Becoming a Real Estate Agent in New Jersey

Requirements for Real Estate License in New Jersey

To sell or lease real estate in New Jersey and earn a commission, you must have an New Jersey Real Estate License.

The steps to obtain an NJ Real Estate License:

Step #1: Complete the 75-hour New Jersey Real Estate Salesperson Course.

Step #2: Schedule your NJ State License Exam.

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

Step #4: Submit fingerprints for a background check.

Step #5: Get hired by an New Jersey Managing Broker and apply for your license.

General Requirements

To be licensed as a real estate salesperson in New Jersey, you must:

Be at least 18 years of age.
Have a high school diploma or general education development (GED) diploma.
Be of good character and integrity

If you meet these qualifications, earn your New Jersey real estate Salesperson's license in five easy steps.

Step 1: Complete the pre-license course

Start by signing up for the New Jersey 75-hour Pre-license Salesperson Course. Select a course from the state's list of approved education providers.

You will learn about license law, contracts, appraisals, fair housing, financing, New Jersey real estate practice, commission rules, agency and brokerage, and more during the course. Your course will end with a final exam.

Step 2: Applying for the State Exam

You have one year after completing your pre-license course to schedule your New Jersey state licensing exam.

PSI administers New Jersey's Real Estate Salesperson Licensure Exam. Once your course provider has sent your eligibility to PSI, you can schedule your exam directly by visiting https://www.psiexams.com/njre or calling 855-579-4624. Online scheduling is the fastest way to register for your exam.

The salesperson exam fee is $45. You will directly pay PSI for the exam. Online they accept major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) or a JCB card.

Examination centers are available in Brick, Cherry Hill, Hamilton Square Area, Linwood, New Brunswick, New Providence, North Brunswick, Northfield Area, Rochelle Park, and Secaucus. New Jersey also offers a remote proctored examination.

Refer to the New Jersey Real Estate Commission License Examination Candidate Bulletin for information on examination schedules, site locations, exam security, reporting, and preparation.

Step 3: Take and Pass the State Exam

The New Jersey Salesperson licensure exam is a comprehensive exam of 110 questions worth 110 points. You will have four hours to complete the exam. There may also be 5-10 experimental questions that will not be scored; you will not be told which questions these are.

The candidate handbook breaks down the percentage of questions in each tested real estate topic area.

Students must pass the exam with at least a 70% score (77 questions) to pass the overall exam. Your score will immediately show on screen and be emailed to you. If you fail, the emailed score report will include diagnostic information.

Step 4: Get Fingerprinted for a Background Check

All New Jersey salesperson applicants must be fingerprinted using the LiveScan process. You must get fingerprinted within a year of passing the state exam to make a timely filing for your license.

Start by filling out the required Universal Form. Next, online scheduling is highly recommended for booking your fingerprint location and time. You will directly pay IDEMIA a $66.05 fee for the background check. They accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, prepaid debit cards, and ACH.

Bring a government-issued ID with you to the fingerprinting vendor along with the completed Universal Form.

Try to time your fingerprinting with your application submission.

Step 5: Find a Sponsoring Broker to Apply for Your License

In New Jersey, all Salespersons must work under the supervision of a Managing Broker. Your Managing Broker will submit your license application.

You must provide your Broker with your Applicant ID number. This ID number is found on your testing score card that proves you successfully passed the state exam. The Broker will go to the Online Licensing Services portal to submit the application.

When you submit, have all your paperwork ready to go. The NJREC does not accept partial submission of materials. These materials include:

PSI state exam passing score report, both completed and signed by the employing broker
Employment date indicated by employing broker
Completed Sagem-Morpho Universal Form and receipt (provided when fingerprinting is done)
License fee as a certified or cashier’s check, money order, or broker’s business account check. The initial salesperson application fee is $160. Note: personal checks are not accepted

Once the New Jersey Real Estate Commission approves your application, you and your broker will receive an email confirmation. Congratulations, now you’re legal to practice real estate in New Jersey!

Becoming a Real Estate Agent in New Jersey

Requirements for Real Estate License in New Jersey

General Requirements

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