How to Get a Utah Real Estate Broker License

Written by: Mary Gerardine

Last updated:

How to Get a Utah Real Estate Broker License

Becoming a Utah 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 Utah 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.

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Utah Real Estate Agent vs Real Estate Broker

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

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 Utah.

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.

If you are working towards getting your first license, check out our Utah Real Estate License guide. If you’re working on the Utah real estate broker license, keep reading this page!

Utah 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 Utah.

These prerequisites are:

  • Must have three years (of the last five years) licensed experience or two years licensed experience and one year full-time optional experience (e.g., escrow officer, title agent, etc.) in professional real estate
  • Must have an active work experience with a total 60 points within the past five years preceding the date of application

Utah has a point value system that measures qualifying work experience. Transactions include commercial, residential, and leasing activities, though they are weighted differently. For instance, a closed hotel sale will net 10 points while property management services count .25 points per month.

How to Become a Real Estate Broker in Utah

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 Utah.

Step 1: Complete a Utah Broker Pre-Licensing Course

The first step to getting your real estate broker license in Utah is to take 120 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses.

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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 120 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses include the following mandatory courses:

  • Utah law (30 hours + three hours of testing)
  • Broker Principles (45 hours + four hours of testing)
  • Broker Practices (45 hours + four hours of testing)

Utah offers reciprocity for Georgia, Mississippi, and Alberta, Canada. If you’re from another state, you may be able to waive some of your educational or national exam requirements.

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 education provider will provide you with your course completion documents. You must submit the Candidate Education Certifying Document within 90 days of passing the state exam through the Utah Department of Commerce Real Estate Division MyLicense portal.

Step 2: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

After submitting your license application, you must have a fingerprint-based background check. You must submit your fingerprints via RapBack.

To begin the fingerprinting process, visit the RapBack enrollment page. There is a $40 fingerprinting fee and $5 processing fee to initially enroll in RapBack. These fees are included in your application fee.

Your fingerprints must be submitted either via fingerprint card or digital fingerprint receipt at the time of the application. If you do not have these ready, your application will be rejected.

In Utah, you must also meet licensing qualifications for honesty (no felonies in the past five years or misdemeanors in the past three years related to fraud, theft, or misrepresentation).

Note

If you aren’t sure whether you are eligible for a real estate license based on your history, check out our article on Real Estate License Eligibility.

Step 3: Pass the Utah Real Estate Broker Exam

After completing the steps above, you must take the real estate broker licensing exam via Pearson VUE. You will find more information about the test, including scheduling options, after creating an account on the website.

The fee for the broker exam is $59.

The National exam consists of 80 scored questions, from real property characteristics to real estate math. The state exam includes 90 scored questions covering licensing, the role of the broker, and Utah state topics.

You can take the test as many times as you need to, but you only have one year to pass the test. You must take the test from a state-approved testing center for the test score to be valid.

Once you pass, you’ll be given additional information on how to submit your application at the Pearson VUE Center. You’ll have 90 days from the time you pass the test to submit a completed application form.

For more information on the exam, Pearson VUE provides a Candidate Handbook containing the Utah 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: Submit a Utah Broker License Application

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

To submit your broker license application, you must use the Division of Real Estate’s MyLicense System. The application fee is $163 (fingerprint fee is included in this fee). If you are already enrolled in RapBack, there is no fingerprint processing fee or RapBack fee will be required.

If you don’t want to file online, you can also apply using a paper application form. Utah has several forms to fill out as opposed to a single application. Use the checklist to ensure you have all of your information submitted.

Make sure to include your transaction logverification formexperience documentation form, and property management log (where applicable). Your qualifying experience must total 60 points incurred per transaction within five years of applying.

Step 5: Application Review

After passing your broker exam, you will only need to wait for the Utah Division of Real Estate to review and approve your application.

The process can take up to six weeks for approval. After this, you should receive a notification from the Utah Division of Real Estate (via your MyLicense account).

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.

Utah Real Estate Broker License Renewal and CE

In Utah, you must renew your real estate broker license every two years. The Division of Real Estate will send you a renewal notice within 45 days before your expiration date.

To renew your license, you must get your fingerprints taken by RapBack or mail two fingerprint cards into the division. Mailing will take longer than digital submission, so try to get them in 30 days before your license expiration.

Go to Utah’s Real Estate’s Online License Renewal System to renew your license. The renewal fee is $111 ($66 renewal fee plus $45 for fingerprinting).

As part of renewing your broker license, you must also complete the continuing education (CE) requirements that include 18 hours of approved courses (nice core hours and nine elective hours).

The Utah Division of Real Estate recommends completing your CE by the 15th of your renewal month to ensure timely renewal.

UTDRE – Utah Division of Real Estate

Mailing Address:

Utah Division of Real Estate
P.O. Box 146711
Salt Lake City, UT 84114

Phone: (801) 530-6747

Emailrealestate@utah.gov

WebsiteUtah Division of Real Estate

Utah Real Estate Broker License FAQ

How much does it cost to get a real estate broker license in Utah?

The costs of getting a real estate broker license in Utah can range between $476 and $666.
The cost breakdown is as follows:
Pre-license education courses: $209-$399
Fingerprint-based background check: $40 plus $5
Broker exam fee: $59
Application fee: $163

How long does it take to get a real estate broker license?

The steps that typically take the most time when getting a broker license include taking pre-license education courses and exams. The average amount of time to get a broker license is generally three to six months.

What is the difference between a real estate agent and a real estate broker?

Real estate agents focus on working with clients on individual real estate transactions, while real estate brokers have more experience with the added responsibility of managing a team of real estate agents or brokerage business. See our Real Estate Agent vs. Broker vs. Realtor page for more information.

How much does a real estate broker make?

Real estate brokers get paid just like real estate agents by earning commissions on their agents’ sales. Brokers can also charge the real estate agents they manage a fixed monthly fee or have the option to earn money on commission sales by helping their own clients buy and sell property. According to Payscale data, brokers earn $61,314 per year in base salary, with anywhere between $10,000 and $147,000 in commissions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that the median broker salary is $62,010.

How do I get a job as a real estate broker in Utah?

Browse through available real estate broker jobs in your area using our StateRequirement Job Board!

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