and when must the broker deposit it?
- A broker directly receives a deposit Thursday. There are no holidays. What is the escrow-deposit deadline?
- An associate receives a check Monday and hands it to the broker Tuesday. May the broker restart the three-day clock Tuesday?
Answers and explanations
- Thursday delivery; Monday escrow deposit. Thursday, Friday, and Monday are the three following business days.
- Tuesday. Count Friday, Monday, and Tuesday.
- No. Monday's receipt by the associate starts the brokerage's clock.
Keep the other escrow rules separate
A buyer's contractual deposit due date and verification of funds held by a title company or attorney are separate issues. Do not substitute this brokerage-deposit timeline for every escrow question. See personal funds permitted in broker escrow accounts and the exam-prep guide. For a confusing practice item, send support the course, question number, and your business-day count. These are original exercises.
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