Becoming a Maryland real estate broker is a strong step forward in your career. Not only does this advanced license look great on a resume, it also allows you to work independently, open real estate brokerage firms, and manage other agents within these firms.

Getting the Maryland Real Estate Broker License is a fairly simple process, but it does require you to complete five steps, and have a few prerequisites before applying or taking the broker’s exam.

This guide covers all of these requirements in a simple, easy to understand way that will make it easier for you throughout this process.

Maryland Real Estate Agent vs Real Estate Broker

Maryland offers two different types of real estate license: Sales and Broker.

A sales agent’s license is the initial license that real estate agents get in order to sell real estate.

A broker’s license is an advanced license that allows the license holder to operate at a higher level within real estate businesses in Maryland.

People often confuse sales agents and brokers. A simple way to look at the difference is that holders of the sales agent’s license are called real estate agents, while holders of the broker’s license are called real estate brokers.

Maryland Real Estate Broker License Requirements

First, to be eligible for a real estate broker’s license, you must meet the prerequisites to become a real estate broker in Maryland.

These prerequisites are:

• Must have a real estate salesperson license and have actively provided real estate brokerage services for at least three years
• Must have completed a course in real estate that includes a 3-hour course in real estate ethics

How to Become a Real Estate Broker in Maryland

Once you meet all the requirements listed above, you can follow these five steps to easily help you get your real estate broker license in Maryland.

Step 1: Complete a Maryland Broker Pre-Licensing Course

The first step to getting your real estate broker license in Maryland is to take 135 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses.

These real estate courses mostly cover the fundamentals of working in real estate and must be completed within one year of your broker’s license application.

The required 135 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses, including the following mandatory courses are:

• Maryland real estate law
• Fair housing and financing
• Management basics

Your broker pre-license courses don’t end here. To fully satisfy your course requirements, you must take additional 15 credit hours in related qualifying education courses acceptable to the Maryland Real Estate Commission (MREC) or approved continuing education (CE) courses.

The approved courses include:

• MREC required supervision
• Maryland legal updates
• Diversity of clients
• Fair housing
• Maryland real estate code of ethics
• MREC brokerage relationships and disclosures
• Assistance animals and housing

The MREC has entered into reciprocity agreements with the states of Pennsylvania and Oklahoma. Brokers that have a license in Pennsylvania are excused from exams and CE requirements. However, those in Oklahoma that have a broker’s license must pass the state portion of the Maryland exam but don’t need to keep up with any other CE requirements.

Additionally, if you are able to practice law in the state of Maryland, all of these education and experience requirements will be waived. However, you will still need to pass the examination given by MREC.

After completing the courses, you must also pass the final broker course exam. The minimum passing grade is 70%. The final pre-license exam is to be supervised by a proctor, whether on-site or online. This is not the same as the state broker exam.

After passing your broker course exam, your pre-license educator will provide you with your course completion documents.

Step 2: Submit a Maryland Broker License Application

Once you meet the broker pre-licensing education requirements and pass the course exam, you can now apply for your license.

The application fee is $190.

To submit your broker license application, you must use MREC’s Online System. Use your registration number and full name, as well as attach your documents before submitting your application.

You can also contact MREC to receive a paper application by email to dlmrec-dllr@maryland.gov or call at (410) 230-6200.

Step 3: Submit a Credit Report

There is no need to submit a finger-print based background check when you apply for a Maryland broker real estate license. However, to determine your eligibility and minimize risk, the MREC does require you to submit a full credit report before submitting your application.

Attach an original credit report that searches public records or you may upload your credit report and supporting document to the Maryland Department of Labor’s (DOL) Online Forms-Upload section. Remember that your credit reports should not be older than six months.

Step 4: Pass the Maryland Real Estate Broker Exam

After completing the steps above, you must take the real estate broker licensing exam via PSI.

The fee for the broker exam is $44.

In Maryland, brokers take a national section exam portion which consists of 75 scored questions. The state-specific section of the broker’s exam consists of 40 scored questions. You must complete the Maryland real estate broker exam within 120 minutes (two hours total).

The passing rate is 70% for the Maryland real estate broker exam. If you happen to fail the exam, you can wait one day to schedule another exam and retake it as fast as 48 hours after your failed exam.

For more information on the exam, PSI provides a Candidate Handbook containing the Maryland Real Estate Broker Exam content outline.

Taking an exam prep course provides you helpful tools and materials, such as quizzes and specific state-only practice exams, to increase your chances of passing your broker license exam the first time.

Step 5: Application Review 

After passing your broker exam, you will only need to wait for MREC to review and approve your application.

The process should take up to 14 business days. After this, you should receive a notification from MREC (via the Maryland DOL’s online system account or email) with a copy of your broker license.

MREC updates the documents they are currently processing. If any additional information is required with your application, you will be contacted directly by MREC. If you have questions, please call MREC at (410) 230-6230.

Congratulations!

Now that you’ve successfully passed the broker licensing exam and obtained your license, there are a few things you need to do to keep your broker license active and updated.

Maryland Real Estate Broker License Renewal and CE

In Maryland, you must renew your real estate broker license every two years. If you’re licensed in another state, you must submit all appropriate paperwork to the MREC within 30 days of your expiration for them to recognize your CE courses at mrec@dllr.state.md.us The renewal process is not the same for the broker license and sales agent license.

To renew your license, you must use MREC’s online renewal system. The renewal fee is $170.

As part of renewing your broker license, you must also complete the CE requirements that include 15 hours of MREC-approved courses and three hours of the Broker Supervision Course as part of the CE requirement.

MREC recommends completing your CE at least 30 days before your expiration date to make time for processing.

MDL – Maryland Department of Labor

Mailing Address:

Maryland Real Estate Commission
1100 N. Eutaw St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

Hours: By appointment 

Phone: (410) 230-6200

Email: dlmrec-labor@maryland.gov 

Website: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/mrec/