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.

Differences Between a Real Estate Agent and Broker

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.

Real Estate Broker License Requirements

To become a real estate broker, you’ll typically be required to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be 18 years old or above
• Be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien
• Be a licensed real estate agent
• Have two to five years of active work experience as a sales agent
• Hold a certain number of real estate transactions

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.

How to Get a Real Estate Broker License

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:

1. Complete a broker pre-licensing course
2. Submit a license application
3. Get a fingerprint-based background check
4. Pass the real estate broker exam
5. Wait for your application to be reviewed

In the sections below, we’ve broken down these five key steps for you in greater detail.

Step 1: Complete a Broker Pre-Licensing Course

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:

• Brokerage Operations
• Law of Agency
• Risk Management
• Real Estate Practice
• Ethics and Professional Conduct
• Contracts and Negotiations
• Property Management

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.

Step 2: Submit a Broker License Application

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:

• Proof of Pre-Licensing Education
• A Copy of Your Salesperson License
• Verification of Your Experience (normally signed by a supervising broker)
• Your Real Estate Transaction History
• Photo ID

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.

Alabama – Kentucky

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

Louisiana – New York

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

North Carolina – Wyoming

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.

Step 3: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

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.

Step 4: Pass the Real Estate Broker Exam

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:

• 80 to 100 national-focused questions
• 40 to 80 state-specific questions

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).

Step 5: Application Review

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.

Maintaining Your Real Estate Broker License

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.