How to Get a Broker License in Georgia

Obtaining a Georgia Real Estate Broker License is crucial if you’re looking to advance your real estate career. Despite the streamlined online application process, many aspiring real estate brokers find the requirements and procedures complex and challenging.

This How to Get a Broker License in Georgia article will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring you have a clear understanding of what it takes to achieve this license and elevate your real estate career as quickly as possible.

Georgia Real Estate Broker License

In order to get your Georgia real estate broker license and take your career to the next level, there are several key steps you’ll need to complete. These include:

1. Ensuring You Meet the Eligibility and Experience Requirements
2. Completing the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education
3. Passing the Georgia Broker Licensing Exam
4. Passing a Background Check
5. Submitting a License Application

In the sections below, we’ve explored each of these steps in more detail.

Note: If you’re just starting out, you’ll need to check out our Georgia Real Estate License guide instead.

Step 1: Meet the Georgia Eligibility and Experience Requirements

Before proceeding with the application process for your Georgia real estate broker license, you’ll need to first make sure that you meet the following general prerequisites under Ga. Code § 43-40-8(c):

• You must be at least 21 years old
• You must be a resident of Georgia
• You must be a high school graduate (or equivalent)
• You must be fully compliant with the requirements for any criminal convictions under subsection Ga. Code § 43-40-15(b)

In addition to the general eligibility requirements outlined above, you’ll also be expected to have maintained a salesperson’s license on active status for at least three of the five years immediately prior to applying as per Ga. Code § 43-40-8(c)(4).

While experience from multiple states also can count toward this total requirement, you’ll need to include a certification of your license history with your application if you obtained your initial license outside Georgia. This certification must be from the state in which you were initially licensed and be dated less than a year before you apply.

If you were instead actively licensed in Georgia throughout this period, the Georgia Real Estate Commission & Appraisers Board (GREC) will automatically verify this once your Georgia broker pre licensing education provider (see Step 2) submits your application.

Step 2: Complete the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education

Beyond the general requirements mentioned earlier, you must also fulfill specific educational prerequisites under Ga. Code § 43-40-8(c)(5) to be able to apply for a Georgia real estate broker license.

Depending on the type of real estate license you held prior to applying, this will involve satisfying one of the following sets of education requirements.

Salesperson and Associate Brokers

Any real estate agents or associate brokers applying for this license must meet one of the following criteria:

• Complete a 60-hour Broker’s Pre-license Course at a GREC-approved school
• Take either 15 quarter hours or nine semester hours of one of the following:
• Coursework from an accredited US or Canadian college/university eligible for a major in real estate
• A course focused on real property, agency, or contracts from an accredited school of law in the United States or Canada
• Demonstrate proof that you’ve completed a minimum of 60 hours of approved pre-licensing coursework in another state or Canada (this also requires a letter from the verifying agency)

Community Association Manager (CAM)

If you’re instead applying for this license as a Community Association Manager (CAM), you’ll need to meet the criteria laid out above for salespersons/associate brokers in addition to one of the following:

• Complete a GREC-approved, 75-hour Salesperson’s Pre-license Course
• Complete an additional 75 hours of courses approved by the GREC
• Complete at least 10 extra quarter hours or six extra semester hours of one of the following:
• Coursework from an accredited US or Canadian college/university eligible for a major in real estate
• A course focused on real property, agency, or contracts from an accredited school of law in the United States or Canada

Make sure to hold onto any transcripts or completion certificates you may receive when completing this mandatory education because you’ll need to present this proof in order to take your broker licensing exam (see Step 3).

Step 3: Pass the Broker Licensing Exam

PSI administers this three-hour exam in Georgia, and is what’s known as a “scenario-based exam.” It features various different scenarios testing how well you can apply your knowledge to typical broker challenges, rather than just demonstrate it.

In order to schedule your real estate broker exam, you’ll need to make an online reservation using the PSI website. Note that you’ll need to create an account for this service if this is your first time using it, after which you’ll be shown step-by-step instructions on how to complete your reservation.

Keep in mind that you’ll be required to pay a $119 broker exam fee at the time of reservation because you can’t pay this at the exam center.

Unlike the Georgia real estate agent exam, the licensing exam for brokers doesn’t have a fixed passing score that you must obtain. The minimum score required to pass is instead determined using the Angoff method, meaning it can vary between each exam.

If you do successfully pass the exam, you’ll receive a Certification of Accuracy (COA) Statement alongside the application information your pre-licensing education provider submitted to PSI. Make sure not to sign the COA Statement until you apply for a license at the PSI Test Center because you must do so in the presence of PSI staff.

Step 4: Pass the Background Check

With the broker exam out of the way, you’ll be ready to move forward with your application and undergo a background check.

Depending on where you’re a resident, you must complete this in one of two ways:

• Georgia Residents: You must obtain a certified criminal history report from the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC). You can do this in most of the state’s sheriff’s offices and police stations by contacting your local law enforcement agency for specific requirements
• Residents in Other States: You must obtain an equivalent report from the state in which you’re a resident. For more information on how to do this, contact your state’s criminal justice agency (e.g., its Bureau of Investigation or state police department)

After obtaining this GCIC report (or an accepted equivalent), you’ll need to fill out a Background Clearance Application and have it ready to submit along with the rest of your license application (see Step 5).

Note: While you may complete this step before taking your broker exam, many applicants wait until they pass to obtain their GCIC report because it becomes invalid after 60 days.

Step 5: Submit a License Application

After passing Georgia’s broker examination and ensuring that you satisfy all other licensing requirements, you’ll be ready to move on to submitting your license application.

You must submit this in person at a PSI Test Center in Georgia within 12 months of the date you passed the exam along with all of the following documentation:

• A valid form of photo ID (e.g., a driver’s license, a US-issued ID card, or a passport)
• Your unsigned COA Statement
• Your certified criminal history report from the GCIC (or an accepted equivalent)
• A notarized and signed Lawful Presence Affidavit

You’ll be asked four questions by the staff at the PSI Test Center and you must pay a $170 license fee before signing your COA Statement in their presence. If you forget or can’t bring this document to your appointment, you’ll need to pay a $15 fee at the PSI Test Center in order to obtain a duplicate.

You’ll then receive an inactive broker license and several other documents, including a wall certificate, two pocket cards, and another wall certificate (of a different size) to be framed.

It’s important to note at this point that, because your license is still currently inactive, you’ll need to avoid acting in the capacity of a real estate broker until you remedy this.

Note: If you completed your background check before taking the exam, you may apply for your broker license any time after 2 p.m. on the day you passed (unless you were in an afternoon session).

Step 6: Application Review

If you’ve managed to get this far, congratulations!

The last step you’ll need to complete after obtaining your broker license is to activate it by submitting either a Change of Qualifying Broker application (if you’re joining an existing brokerage) or an Open a Firm Application (if you’re opening your own brokerage).

Be sure to take some time to celebrate your accomplishment. You’ve put in a lot of work and effort and deserve a celebration!

Note: If you’re not sure what’s happening with your license and it’s been longer than expected, we recommend reaching out to GREC directly by phone or email.

Georgia Real Estate License Renewal

In order to keep your real estate broker license valid, you’ll need to renew it every four years. In Georgia, brokers typically do this electronically through the GREC’s online services portal. Or, if you prefer, you can use a mail-in renewal application.

The GREC will assign a date by which you must complete this step, but you can submit a renewal application up to four months in advance of this date.

In order to renew, all Georgia broker license holders must complete 36 hours of GREC-approved continuing education (CE) according to GA Reg. 520-1-.05. A minimum of three of these total hours must focus on license law in each renewal period.

All CE hours must be completed at least 10 days before the date on which your broker license will expire.

We always encourage our readers to think of the post licensing course they take as an investment in their future career — higher quality, more reliable course content is a central part of ensuring you continue to grow professionally.

Georgia Real Estate Commission & Appraisers Board

Mailing Address:
229 Peachtree St NE
International Tower, Suite 1000
Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: (404) 656-3916

Email: grecmail@grec.state.ga.us 

Website: https://grec.state.ga.us/