How to Get a Broker License in Rhode Island

Obtaining a Rhode Island Real Estate Broker License is crucial if you’re looking to advance your real estate career. Despite the streamlined online application process, many aspiring real estate brokers find the requirements and procedures complex and challenging.

This How to Get a Broker License in Rhode Island article will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring you have a clear understanding of what it takes to achieve this license and elevate your real estate career as quickly as possible.

Rhode Island Real Estate Broker License

In order to get your Rhode Island real estate broker license and take your career to the next level, there are several key steps you’ll need to complete, including:

1. Ensuring You Meet the Eligibility and Experience Requirements
2. Completing the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education
3. Passing the Rhode Island Broker Licensing Exam
4. Completing a Background Check
5. Submitting Your License Application

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

Note: If you’re just starting out, you’ll need to check out our Rhode Island Real Estate License guide instead.

Step 1: Meet the Rhode Island Eligibility and Experience Requirements

Before proceeding with the application process for your Rhode Island real estate broker license, you’ll need to first make sure that you meet the general prerequisites outlined under 230-RICR-30-20-2:

• You must be at least 18 years of age
• You must be an individual known for your competence, honesty, and trustworthiness
• You must have at least two years of full-time experience as a real estate salesperson

It should be noted that the State of Rhode Island has established a Mutual Recognition Agreement with Florida, which allows licensed real estate professionals from either state to only be required to take the state-specific portion of the licensure examination in the other.

If you believe that you’re eligible for this agreement, be sure to get in contact with the Division of Commercial Licensing directly by calling them at (401) 462-9506.

Note: Keep in mind that in Rhode Island, the licensing process for real estate brokers and salespersons is administered by the Division of Commercial Licensing of the Department of Business Regulation.

Step 2: Complete the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education

Beyond the general requirements mentioned earlier, you must also fulfill specific educational prerequisites to be able to apply for a Rhode Island real estate broker license.

In particular, this will involve completing a total of 90 hours of pre-licensing education from a real estate school approved by the Division of Commercial Licensing according to 230-RICR-30-20-2.7.

You’ll be able to use courses of various formats in order to satisfy this requirement — including those offered in-person, online, or hybrid options that accommodate different learning preferences and schedules.

The only thing to keep in mind is that you’ll have four years after completing your pre-licensing education to take and pass the state licensing exam. After this time, this education will cease to be valid, meaning that you’ll need to retake these hours in order to be able to complete the rest of the licensure process.

Once that is completed, you will receive a Certificate of Completion, which you must present at the exam site in order to sit for your state licensing exam.

Note: According to R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20.5-4(b), the 45 classroom hours required to qualify for a salesperson’s license cannot be counted towards the 90 hours needed for a broker’s license, irrespective of when the hours were completed.

Step 3: Pass the Broker Licensing Exam

Rhode Island’s four hour long broker exam is administered by Pearson VUE and includes 130 scored questions divided across two sections: a National portion and a State-Specific portion.

Depending on the exam version, you may encounter an additional set of up to 15 unscored pretest questions — these are included to help develop future examinations and do not count towards your final score.

In order to schedule your real estate broker exam, you’ll need to make an online reservation using the Pearson VUE website. Note that you’ll need to create an account for this service if this is your first time using it, after which you’ll be shown step-by-step instructions on how to complete your reservation.

Keep in mind that a $50 fee is required when you make this reservation for each exam section (for a total of $100) as the Pearson VUE testing centers cannot process payments on-site.

In order to pass, you’ll need to obtain an overall scaled score of at least 70. Be aware that this isn’t equal to a raw score of 70% as scaled scores are adjusted in order to account for each exam’s difficulty.

You’ll find out how you performed on this exam immediately after finishing and should receive your passing exam score sheet with a full breakdown a few days afterwards.

Note: Keep in mind that you will be required to submit your application for licensure within one year from the date of passing the examination. If you take any longer than this, you’ll need to retake this exam.

Step 4: Pass a Background Check

To continue with your application for a real estate broker license in Rhode Island, you will be required to complete a Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) criminal background check.

This will need to be completed at the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General — which is located at 4 Howard Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920 — and will incur a fee of $45.

Please note that this is a walk-in service with no appointment necessary; however, you will need to arrive between 8:30 a.m and 4:00 p.m Monday to Friday.

If you have any questions about this process, we recommend emailing BCIstate@riag.ri.gov directly for more tailored information.

Step 5: Submit a License Application

After completing your pre-licensing education and ensuring that you satisfy all other licensing requirements, you’ll be ready to move on to submitting your license application.

This can be done in one of two ways:

• Online: You can submit your application online through the Department of Business Regulation’s e-Licensing portal
• By Mail: Alternatively you can download this Real Estate Broker Application form, complete it, and mail it to the following address:

Department of Business Regulation
Division of Commercial Licensing
Real Estate Section
1511 Pontiac Ave, Bldg. 69-1
Cranston, RI 02920

Regardless of which method you choose, you will need to include the following documents in order for your application to be processed:

• The original Test Score Report from Pearson VUE (both pages)
• A Lead Poisoning/Lead Hazard Mitigation Certificate of Completion, which is part of your prelicensing education
• A criminal history record from the Office of the Attorney General
• An E&O insurance certificate

Additionally, you will be required to submit two separate payments: one for $180 payable to the “RI General Treasurer” and another for $25 payable to the “Real Estate Recovery Account”.

Step 6: Application Review

If you’ve managed to get this far, congratulations!

The Division of Commercial Licensing processes applications within two to three weeks; once approved, you will receive a notification online, and your licensing document will be sent to you by mail.

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: It’s important to remember that you cannot legally practice real estate as a broker in Rhode Island until you have your license in hand. Even if you’ve received an approval notification, you’ll need to wait until you receive the physical license before beginning your brokerage activities.

Rhode Island Real Estate License Renewal

In order to keep your real estate broker license valid, you’ll need to renew it every two years.

This can be done either online through the Rhode Island e-Licensing portal at or via mail by downloading the Real Estate Renewal Application form and sending it to the Department of Business Regulation, Division of Commercial Licensing.

In either case, you will need to pay a renewal fee of $170 — though a late fee of $100 is imposed if you miss the deadline, which would bring the total to $270.

Keep in mind that during the two-year cycle you’ll need to complete 24 hours of Department-approved continuing education (CE), with at least three of these CE hours focused on Fair Housing instruction.

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.

State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation

Mailing Address:
Real Estate Commission
1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am-4:00 pm

Phone: (401) 462-9500

Fax: (401) 462-9532

Email: DBR.REInquiry@dbr.ri.gov

Website: https://dbr.ri.gov/real-estate-and-commercial-licensing/real-estate