How to Get a Real Estate License in Pennsylvania

In order to kickstart your real estate career in Pennsylvania, it’s essential to obtain a Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.

Pennsylvania Real Estate License

In order to get your Pennsylvania real estate license and start working in the real estate industry, there are several key steps you’ll need to complete. These include:

1. Ensuring You Meet the Licensing Eligibility Requirements
2. Completing the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education
3. Passing the Background Check
4. Passing the Pennsylvania Real Estate Exam
5. Finding a Sponsoring Broker
6. Submitting a License Application

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

Step 1: Meet the Pennsylvania Real Estate License Requirements

Before continuing ahead with your application for a Pennsylvania real estate license, you’ll first need to confirm that you’re actually eligible for it by ensuring you meet the following prerequisites:

• You must be 18 years of age or older
• You must have graduated from high school (or equivalent)
• You must be a US citizen or permanent US resident

Furthermore, according to the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act § 501, you may be ineligible for a real estate salesperson license if you don’t possess a “good reputation for honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and competence” that’s required for this role.

Yet, despite this requirement, you’re not automatically ineligible for this license by virtue of having a criminal record. While certain crimes (e.g., theft, perjury, fraud, or forgery) are more likely to preclude you from being licensed, most offenses won’t bar you from licensure.

In addition, the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commision (the Commission) won’t even consider summary offenses and arrests for which you weren’t convicted because they aren’t reportable under Pennsylvania’s Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA).

Step 2: Complete the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education

In addition to the general requirements outlined above, there are certain educational prerequisites you’ll be expected to meet in order to be able to apply for a Pennsylvania real estate license.

In particular, you’ll be expected to complete 75 hours of pre-licensing education courses approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Real Estate as per PA Code § 35.272. This total time must be broken down accordingly:

• Real Estate Practice Course (45 hours)
• Real Estate Fundamentals Course (30 hours)

After completing these prelicensing education requirements, you’ll have a period of five years in which to apply for authorization to take the Pennsylvania real estate exam. If you wait any longer than this, you’ll need to satisfy this education requirement all over again.

Step 3: Pass the Background Check

As part of the licensing process, you must request and pass a background check from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). You can do this in one of two ways:

1. Online: Applicants may submit a background check request electronically through PSP’s Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system. Online submissions are often processed immediately, but, if not, you’ll receive an email when your results are ready.
2. By Mail: Alternatively, you may submit a request for this check by completing the paper Form SP 4-164 and sending it to:

Pennsylvania State Police
Central Repository – 164
1800 Elmerton Ave.
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758

Note: Regardless of how you decide to submit your request for a background check, it’ll cost you $22 (plus an additional $5 for notarization).

Step 4: Pass the Pennsylvania Real Estate Exam

With this out of the way, the next step in the licensing process you’ll need to complete is to pass the Pennsylvania real estate exam. This 3.5-hour exam, which is administered by Pearson VUE, includes 120 scored questions spread across two sections: national and state.

The national section has 80 questions while the state section contains only 40. In addition to these scored questions, you should find between five and 10 unscored, “pretest” questions. While the Commission uses these pretest questions to collect data to help inform future exams, they won’t count toward your score.

In order to take this exam, you must submit an application through Clarus within five years of completing the pre-licensing education requirements outlined above. After submitting proof of that education, you should hear back from Pearson VUE via email with instructions on how to book your exam.

You may schedule and take each portion of the exam separately for $49. If you decide to take both the national and state sections of the exam together and book them on the same order, however, you’ll receive a “combination discount.”

In order to pass the exam, you’ll need to obtain a minimum score of at least 75% on each section. You’ll find out how you performed on this exam immediately after finishing. After passing, be sure to get your official passing score report from Clarus because you’ll need it for the next step of the licensure process.

Note: Your official passing score report will only remain valid for three years from the date you took the exam. This means you must complete the rest of the licensing process within this time if you want to avoid having to retake this exam.

Step 5: Find a Sponsoring Broker

The final step you’ll need to take before you can submit an application for your real estate license is to find a sponsoring broker. This is a licensed real estate professional who supervises and mentors you, ensuring you comply with essential legal and ethical standards.

While it’s a legal requirement for new real estate licensees to work under a licensed broker in Pennsylvania, it’s important you don’t treat this as just a rule you need to follow. This is because these real estate brokers provide essential training, support, and access to valuable networks that will help you to learn the industry, avoid pitfalls, and grow your business effectively.

Step 6: Submit a License Application

After passing the state real estate exam and satisfying all other licensing requirements, you’ll be ready to submit your license application, which applicants typically do online through the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS).

After filling out the application form, you’ll have to pay a $97 initial fee and upload the following documents in order to continue:

• A Certified Criminal History Check
• Original Passing Transcript for the National Exam Section
• Original Passing Transcript for the State Exam Section

Note: You can find more information on how to submit your licensing application on the Commission’s website.

Step 7: 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 the Commission should process your application within seven 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: If you’re not sure what’s happening with your license and it’s been longer than expected, you can contact the Commission by phone or email.

Pennsylvania Real Estate License Renewal

In order to keep your license valid and continue working as a real estate sales agent, you’ll need to renew your license every two years by May 31. You can only do this online through PALS because the Commission no longer accepts paper applications.

In addition to submitting a renewal application and paying the $96 renewal fee, you’ll also have to complete 14 hours of continuing education (CE) during each two-year license period. These 14 hours must include at least three hours on mandatory topics.

Note that you’ll need to satisfy certain specific CE requirements when renewing for the first time, including a mandatory 7-hour general module and the choice between a 7-hour module on the practice of either commercial or residential real estate.

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.

Note: For more guidance on this step, watch the Commission’s in-depth video on How to Renew Your Salesperson License.

Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649

Physical Address:
2525 N 7th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110

Phone: (833) DOS-BPOA

Email: RA-REALESTATE@pa.gov

Website: https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/real-estate-commission.html