Minnesota Real Estate License Requirements

You must have a Minnesota Real Estate License to sell or lease real estate in Minnesota and earn a commission.

The steps to obtain a MN Real Estate License:

Step #1: Complete the 90-hour Minnesota Real Estate Salesperson Course.

Step #2: Schedule your MN State License Exam.

Step #3: Take and Pass the State Licensing Exam.

Step #4: Associate with a MN licensed broker who will apply for your state salesperson license.

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Step 1: Complete the 90-Hour MN Pre-License Course Bundle

Minnesota requires you to take three 30-hour education courses known as Course I, Course II, and Course III.

You must take the courses from Minnesota Department of Commerce approved education providers, available through the PULSE Portal. To search, you will choose “Minnesota Department of Commerce” as the program, “Real Estate” as the board, and select “pre-licensing education” as the education type. Then, search by Course I, Course II, or Course III. Make sure your popup blocker is not on to see the search results.

You can take the courses online or through in-person classes.

The curriculum for each course is dictated by Minnesota Statute Sec 82.60.

Course I is a 30-hour course covering an introduction to real estate, professional standards and ethics, broker/salesperson relationship, title closing, real estate law, licensing and education requirements, contracts, financing, property classification, and zoning. You must pass the school-administered final exam to earn your completion certificate.The final exam will consist of 155 questions and the minimum passing score is 70%.

Course II is a 30-hour course whose curriculum covers real estate valuation, financing application, contracts, and fair housing. You must pass the school-administered final exam to earn your completion certificate. The final exam will consist of 155 questions and the minimum passing score is 70%.

Course III is a 30-hour course on one of the following topics: real estate appraisal, closing procedures, farm and ranch brokerage, real estate finance, real estate investment, real estate law, real estate management, business brokerage, commercial real estate, and residential architecture and construction. You must pass the school-administered final exam to earn your completion certificate.The final exam will consist of 155 questions and the minimum passing score is 70%.

It’s important to note that while you only need to pass Course I to apply for the state exam, you must pass Course I, II, and III before applying for your salesperson license.

Step 2: Apply for the State Exam

According to Minnesota Statutes, an applicant for a salesperson's license must successfully complete the 30 hours of Course I before taking the examination. You still must take and complete Course II and Course III, a total of 60 hours, but it is not required to pass these before scheduling the state exam.

Pearson VUE administers the exam on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Find atesting center near you by searching the Pearson VUE website or referring to the back of the candidate handbook.

Visit the Pearson VUE website to make an online reservation. First-time users are required to make an account. Online reservations must be made at least 24-hours before the examination date. You may also call (833) 273-1946 to schedule your exam.

If this is your first time taking the test, make sure to register for both the “General” salesperson exam and the “State” salesperson exam. The system has both sections listed separately.

The exam will cost $63 paid to Pearson VUE by credit card, electronic check, or voucher.

If you must cancel or change your exam reservation, you must do so 48 hours before the exam by calling (833) 273-1946. If you do not call to change 48 hours before the exam, your exam fee will be forfeited.

Bring with you to the exam two forms of signature identification. Primary identification must be government-issued, such as a state driver’s license, military ID, or U.S. passport. A secondary ID card can be a U.S. Social Security card, debit or credit card, or another form of primary ID. All identification must be in English. In addition, bring one of the following:

A valid course completion certificate for the Minnesota-approved Course I.
A valid course completion certificate for the 13-hour Wisconsin-to-Minnesota salesperson prelicense course.
A current letter of certification from your resident state. The letter of certification must be no more than 90 days old.

Refer to the Minnesota Real Estate Candidate Handbook for information on examination schedules, site locations, exam security, reporting, and preparation.

Step 3: Take and Pass the State Exam

The Minnesota state exam is divided into two sections: a National portion and a State portion. You must take and pass both parts of the exam. The total exam time is four hours.

About the salesperson real estate exam sections:

The National portion allows 2.5 hours for completion. There are 80 scored questions plus five pretest (unscored) questions. The passing grade is 75 or higher.
The State portion allows 1.5 hours for completion. There will be 50 scored questions plus 5-10 pretest (unscored) questions. The passing grade is 75 or higher.

Immediately upon exam completion, candidates receive a score report marked as “pass” or “fail.”

Due to the differences in difficulty on the different forms of the exam, the Minnesota state exam reports a scaled score. Raw scores are converted into scaled scores ranging from 0 to 100. The scaled score reported to candidates is not the number of questions answered correctly nor the percentage of questions you answered correctly. The close to a score of 75 you are, the closer a candidate is to passing.

You must pass both exam sections to pass the overall exam.If you fail one section, you can retake just the failed portion. You must wait 24 hours before rescheduling. You will pay a $39 fee for just that failed section, each time you retest.

Note: You must have successfully passed Course I to take the exam. If you take the exam before passing Course I, your results will be invalidated.

There is not a limit to the number of retakes for the Minnesota Real Estate Salesperson Exam.

Step 4: Find a Sponsoring Licensed Real Estate Broker

Minnesota requires real estate salespersons to be licensed to act on behalf of a licensed broker. You must be associated with a licensed real estate broker to qualify for a license.

You must apply for your license within one year of passing the state exam. Your broker will submit your real estate license application through the PULSE system. They may need the following to complete the application:

Social Security Number
An official Certification of Licensure less than 90 days old from each state outside Minnesota where you may have been licensed as a real estate broker or salesperson.
A list of any unclaimed property as explained under Minnesota Statutes, CH 345.37
Any background documentation explaining any criminal convictions, charges, or deferred judgments, such as a written explanation of the incident, charging documents, and sentencing order.

The fee for the initial real estate salesperson license totals $110. It includes a $30 charge for the real estate education, research and recovery fund, and a $30 technology surcharge.

The Department of Commerce will notify your real estate broker once your application has been approved. Your real estate broker will be able to print your license.

Congratulations! You are now able to practice as a real estate salesperson in Minnesota.

Can I take the required MN pre-license courses if I’m still in high school?

You may take the required coursework, but you must be at least 18 years of age to apply for a Minnesota real estate salesperson license.

What are the requirements for applying for a real estate salesperson license in MN?

In Minnesota, you must be at least 18 years of age, pass the 90-hour pre-license course bundle, and pass the state real estate exam. Next, you must find a licensed real estate broker to work with; they will submit your application.

Can I take the 90-hour MN pre-licensure courses online?

Yes. As long as you take Course I, II, and III from a Minnesota real estate commission approved education provider, you may take advantage of online instruction. A current list of approved course providers is available through the state’s PULSE Portal.

Minnesota Real Estate License Requirements

General Requirements

An applicant must be at least 18 years of age when applying for a license. Minnesota has no other general requirements.

How to Get a Real Estate License in Minnesota

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