Getting your Utah Real Estate License is the first step to becoming a real estate agent in Utah. Nowadays, this process can be done almost entirely online. You will still need to take your Utah real estate license exam in person, but the rest of the process can be completed entirely online!

This article outlines how to become a real estate agent in Utah in an easy to understand, step-by-step manner. You’ll learn how much it will cost, how long it will take, what is on the exam, and much more.

How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Utah

Becoming a real estate agent in Utah is as simple as getting your license, finding a broker sponsor, and getting to work selling real estate! As long as you fulfill the below requirements, you are already on your way to your goal.

Utah Real Estate License Requirements

The requirements to become a real estate agent in Utah are:

• Be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien
• Hold a high school diploma or its equivalent
• Not had a felony in the last five years or a misdemeanor involving fraud, misrepresentation, theft, or dishonesty within the last three years, starting from the time of conviction/plea or completion of any jail/prison sentence
• Active real estate licensees in good standing from non-reciprocal states may qualify for an education waiver

How to Get Your Real Estate License in Utah

Step 1. Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course

Successfully complete 120 hours of approved pre-licensing sales agent education. These courses must be completed no longer than one year before applying for a license.

Here is a summary of the courses based on hours:

• Ownership of Real Estate – 12 hours 
• Real Estate Brokerage and the Law of Agency – 12 hours 
• Contracts – 16 hours 
• Property Management – 4 hours 
• Settlement – 8 hours 
• Federal Taxation –  2 hours 
• Real Estate Finance – 16 hours 
• Valuation and Appraisal – 6 hours 
• New Construction – 2 hours 
• Math Skills – 4 hours
• Federal Laws – 6 hours 
• Utah Law – 24 hours 
• Testing and Review – 8 hours

Most people choose to take their pre-license education course online. The majority of online courses are self-paced and include study materials like real estate practice exams and flashcards. Some also come with a “guarantee” that you will pass the exam on your first attempt if you complete their course. These benefits are all dependent on the education provider and package you choose, so be sure to get the course that best suits your needs.

Remember that the point of these courses isn’t just to check a box and complete a requirement, but rather to prepare you to pass your exam and become a better agent.

Utah does not require the final pre-license exam to be supervised by a proctor in a testing center. This is not the same as the state exam. This test is provided by your pre-license education company and is an indication that you have completed and retained the information from your pre-license education course.

Similar to the state exam, this test is closed-book and closed-note. You are allowed a basic-function calculator and scratch paper, but no cell phones or outside internet access.

Step 2. Utah Real Estate License Exam

After you’ve completed your pre-license education, it’s now time to take the Utah Real Estate Exam.

The fee to take the exam is $59 per attempt.

The Utah Real Estate Exam consists of 125 questions; 80 for the General section and 50 for the State section.

You will have 240 minutes (4 hours) to complete the entire exam.

A passing score for the Utah Real Estate Salesperson Exam is 56/80 on the National section and 28/40 on the State section.

Immediately after completing your exam, you will receive a scoring document that states whether you passed or failed. If it is marked “Fail,” then you will see a breakdown of your score in the different areas of the exam. If you decide to retake the exam, use this as a guide for your studies.

You can register to take your exam on the Pearson VUE Utah Real Estate page. On this page, you will find some other helpful resources as well, including the Candidate Handbook and Content Outline.

Step 3. Fingerprinting and Background Check

After passing your examination, the next step is to complete your fingerprinting and background check. The Utah Division of Real Estate requires that all applicants have a background check performed before they can become a licensed real estate agent in Utah.

Digital fingerprinting services are available for candidates at the Bountiful, Draper, Ogden, and Orem test centers in Utah.

You must schedule and pay for a fingerprint appointment through Pearson VUE before being fingerprinted. The $12 fee is separate from the fingerprint fee paid to the Utah Division of Real Estate.

To begin this process, log in to your Pearson VUE account and select UTFP-Utah Fingerprint Appointment (Sales only) from the exam list. Candidates having digital fingerprints taken will receive a fingerprint receipt from the test center verifying that the fingerprints have been taken and sent electronically. This fingerprint receipt must be submitted with the license application to the Utah Division of Real Estate.

Candidates taking examinations in test centers that don’t offer digital fingerprint service will receive two fingerprint cards (Blue FD-258) and a signed fingerprint waiver, which is issued at the test center. You must use the fingerprint services of a local law enforcement agency or local third party fingerprinting vendor to be fingerprinted.

Candidates must then submit the completed fingerprint cards – along with the license application – to the Utah Division of Real Estate.

Completing and turning in your fingerprints will begin the background check process. The Utah Division of Real Estate will review any findings in your background report to ensure your eligibility. During this process, they may reach out to you to provide additional information or documentation to clear up any findings.

For those who have criminal offenses or judgments against them, there’s a possibility that you may not be eligible for a real estate license in Utah. If this is the case, you should submit all supporting documents to questions you answered as “Yes.”

Step 4. Real Estate License Application

The last step to getting your real estate license in Utah is to complete your license application.

The total fee for this application is $157. This consists of a $100 application fee, $12 recovery fund fee, $40 fingerprint processing fee, and $5 FBI RAPBACK enrollment fee.

You can fill out your application online using Utah’s MyLicense eGovernment system. The Utah Division of Real Estate checklist will ensure you submit a complete application.

Step 5. Application Review

Once you’ve passed your exam, you will only need to wait for your background report to come back as a pass. In most cases, this process should take between 3-5 business days. After this, you should receive an email from UDRE on how to print your license online. If you have any questions at this point, you should contact UDRE at (801) 530-6747 or orrealestate@utah.gov.

Congratulations! 

Be sure to take some time to celebrate your accomplishment. You’ve put in a lot of work and effort and deserve a celebration!

UDRE – Utah Division of Real Estate

Mailing Address: 

Utah Division of Real Estate
PO Box 146711
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6711

Phone: (801) 530-6747

Email: realestate@utah.gov

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