Real estate · Colorado
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Colorado real estate FAQs
Can convicted felons get real estate license in Colorado? Colorado home requires all applicants to undergo fingerprinting in a background check as part of the application process. If you are concerned about a prior conviction serving as grounds for license denial, you can request the Commission issue a preliminary advisory opinion regarding any past criminal convictions or professional conduct judgments. Colorado has the right to deny a broker license if you have been convicted of any acts that bring into question the individual’s ability to act in good moral character, as per Colorado Revised Statutes Title 12. Professions and Occupations § 12-61-103. You will disclose any prior criminal activity through your fingerprinting and background check, plus on the broker license application. If you answer “yes” to any of the background questions, you will be asked to submit additional documentation to help the Commissions assess your character.Depending on your answers, this could include a court case disposition, case action summary, arrest report, a signed statement about the violation’s circumstances, a signed statement from your Colorado employing broker, and letters of recommendation.See the answer for every state
Do you need high school diploma for real estate in Colorado? Colorado does not have any high diploma or general education diploma (GED) requirements for a real estate broker license.See the answer for every state
To become a real estate broker in Colorado, you must complete six steps: complete 168 hours of qualifying education (or hold a degree with a major in real estate from an accredited college or university), schedule and pass both the national and state portions of the Colorado Real Estate Broker's Exam through PSI, complete a fingerprint-based background check through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, acquire Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, review the application instructions, and submit the online license application with the $83 broker application fee. You must be at least 18 years old and a legal U.S. citizen, and you must have an employing broker to receive an active license. New broker applications may take longer than the standard 10-business-day processing time because they depend on receipt of fingerprint background results.See the answer for every state
Colorado does not issue a separate salesperson license. All real estate professionals in Colorado are licensed as brokers, with newly licensed agents starting as Associate Brokers working under a supervising employing broker. To become licensed, first-time applicants must be at least 18 years old, complete 168 hours of qualifying education from an approved school, pass both the national and state portions of the Colorado Real Estate Broker's Exam, complete a fingerprint background check, obtain E&O insurance, and submit an online application with the $83 broker application fee.See the answer for every state
A licensed real estate professional becomes a REALTOR® by joining a local REALTOR® association and paying membership dues, which obligates them to follow NAR's Code of Ethics and complete ethics training every three years. For 2027, NAR national dues are $156 per member plus a $45 Consumer Advertising Campaign special assessment, totaling $201 at the national level, with additional state and local association dues that vary by location. In Colorado, all real estate professionals are licensed as brokers, so any licensed broker who joins NAR qualifies as a REALTOR®.See the answer for every state
Income in real estate correlates strongly with experience: REALTORS® with two years or less of experience earned a median of $8,100 annually, while those with 16 or more years earned $78,900, according to the 2025 NAR Member Profile. Colorado offers three broker license levels (Associate Broker, Independent, and Employing), with advancement to Independent or Employing requiring two years of active broker experience plus, for the Employing level, a 24-hour brokerage administration course. New agents typically work under an employing broker on a commission split, with a common starting split of 70/30 where the agent keeps 70%. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 54% of real estate brokers and sales agents are self-employed, and the median annual wage for brokers and sales agents combined was $58,960 in May 2024.See the answer for every state
How to get a copy of Colorado real estate license? You can print a copy of your Colorado broker license through the online CDRE portal.Log into your account and select the link titled “Print Your License.” Note that you will not see this option if your license is inactive or expired.See the answer for every state
The Colorado Division of Real Estate provides a "Search for a Licensee" tool on its website at dre.colorado.gov, which allows the public to verify a broker's license status. The Division of Real Estate is part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) and is located at 1560 Broadway, Suite 925, Denver, CO 80202.See the answer for every state