How to Get a Broker License in Washington DC

Obtaining a Washington DC 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 Washington DC 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.

Washington DC Real Estate Broker License

In order to get your Washington DC 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 Washington DC Broker Licensing Exam
4. Submitting a 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 Washington DC Real Estate License guide instead.

Step 1: Meet the Washington DC Eligibility and Experience Requirements

Before proceeding with the application process for your Washington DC real estate broker license, you’ll need to first make sure that you meet the general prerequisites:

• You must be able to effectively read, write, and understand English
• Have obtained a high school diploma (or accepted equivalency certificate)
• You can’t have had any real estate applications denied, or real estate licenses suspended within the year immediately preceding your application (failing the exam isn’t counted as denial)

In addition to the general eligibility requirements outlined above, you’ll also be expected to have obtained at least two years of experience actively engaged in the real estate industry with a broker or salesperson’s license, according to D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, § 2601.7.

It’s worth noting that this experience can only have been obtained in the two years immediately preceding your application for a real estate broker license. That being said, it doesn’t matter if you earn this experience working within the District or outside of it.

According to D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, § 2601.9(b), applicants are able to demonstrate that they possess experience deemed equivalent to that outlined above if they had been actively engaged in the real estate industry for two years or more before they obtained their real estate salesperson license.

For this alternative experience to count, you must have been actively engaged in at least six confirmed real estate transactions a year in one or more of the following roles:

• Builder
• Investor
• Land or Condominium Developer
• Attorney
• Any other occupation that is deemed directly related to the “acquisition, financing, or conveyance of real estate” that you’ve worked in for a minimum of 1920 hours during the last two years

Step 2: Complete the Mandatory Pre-Licensing Education

Beyond the general requirements mentioned earlier, you must also fulfill specific educational prerequisites under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, § 2601.3 to be able to apply for a Washington DC real estate broker license.

In particular, this will involve completing a total of 135 hours of pre-licensing education, which must contain the following DCREC-approved modules:

• Fair Housing Course (3 hours)
• Property Management Course (3 hours)

Make sure to hold on to the Certificate of Completion you should receive from your education provider when you finally complete all of these requirements, as you’ll need it in order to schedule the DC broker examination (see Step 3).

Step 3: Pass the Broker Licensing Exam

In Washington DC, the 3.5-hour real estate broker exam is administered by PSI and entails 115 questions worth 120 points that are spread across a National portion (75 questions) and a State-Specific portion (40 questions).

In order to schedule your real estate broker exam, you’ll need to make an online reservation using the PSI 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 you’ll be required to pay a $69 fee at the time of reservation, as this cannot be paid at the exam center.

In addition to a valid ID that confirms you’re at least 18 years of age and contains a name matching your exam reservation (e.g., your driving license or passport), remember to bring the certificate proving that you completed the 135-hour broker pre-licensing course.

In order to pass, you’ll need to obtain a minimum score of at least 75% across the entire exam. If you’re successful, you should immediately receive a passing score report at the testing center.

Otherwise, you’ll be notified that you were unsuccessful on the exam and will need to reschedule and re-sit the portion(s) that you failed. Be aware that you’ll need to pass both portions of the exam within six months of each other, or you’ll be required to retake both (including any you passed).

Note: Just like with the DC salesperson exam, you’ll need to submit your application for a broker license within six months of passing both of the exam’s portions.

Step 4: Submit a License Application

After completing your pre-licensing education and passing the broker licensing exam, you’ll be ready to move on to submitting your license application.

This is generally done electronically using the District of Columbia Regulatory Authority (DCRA)’s online portal, known as AccessDC.

If you haven’t already, you’ll be required to sign up for this platform. Once you’ve logged in, you’ll need to navigate to the real estate broker application form before answering all the questions presented to you and uploading a copy of your passing exam scoresheet.

Lastly, you’ll be required to finalize this step by paying a $65 fee in order to submit this application, as well as a $170 fee in order to obtain your real estate broker license.

Note: For more detailed guidance, or any answers to queries you may have regarding the application process, be sure to contact the District of Columbia Office of Professional Licensing Administration (DCOPLA) Customer Service by phone.

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 you should hear back from the DC Department of Business and Professional Regulation within around ten 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, we recommend reaching out to the Department directly either by phone or email.

Washington DC Real Estate License Renewal

In order to keep your real estate broker license valid, you’ll need to renew it every two years. In Washington DC, broker license renewals are submitted online through the DCRA portal for a fee of $170.

Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, § 2605.3, each salesperson, broker, and property manager applicant must complete at least 15 hours of continuing education (CE) during each renewal period in order to be able to renew their license.

In particular, this total time should be divided between the following courses approved by the Columbia Real Estate Commission:

• Mandated Courses with Specific Curriculums (9 hours)
• General Elective Courses (6 hours)

While you shouldn’t rely on it, you should receive a renewal reminder by mail at your last known address at least 60 days before your broker license is set to expire. However, the failure of this notice to reach you does not relieve your responsibility to satisfy all the renewal requirements.

Late renewals are permitted up until 60 days after your indicated renewal date, though you will be required to pay an additional penalty fee of $50 for this privilege.

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.

District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection

Mailing Address:
Real Estate Commission
1100 4^th Street, SW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20024

Phone: (202) 442-4320

Email: opla.realestate@dc.gov

Website: https://www.dcopla.com/realestate/