Becoming a Michigan 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 Michigan Real Estate Broker License is a fairly simple process, but it does require you to complete four 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.

Michigan Real Estate Agent vs Real Estate Broker

Michigan 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 Michigan.

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.

Michigan 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 Michigan.

These prerequisites are:

• Must have three years of full-time experience in the business of real estate or in a field that is determined by the department to be relevant and related to the business of real estate
• Experience can be as a salesperson, broker, associate broker, licensed builder, investor, or developer

How to Become a Real Estate Broker in Michigan

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

Step 1: Complete a Michigan Broker Pre-Licensing Course

The first step to getting your real estate broker license in Michigan is to take 90 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. This requirement is divided into two sections:

The required 90 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses, including the following mandatory courses are:

• Real estate law
• Broker management
• Broker basics
• Real estate fundamentals
• Property management
• Fundamentals of financing
• Civil rights
• Market analysis highest and best use
• Appraisal principles
• Intro to analyzing commercial real estate
• Mortgage loan officer pre-registration
• Senior real estate specialist
• Accredited buyer representative

As part of the 90-hour classroom requirement, you must also take the following subjects:

• GRI one Broker prep (30 credit hours)
• GRI two Broker prep (30 credit hours)

Your broker pre-license courses don’t end here. To fully satisfy your course requirements, you must take additional six credit hours in related qualifying education courses acceptable to the Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) or approved continuing education (CE) courses.

• Real estate laws
• Real estate rules
• Real estate court cases

While Michigan offers no reciprocity, the state allows certain education to take the place of traditional pre-license education. The exceptions are as follows:

• Possession of a law degree is considered equivalent to 60 hours of real estate education with six hours in civil rights and fair housing law
• Possession of a master’s degree in business administration or finance is considered equivalent to 60 clock hours of real estate education
• Possession of a bachelor’s degree in business or finance is considered equivalent to 30 clock hours of real estate education

After completing the courses, you must also pass the final broker course exam. The minimum passing grade is 75%. 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 education provider will provide you with your course completion documents. Michigan’s Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) recommends submitting your completion documents via the MiPlus system or filling out an online assistance form.

Step 2: Submit a Michigan 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 $143.

To submit your broker license application, you must use the Michigan LARA MiPLUS system. Use your registered username and input your full name and click “Register now” for a new account.

Michigan is no longer accepting in-person application forms, so you must use their online option to file for renewal, a new application, and to answer any questions about your experience.

Step 3: Pass the Michigan 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 $79.

In Michigan, brokers take an exam which consists of 115 scored questions. You must complete the Michigan real estate broker exam within 210 minutes.

The passing rate is 75% for the Michigan Real Estate Broker Exam.

If you happen to fail the exam, you can request that your exam be rescored or retake the test and schedule a new testing date through PSI.

For more information on the exam, PSI provides a Candidate Handbook containing the Michigan 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 4: Application Review

After passing your broker exam, you will only need to wait for Michigan LARA to review your application and then notify you. Remember that everything happens online, as the LARA no longer accepts paper applications. You can check the MiPLUS system so you can check the status of your application.

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.

Michigan Real Estate Broker License Renewal and CE

In Michigan, you must renew your real estate broker license every three years. LARA will send you a renewal notice within 60 days before your expiration date. The renewal process is not the same for the broker license and sales agent license.

To renew your license, you must use the Michigan LARA MiPLUS system. The renewal fee is $108 for an individual broker or $60 for a branch office.

As part of renewing your broker license, you must also complete the CE requirements that include 18 hours of Michigan LARA-approved courses related to the management, operation, and practice of real estate, as well as real estate laws, rules, and court cases.

MIDLARA – Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Mailing Address:

Michigan Bureau of Professional Licensing
P.O. Box 30243
Lansing, MI 48909

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm

Phone: (517) 241-9288

Website: http://www.michigan.gov/realestate