How do you get a property management certification?

The Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation is a professional certification awarded by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), separate from state real estate licensing. Earning the CPM requires 36 months of real estate management experience, completion of 8 certification courses (typically over 12 to 18 months), and a two-part capstone assessment that includes a Management Plan Skills Assessment and a CPM Certification Exam. The CPM is not issued by the Alaska Real Estate Commission and does not substitute for a state real estate license.

Sources: AK Real Estate Commission — Applicant FAQ; IREM — Certified Property Manager (CPM) Certification.

The DC Real Estate Commission issues a Property Manager license rather than a certification. Pre-license education is not required for a Property Manager license in DC, though a 45-hour property management course is available from at least one DCREC-approved provider on a voluntary basis. The Property Manager license fee is $170, with a renewal fee of $170 every two years; licenses expire on February 28 of odd-numbered years. Property management is also a mandatory 3-hour topic within the 15-hour continuing education cycle for existing licensees.

Sources: DC DLCP — Real Estate Commission; DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) — Real Estate Commission, 2023–2025 CE Course Requirements.

Oregon offers a property manager license rather than a property management certification. Applicants must complete required pre-license education from an Agency-approved school and pass the state exam with a score of 75% or higher. The property manager exam consists of 130 items with a 195-minute time limit. New candidates must also be fingerprinted for a state and national criminal history background check at the PSI test center after passing the exam.

Sources: PSI — Oregon Real Estate Exam Candidate Information Bulletin.

South Carolina offers a property manager license rather than a certification. To obtain it, an applicant must complete a Commission-approved Property Management Course; a Property Manager-in-Charge (PMIC) must also complete a 7-hour PMIC Course, and the initial licensing fee for the PMIC designation is $250. Property managers, PMICs, and timeshare salespersons are not required to complete continuing education to renew an active license.

Sources: SC LLR — Real Estate FAQ; SC LLR — Real Estate Commission Pubs (Applications & Requirements).