Which penalty may not be imposed by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC)?

The correct answer is that imprisonment may not be imposed by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). This is primarily because FREC has the authority to impose administrative penalties and disciplinary actions related to licensing and regulation within the real estate profession, but it does not have the power to adjudicate criminal matters or impose criminal penalties such as imprisonment.

FREC's role is to ensure compliance with real estate laws and regulations, and it can take actions such as reprimanding a licensee, suspending licenses for a specific period, or even revoking licenses permanently if necessary. However, any criminal activity that warrants imprisonment would be handled by the court system, not by FREC. This separation of powers guarantees that real estate licensing and regulation remains focused on professional conduct and ethics, rather than criminal justice.

By understanding the scope of FREC's authority, one can grasp that while it has the power to enforce rules and regulations pertinent to real estate practice, serious criminal penalties like imprisonment are outside its jurisdiction.