In order to kickstart your real estate career in Minnesota, it’s essential to obtain a Minnesota Real Estate License. However, despite the fact that the application process is mainly completed online nowadays, many applicants can still find it quite confusing and complicated.
For this reason, this How to Get a Real Estate License in Minnesota article will break down the main steps involved in the licensing process, covering everything from educational requirements to exam preparation and having your fingerprints taken.
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Minnesota Real Estate License
In order to get your Minnesota real estate license and start working in the real estate industry, there are several key steps you’ll need to complete, including:
- Completing the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education
- Passing the Minnesota Real Estate Exam
- Associating with a Licensed Broker
- Submitting a License Application Through Your Broker
In the sections below, we’ve explored each of these steps in more detail.
Step 1: Complete the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education
There are certain educational prerequisites you’ll be expected to meet in order to be able to apply for a Minnesota real estate license.
In particular, you’ll be expected to complete three pre-license education courses, which are designated as Course I, Course II, and Course III.
Each of these courses involves 30 hours of education and can be completed through various methods, including online sessions, in-person classrooms, and hybrid formats.
Keep in mind that you will need to successfully complete Course I before being allowed to take the salesperson’s examination, and Course II and Course III before being allowed to apply for your license.
Important
Even though completing the courses is mandatory, it would be a mistake to think of this step as just “checking a box”. This is because your pre-licensing education is what will prepare you to both pass your exam and become a better real estate agent.
For this reason, we always encourage our readers to invest in high-quality and reliable courses, as their study materials (like real estate practice tests and flashcards) can be invaluable during the exam prep stage.
On top of this, some of the top courses also offer money-back guarantees in the event that you do not pass your exam on your first attempt after taking their course.
Recommended Course
Interested in getting started? We recommend The CE Shop’s online pre licensing education packages due to their high-quality study resources, money-back-guarantee, and flexible pricing.
Step 2: Pass the Minnesota Real Estate Exam
The next step you’ll need to complete is to pass the Minnesota Real Estate Exam, which is administered by PSI.
This examination is split into two main portions: the General section and the State section.
The General section tests your knowledge on broad real estate principles through 80 questions over a period of 2.5 hours, while the State section assesses your understanding of Minnesota’s specific real estate laws and regulations through 40 questions that you will have 1.5 hours to complete.
Keep in mind that you will have the option to sit for both portions at the same time by choosing the combined examination, which contains 120 questions and has an allotted time of four hours to complete.
Should you pass one section and fail the other, you will only need to retake the portion that you did not pass — rather than the entire exam.
The fees are $45 for either the State or the National section if taken individually, or $68 for a combined exam that covers both sections.
In order to schedule your real estate exam, you’ll need to head over to the PSI website and make an online reservation. If this is your first time using the platform, you’ll be required to create an account, after which you’ll be shown step-by-step instructions on how to complete the reservation. Alternatively, you can schedule your examination over the phone by directly contacting PSI at (866) 395-1006.
It should be noted that you will need to apply for your salesperson’s license within one year of passing the examination; if this is not done, you will be required to retake and pass the examination again.
Step 3: Associate With a Licensed Broker
To qualify as a licensed real estate salesperson in Minnesota, you will need to associate with an actively licensed real estate broker.
This is because, under Minnesota state law, you will not be allowed to obtain a license without being affiliated with a broker, nor can you legally represent more than one broker at any given time.
Once you have found a broker with whom you mutually agree to affiliate, they will be responsible for submitting your license application.
Step 4: Submit a License Application Through Your Broker
After passing the state real estate exam and satisfying all other licensing requirements, you’ll be ready to move onto submitting your license application.
In the state of Minnesota, the application process for a real estate salesperson license is completed by the primary broker of the real estate company with which you choose to affiliate.
This means that your primary broker will need to visit the Department of Commerce’s PulsePortal website and complete the following steps:
- Choose “Minnesota Department of Commerce” for the program selection
- Choose “Board Real Estate” for the board selection
- Choose “Submit License Application” for the licensing service
- Enter “Individual” as the entity type
- Specify “Salesperson” as the license type
- Log in with credentials associated with the licensed real estate company
- Follow the prompts to complete the application
The processing fee for a real estate salesperson license is $100, with an additional technology surcharge of $10 being levied (bringing the total cost to $110).
Step 5: Application Review
If you’ve managed to get this far, congratulations! With your application submitted and all the other licensing requirements satisfied, in most cases your broker will be notified of the application’s approval within 10 business days.
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: Your broker will be able to track the status of your application through the PulsePortal website and will receive notifications as the application progresses toward approval.
Minnesota Real Estate License Renewal
All real estate licenses in Minnesota will need to be renewed annually, and — just as with the initial licensing — this renewal will be managed by each agent’s associated real estate broker.
It’s also the primary broker’s legal responsibility to ensure that all licenses under their management comply with continuing education (CE) requirements, which require licensees to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, with at least 15 hours being completed annually.
The fee for renewing a real estate salesperson license is $60, plus a $10 technology fee — bringing the total cost to $70 per annum.
Note: Courses taken in excess during a license period do not carry over to the next; additionally, repeated courses within the same licensing period are not taken into account.
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Minnesota Commerce Department
Mailing Address:
Minnesota Real Estate
85 7th Place E, Suite 280
St. Paul, MN 55101-2198
Phone: (651) 539-1599
Email: licensing.commerce@state.mn.us
Website: https://mn.gov/commerce/licensing/list/real-estate/
Minnesota Real Estate License FAQ
How long does it take to get a real estate license in MN?
The time it will take to get a real estate license in Minnesota will vary based on how quickly you complete the necessary steps, such as finishing the required pre-licensing education and passing the required exam(s).
Generally speaking, the entire process should take you at least three to four months to complete from start to finish.
For more information, you can have a look at our How to Get a Real Estate License in Minnesota guide.
How much does it cost to get my real estate license in MN?
To get a real estate license in Minnesota, you will need to pay $100 for the licensing fee, $10 for the technology surcharge, and $68 for the combined state and national exam.
Additionally, you will need to cover the cost for the required pre-licensing education courses (Course I, Course II, and Course III), which vary by provider but usually range between $200 and $600.
Is the Minnesota real estate exam hard?
The Minnesota real estate exam is considered quite challenging; having said that, it’s important to understand that its difficulty will largely depend on your individual preparation.
Consequently, we recommend setting aside ample study time and thoroughly reviewing all relevant materials in order to increase your chances of passing the final exam on your first attempt.
What do you need to get your real estate license in Minnesota?
To obtain a real estate license in Minnesota, you will need to complete 90 hours of pre-licensing education, pass the real estate license exam, associate with a licensed broker, and submit a license application through your broker to the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Interested in starting your real estate journey? You can check out our state specific How to Get a Real Estate License guide.