Getting your real estate broker license only requires a few steps. Follow our easy step-by-step process to get a broker license in your state.
If you’re considering a career in real estate, obtaining the right real estate license in your state is the first major step you’ll need to take.
Real Estate Broker licensees must complete pre-license education classes. These aren’t the same coursework you took to get your salesperson license. Check out our recommended best real estate classes.
For many real estate professionals, a successful and rewarding career means working as a home buying and selling expert, using their knowledge to get the best purchase contract for their home buyer or seller client.
If you’re aiming to advance your real estate career and have already obtained several years of experience as a real estate salesperson, becoming a licensed broker can be a great next step.
Although requirements to obtain a real estate broker license vary by state, the general process includes gaining experience as a real estate agent, completing broker-specific education, passing the broker exam, and applying for the relevant license.
In this detailed How to Become a Real Estate Broker guide, we’ll provide a clear, step-by-step breakdown to help you navigate the process and meet the necessary criteria to get licensed in your state.
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People often confuse the roles of Real Estate Agents vs Brokers, despite the fact that they have a number of key differences in terms of responsibilities, qualifications, and even authority.
A real estate agent is a licensed professional who assists clients in buying, selling, or renting properties — acting as an intermediary between buyers and sellers or tenants and landlords.
As they hold an entry-level license, real estate agents must work under the supervision of a broker and must be sponsored by one in most states in order to practice.
By contrast, real estate brokers have obtained a more advanced license that allows them to work independently, as well as manage a team of sales agents and own a real estate office or brokerage firm.
In order to get this license, you must obtain a number of years of work experience as a real estate agent before undergoing additional broker education and passing the relevant exam in your state (among other licensing requirements).
If you’re aiming to become a sales agent in your state, check out our Real Estate Licensing guide. However, if you’re instead working towards becoming a broker, then read on to find out how to get your license.
To become a real estate broker, you’ll typically be required to meet the following eligibility requirements:
It’s important to keep in mind that many states also apply their own specific prerequisites in addition to the general eligibility requirements outlined above.
Having confirmed that you meet the requirements to become a real estate broker in your state, you’ll need to complete the following general steps:
In the sections below, we’ve broken down these five key steps for you in greater detail.
The first step to becoming a real estate broker is to complete a state-approved pre-licensing education course.
This should provide you with the foundational knowledge you’ll need to succeed as a broker, typically covering more advanced topics such as:
In most states, a minimum number of required hours for this broker pre-licensing education is imposed — often between 60 and 180 hours. You’ll normally be able to take these courses online, in-person, or through a private real estate school, as long as the course provider has been approved in your state.
At the end of these prep courses, you’ll most likely be required to take and pass a final exam, which is completely separate from the state-administered real estate license exam that you’ll complete later on.
After passing this, you should receive a certificate of completion from your course provider. It’s important to hold onto this document as it’s a common requirement for applicants to need to present it when taking the broker exam or submitting an application.
While some states may allow you to substitute some or all of these pre-licensing education hours if you’ve obtained a degree containing modules related to the broker curriculum, we always recommend fully completing these hours with the help of a trustworthy broker prep course.
These will give you the best chance of passing your state’s broker exam as they contain the most up-to-date information on key topics and even provide valuable study materials, such as flashcards, webinars, and live lectures to help you prepare.
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After completing the required real estate education in your state and passing your course’s final exam, you’ll be ready to begin applying for your broker license.
In most states, these applications will primarily be submitted through an online portal, though in a small minority you’ll be required to use a paper application instead.
Alongside your application form, you’ll typically be expected to provide several documents, including:
If your state requires Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance for real estate salesperson licensing, you’ll likely need to show proof that you continue to hold this coverage in order to obtain a broker license as well.
In the tables below, we’ve included links to the current online portals where applicants can submit their license requests in each state (plus the associated fee). In states where applications must be submitted using a paper form, we’ve included a link to this document instead.
| State | State Application Page | License Application Fee |
| Alabama | AREC Commission Online Services | $150 |
| Alaska | MyAlaska | $120 |
| Arizona | ArizonaDRE Real Estate Licensing Login | $145 |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Real Estate Commission | $70 |
| California | California eLicensing Online System | $450 |
| Colorado | Colorado Division of Real Estate’s Online Services | $485 |
| Connecticut | DCP’s eLicense Platform | $485 |
| Delaware | DELPROS | $248 |
| Florida | Florida DBPR Online Services | $43 |
| Georgia | Submit in person at a PSI Test Center | $170 |
| Hawaii | Applicants receive the broker license application at PSI Test Center after passing | Sole Proprietor: $65Corp., Partnership, LLC, LLP: $349 (even years) $486 (odd years) |
| Idaho | IREC Online Services | $160 |
| Illinois | IDFPR Online Services Portal | $150 |
| Indiana | Application for Designation as a Managing Broker | $60 |
| Iowa | My Iowa PLB | $170 |
| Kansas | Applicants receive a licensing packet from Pearson VUE | $175 |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Department of Professional Licensing eServices | $130 |
| State | State Application Page | License Application Fees |
| Louisiana | MyLREC Portal | $165 |
| Maine | Maine.gov Online Licensing System | $100 |
| Maryland | Maryland Department of Labor’s Licensing Portal | $143($20 Guarantee Fee is added if you’ve never held a license in this category before) |
| Massachusetts | Applicants must submit a Candidate Information Bulletin | $52 |
| Michigan | MiPLUS | $143 |
| Minnesota | PULSE Portal | $190 |
| Mississippi | Application for Resident Broker’s License | $100 |
| Missouri | Application for Real Estate License | $150 |
| Montana | Department of Labor and Industry Citizen Portal | $90 |
| Nebraska | NREC’s iGovSolution | $285(Includes one examination fee) |
| Nevada | Original Licensing Application for Broker Form | $160 |
| New Hampshire | Real Estate Broker Application Form | $110 |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Real Estate Licensing Services | $270 |
| New Mexico | NMRLD Online Services | $270 |
| New York | eAccessNY | $185 |
| State | State Application Page | License Application Fees |
| North Carolina | NCREC eServices | $100 |
| North Dakota | NDREC Online Services | $150 + $9.60 credit history check fee |
| Ohio | Broker License Examination Application Form | $135 |
| Oklahoma | OREC’s Application Portal | $245 |
| Oregon | OREA’s eLicense Portal | $300 |
| Pennsylvania | BPOA Portal | $97 |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island DBR Online System | $205 |
| South Carolina | eService Portal | $125 |
| South Dakota | SD REC Online Services | $225 |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Broker Examination Application | $91 |
| Texas | TREC MyLicense System | $305 |
| Utah | Application form provided by the testing center after the exam | $163 |
| Vermont | OPR’s Online Services Platform | $100 |
| Virginia | Broker License Application | $210 |
| Washington | SecureAccess Washington | $320 |
| Washington DC | AccessDC | $235 |
| West Virginia | WVREC’s Application System | $150 |
| Wisconsin | Application For Real Estate Broker License | $60 |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Real Estate Commission | $300 |
Note: Find out the reciprocity and portability options available in your state as well as the requirements you’ll need to satisfy in the jurisdiction in which you want to get licensed.
At some point during the licensing process you’ll likely also be required to undergo a fingerprint-based background check with your state’s authorized fingerprint vendor.
The fees for completing a fingerprinting and criminal background check generally fall between $35 and $100, though they can sometimes exceed this. Be sure to check out our state-specific broker licensing guides for more detailed instructions on how and where you’re supposed to complete this step.
While this step must typically be completed after you’ve submitted your application for a real estate broker license, a small minority of states may ask that you complete it much earlier on in this process.
Additionally, getting fingerprinted again will normally be a requirement for obtaining a real estate broker license — even if your prints are already on file due to a prior application for a real estate agent’s license.
Most states will allow you to submit a Fitness Determination or Review before applying for a license. This can help you to find out if a criminal conviction will keep you from being able to get your license before you invest a lot of money in classes and exams.
Once you’ve completed all of the steps outlined above, you’ll generally be ready to take your state’s real estate broker exam.
For the most part, this exam will be administered by either Pearson VUE or PSI in most states, though a small number choose not to outsource the administration of this exam (e.g., California). The broker exam can be administered online or on-site and typically costs between $50 and $200 to take.
While every state’s real estate broker exam is different, they’re often split into two separate sections: one focused on national-level real estate laws and regulations, and another focused on those specific to your state.
These exams are usually broken down accordingly:
The exam covers key topics like real estate contracts, real estate brokerage, real estate practice, property ownership, codes of ethics, and more.
In order to pass, you’ll typically need to obtain a minimum passing score of around 65% to 80%. If you fail to obtain a passing score on your state’s broker licensing exam, you’ll be required to retake it within a designated time (e.g., usually around six months).
Once you have completed your application and submitted the requirements, the state will review your submission and issue your broker license if they approve.
Application processing times vary by state, though it’s common for processing to take longer to review during busier months like December. Be sure to check the website of your state’s Real Estate Commission for more accurate information regarding processing times.
If your state uses an online application portal, you can normally track the status of your application using the login credentials that you created when you first signed up.
In order to legally practice real estate you’ll need to keep your license active by periodically renewing it.
However, the specific renewal requirements and due dates that you’ll need to abide by will depend on the state in which you’re licensed — as an example, license renewal fees can range between $100 and $300.
As part of the renewal process, you’ll also need to satisfy your state’s minimum requirement for approved continuing education (CE) courses. This is ongoing coursework all brokers must complete during each renewal cycle in order to stay updated on industry regulations, practices, and laws.
Depending on the length of your state’s renewal cycle, you’ll normally be required to complete between 12 and 30 hours of CE. However, in states like California that have a longer renewal cycle of four years, this requirement can reach up to as much as 45 hours.
Your state’s Real Estate Commission may also require you to complete your CE in a given timeframe before your license expiration date. In this case they’ll normally send you a notification (via your state’s online services portal or email) to inform you of your CE requirements and the deadline to complete them.
The total cost for getting a real estate broker license normally ranges between $300 and $800 — which should be enough to cover the pre-license education fees, application fees, fingerprints and background check, and state broker exam fees in your state.
Depending on your state’s requirements, you’ll normally be expected to spend between two and four years working as a real estate sales agent before you’re eligible to apply for a broker license.
After this, you’ll generally need to spend several additional months completing the rest of the steps in the licensing process — including your pre-licensing education, background check, and real estate license exam.
A new real estate agent is a licensed professional that works for a real estate broker. A real estate broker is licensed to work independently, manage a team of real estate agents, oversee real estate transactions, or run their own brokerage company.
Check out our Real Estate Agent vs Broker vs Realtor to learn more about each of their roles and responsibilities.
Similar to real estate agents, brokers are paid on commission and their earnings depend on the number and types of transactions they are able to close for their clients.
These earnings can vary from month to month and from year to year depending on the housing market and the broker’s success in attracting clients.
Even a felon can get a real estate license by providing additional documentation and undergoing an exhaustive review process before getting a real estate agent license.
Some states even offer a preliminary review process that allows you to find out if your criminal record will impede your ability to sell real estate as a broker (e.g., in Alabama or Texas).
As a real estate broker, you can find job opportunities in the real estate industry through agencies, property management companies, or by starting your own brokerage. You might also work with commercial firms, developers, or corporations needing real estate expertise.
A good place to find available real estate broker jobs in your area is our StateRequirement Job Board.
For more information, have a look at our Real Estate Licensing Resources page.
