How long does it take to get a real estate broker license?

Most states require at least 2 years of experience as a licensed sales agent plus additional formal training before you can qualify for the broker exam, so the timeline depends on your state's experience threshold and how quickly you finish the coursework. Some states require more: Texas, for example, requires four years of active experience. In some states, a bachelor's degree may substitute for part of the experience or training requirements.

The longest prerequisite for an Alabama broker license is the experience requirement: an applicant must have held an active real estate salesperson license in any state for at least 24 of the 36 months immediately preceding the application date. After meeting that requirement, the applicant completes a 60-hour AREC-approved broker prelicense course and passes the broker licensing exam administered by Pearson VUE within 6 months of course completion. The application, fees, and fingerprint-based background check must be submitted to AREC within 90 days of passing the exam. Most applicants complete the coursework and exam portion within a few months after satisfying the experience requirement.

In Alaska, a salesperson must accumulate 36 months of active and continuous experience as a real estate licensee within the last 60 months before qualifying for a broker license, with real estate serving as the principal occupation. The applicant must also complete 30 hours of approved broker training and pass the broker exam. Because the experience requirement spans 36 months, a licensee needs at least three years of active practice before applying, plus the time to complete the training course and pass the exam.

Arizona requires broker candidates to have at least three years of experience as a licensed salesperson or broker within the five years immediately preceding the application. Candidates must then complete a 90-hour broker pre-licensing course and 9 hours of Broker Management Clinic courses (three 3-hour sessions), pass the broker exam administered by Pearson VUE (195 total questions, 75% passing score), and submit the application within one year of passing. The broker exam fee is $125, and the original broker license costs $145 (including a $20 Real Estate Recovery Fund fee). Coursework can typically be completed in a few weeks, and the full broker licensing process generally takes a few months.

Obtaining an Arkansas broker license requires at least 24 months of experience as an active licensed salesperson or broker within the previous 48-month period, so the process takes a minimum of two years of prior experience. The experience requirement may be waived upon written request for an applicant who has held an active broker license for at least 18 months. In addition to experience, broker applicants must complete 60 hours of real estate education, of which 45 hours must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Education course, within 36 months before applying. After submitting the application, AREC processes completed applications in 7 to 14 business days; the candidate then passes the broker exam and submits forms and fees within 90 days of passing. New brokers must also complete a 30-hour post-licensure course within 6 months of initial licensure.

The timeline depends on whether you already hold a salesperson license. California requires broker applicants to complete 8 college-level courses (each a minimum of 45 hours, totaling 360 hours), have 2 years of full-time licensed salesperson experience within the last 5 years (or equivalent experience, or a 4-year degree with a major or minor in real estate), and pass the broker examination. The DRE processes broker exam-only applications in approximately 2 to 4 weeks and combined exam and license applications in approximately 4 to 8 weeks. The experience requirement alone means a new licensee must typically wait at least 2 years before qualifying for a broker license.

The typical total timeline to obtain a Colorado real estate broker license is two to four months. The 168-hour pre-licensing education requirement is the most time-consuming component; motivated students can complete it in three to four weeks, while those studying at a relaxed pace may take up to four months. The Colorado Division of Real Estate states that application processing takes up to 10 business days from receipt of a complete application, though new broker applications may take longer due to fingerprint background check processing.

Earning a Connecticut broker license requires at least 3 years of active experience as a licensed salesperson, including 1,500 hours and at least 4 closed real estate transactions during that period. The broker pre-licensing education consists of a 60-hour Real Estate Principles and Practices course, a 15-hour Brokerage Principles and Practices course, a 15-hour Legal Compliance course, and either two 15-hour elective courses, one 30-hour elective, or evidence of 20 real estate transactions in the previous 5 years. The time to complete the education varies by provider and schedule. After passing the broker exam, you have 2 years from the most recently passed portion to activate the license by paying the $1,150 license activation fee.

Delaware requires a minimum of 5 continuous years of active licensure as a salesperson and/or broker in Delaware or another jurisdiction immediately before filing a broker or associate broker application, and a Broker specifically must have 3 years of active real estate practice within that period. The applicant must also complete a 99-hour broker pre-licensing course, pass the Pearson VUE broker exam (both national and Delaware law portions with a scaled score of 70 on each), and document 30 sales or lease transactions completed during the 5 years before the application. Because the 5-year licensure requirement sets the minimum timeline, the process from initial salesperson licensure to broker licensure takes at least 5 years plus the time to complete the course, pass the exam, and submit the application through DELPROS.

DC requires broker license applicants to have 2 years of experience as a licensed salesperson with an active license immediately preceding the application date, plus 135 hours of pre-licensing education from a DC Real Estate Commission-approved provider. After completing the education, applicants must pass both the national and state portions of the broker exam administered by PSI and submit the license application within 6 months of passing. The education component generally takes a few months to complete, but the total timeline depends on whether the 2-year salesperson experience requirement is already satisfied.

To obtain a Florida broker license, an applicant must first have been registered as an active sales associate for at least 24 months during the preceding 5 years and must have completed the sales associate post-licensing education requirement. The applicant then completes a 72-hour broker pre-licensing course based on the FREC Course II syllabus, submits an application to the DBPR with electronic fingerprints, and passes the 100-question state broker exam with a score of at least 75 out of 100 points. After meeting the experience requirement, the education, application, and exam process typically takes several months to complete.

To obtain a broker license in Georgia, a salesperson must hold an active license for at least 3 of the 5 years preceding the application, complete a 60-hour broker pre-license course from a GREC-approved school, and pass the broker licensing exam administered by PSI. The broker exam uses simulation-based problems rather than standard multiple-choice questions, with 11 national simulations (3 hours) and a state-specific supplement portion (2 hours). Most candidates complete the 60-hour education and exam preparation within 2 to 3 months, but the 3-year experience requirement means the full path spans several years from initial salesperson licensure.

Hawaii broker candidates must first hold a salesperson license and accumulate at least 3 years of full-time experience (at least 40 hours per week) as a Hawaii-licensed salesperson associated with a Hawaii-licensed broker within the 5-year period before applying. Candidates must then obtain a Broker Experience Certificate from the Hawaii Real Estate Commission, complete a Commission-accredited broker prelicense course, and pass the broker examination administered by PSI with a 75% score on both the uniform and state sections. Once the 3-year experience prerequisite is met, most candidates complete the coursework and exam preparation within a few months.

To obtain an Idaho broker license, a salesperson must first accumulate at least 2 years of full-time active experience as a licensed salesperson within the 5 years preceding application, with 15 completed sales or listings totaling at least $2 million in volume. The applicant must then complete a minimum of 90 hours of broker pre-licensing education, including Brokerage Management (28 hours), Real Estate Law (30 hours), and two elective courses. After passing the broker licensing exam with a scaled score of 75 or higher and completing fingerprinting, the applicant submits the license application. Designated Broker applicants must also complete the Business Conduct and Office Operations (BCOO) course within 3 years preceding application. The experience requirement alone means most candidates need at least 2 years as a salesperson before they can apply.

Most people complete the Illinois broker licensing process within a few months, depending on how quickly they finish the 75-hour pre-license course and schedule the exam. Pre-license education remains valid for 2 years from the date of satisfactory completion, and a passing exam score is valid for 1 year for license application purposes. After passing the exam, applicants must find a managing broker sponsor and submit a license application to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

The time to obtain an Indiana real estate broker license depends on study pace and scheduling. The 90-hour pre-licensing course can be completed in a few weeks to a few months depending on the candidate's schedule. After passing the licensing exam, the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency generally completes application review within 10 business days of receipt. Most candidates finish the entire process within a few months, though a focused candidate can complete it faster.

Iowa requires broker license applicants to have 24 months of active experience as a licensed salesperson before applying. Applicants must also complete 60 hours of broker pre-license education, consisting of nine specific courses, within the 24 months preceding the broker examination. After passing both the national and state portions of the broker exam ($95 fee) and obtaining errors and omissions insurance, applicants submit the license application with a $170 fee through the "My Iowa PLB" portal. The minimum timeline is 24 months of salesperson experience, though the education and exam can be completed within that period.

Kansas broker applicants must have at least two years of active experience as a licensed salesperson during the last three years, complete 60 hours of pre-license education (30-hour Broker Fundamentals Course and 30-hour Broker Management Course), meet minimum transaction point requirements, pass the broker exam, and pay $295 in Commission fees ($50 application, $70 background, and $175 license). The Commission processes applications within 7-10 business days of receiving a complete application.

The broker license requires at least 24 months of experience as a licensed Kentucky sales associate averaging 20 or more hours per week, which is the dominant timeline factor. During or after that period, applicants must complete 336 classroom hours (or 21 academic credit hours) of broker education, including 48 classroom hours (3 credit hours) in Brokerage Management from a Commission-approved provider. After passing the broker licensing exam through PSI, candidates must submit their license application within 60 days. KREC recommends requesting an education review (allow 7 to 10 days for processing) before scheduling the broker exam to verify completed hours.

The primary timeline factor is the experience requirement: broker applicants must have been licensed as an active real estate licensee for 4 years, with 2 of those years occurring immediately before submitting a broker application. Applicants must also complete 150 hours of LREC-approved pre-licensing education, which includes a mandatory 30-hour Louisiana-specific course covering license law, commission rules, law of agency, and civil law that cannot be substituted or transferred from another jurisdiction. Up to 120 hours completed in another jurisdiction may be credited toward the 150-hour requirement, and applicants must pass the broker licensing examination.

The path to a Broker/Designated Broker license in Maine requires at least 4 years of licensed experience. You must first hold a Sales Agent license for 2 years, then upgrade to an Associate Broker license and practice for an additional 2 years affiliated with a real estate brokerage agency. During or after that period, you must complete the Designated Broker Course with a minimum grade of 75% and submit your application within 1 year of completing the course. The broker experience requirement is 2 years as an associate broker within the 5 years immediately preceding the application date.

To qualify for a Maryland broker license, an applicant must have held an active real estate salesperson license for at least three consecutive years immediately prior to applying, with no breaks in licensure such as inactive status, reinstatements due to late renewal, or suspensions. The applicant must also complete a 135-hour broker pre-licensing course (including a 3-hour ethics module) and pass the broker exam administered by PSI. Based on education provider estimates, the 135-hour course can be completed in approximately four weeks to four months depending on study pace.

A Massachusetts salesperson must work for an active Massachusetts broker for at least 3 years at a minimum of 25 hours per week before qualifying for a broker license, and the experience must be current or completed no more than 2 years prior to the broker examination. After meeting the experience requirement, the candidate completes 40 additional hours of pre-licensing education at a Board-approved school, obtains a notarized $5,000 surety bond, submits an application through the eLIPSE platform, and passes the broker exam with a minimum score of 70%. The post-experience steps, including coursework, application processing, and exam scheduling, typically take a few months.

Earning a Michigan real estate broker license requires 3 years of full-time real estate experience, 90 hours of approved prelicensure education (including 9 hours on civil rights law and equal opportunity in housing), and passing the broker exam administered by PSI. The 3-year experience requirement is typically the longest component, while the 90 hours of coursework can generally be completed in a few months. Broker applicants do not need pre-approval to register for the exam; they can go directly to psiexams.com.

A Minnesota broker applicant must have at least 3 years of active licensed salesperson experience within the 5 years before applying for the broker exam, complete a 30-hour broker pre-licensing course, and pass the broker exam. The applicant must apply for the broker license within 12 months of passing the exam. If the experience requirement is already met, the remaining steps of coursework, exam preparation, and application typically take a few months.

Mississippi broker applicants must hold an active salesperson license for at least 12 cumulative months, be at least 21 years old, complete 120 hours of real estate courses (or 150 hours from a degree-granting institution without the experience), pass the broker exam, and clear a background investigation. The 120-hour education requirement includes the 60-hour salesperson pre-license course plus 60 additional hours of broker-specific coursework. After passing the exam, the broker receives a temporary license and must complete a 30-hour post-license course within 12 months. Most candidates complete the process over several months, depending on education pacing and application processing times.

Broker applicants must first hold an active Missouri salesperson license for 24 of the last 30 months before applying, which is the dominant timeline factor. After meeting that experience requirement, the applicant completes a 48-hour broker pre-examination course, passes both national and state portions of the PSI-administered broker exam, and submits the license application within six months of the course completion date. PSI schedules exams within five business days of a candidate's call, and most applicants complete the coursework, exam, and application steps within a few weeks to a few months depending on study pace.

Obtaining a Montana broker license requires at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson, so the minimum overall timeline is two years plus the time needed to complete the remaining requirements. After meeting the experience threshold, you must earn 30 experience points from qualifying transactions and other activities within the past 36 months, complete 60 hours of approved pre-licensing education within the past 18 months, pass the Montana Real Estate Broker Examination within the past 12 months, and submit a $90 application. The education and exam portions typically take a few months to complete.

The main time factor for a Nebraska broker license is the 2 years of full-time salesperson experience (or part-time equivalent) that must be fulfilled by the time of examination. A broker applicant must also complete 60 additional clock hours (2 courses) of pre-license education on top of the 96 hours required for a salesperson license, plus a 6-hour Professional Practice Standards course if not taken within the last 4 years. The application process itself takes approximately 4-8 weeks, including a fingerprint-based background check that takes 4-6 weeks on average after submitting fingerprints.

Obtaining a Nevada broker license requires at least 2 years of active full-time experience as a licensed salesperson within the 4 years preceding application, plus 64 semester credits of education. The education includes 45 hours each of Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Law (with 18 hours Nevada law), Real Estate Appraisal, and Broker Management (Nevada-specific), along with contracts, agency, and general college credits. Experience can substitute for education credits at 16 credits per 2 years, except for the Broker Management and 18-hour Nevada law courses, which cannot be waived. The broker exam consists of 130 questions (80 national and 50 state), and applicants must submit Form 549 with a $160 fee, fingerprints, a credit report completed within 30 days, and a certified license history dated within 90 days.

New Hampshire requires a broker license applicant to complete a 60-hour pre-licensing course from a Commission-approved school, accumulate at least 1 year of full-time experience as a licensed salesperson (or equivalent part-time hours), and document involvement in at least 6 real estate transactions. After meeting the experience and education requirements, the applicant must pass the broker exam (75 national items and 40 state items, 70% passing score on each portion) and submit the application with a $121 fee. The experience requirement alone sets a minimum of 1 year, and the 60-hour course and exam preparation add additional time on top of that.

A New Jersey broker license requires three years of full-time continuous experience as a licensed New Jersey salesperson immediately preceding application, plus completion of 150 hours of pre-licensing education (a 90-hour general course and two 30-hour courses on Agency/Ethics and Office Management). After completing the education, the applicant must submit a school certificate and Experience Report to the commission for review, then pass the broker exam and apply for a license within one year of completing the education. The three-year experience requirement is the primary time factor, as it must be completed before applying.

Most candidates complete the New Mexico real estate licensing process within several months, with the 90-hour prelicensing coursework being the most time-consuming step. Full-time students can finish the coursework in a few weeks, while part-time students typically need several months. After coursework, candidates schedule the broker examination through PSI, complete fingerprinting for the background check, and submit a license application through the NM-PLUS online portal. Regulatory deadlines require passing both the state and national portions of the exam within 90 calendar days of the first attempt and applying for a license within 6 months of passing.

Broker licensure requires at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson (or three years in general real estate), 152 hours of approved qualifying education, and a passing score on the broker exam. If you already hold a salesperson license with the required experience, the remaining steps are completing the 75-hour broker course and passing the 2.5-hour broker exam. Most working agents complete the coursework over several weeks to a few months, and the broker application fee is $185 with a $15 exam fee.

If a qualified applicant files a complete application, schedules and takes the exam promptly after receiving the Notice of Exam Eligibility, passes on the first attempt, and has no character issues, the entire application-examination-licensing process can be completed in as little as 10 business days. The 75-hour Broker Prelicensing Course must be completed first, and course completion times vary depending on the provider and format chosen.

Broker licensure in North Dakota requires at least 2 years of full-time experience as a licensed real estate salesperson, or experience the commission determines to be substantially equivalent. Beyond the experience requirement, resident applicants must complete a 60-hour broker pre-licensure course, pass both the state and national broker examinations administered by PSI Services LLC, and pay a $150 application fee plus $11.25 credit history fee. NDREC does not publish a specific processing timeline, stating that the time from application to licensure depends on the applicant and whether the commission needs to review the application at a scheduled meeting.

An Ohio broker license requires holding an active Ohio salesperson license for at least two of the last five years, so the minimum timeline begins with that two-year salesperson experience requirement. Beyond the salesperson experience, applicants must complete 120 hours of broker-specific education (Financial Management, Human Resources/Personnel Management, Applied Business Economics, and Business Law, each 30 hours), document 20 real estate transactions, submit a Broker Examination Application with a $135 fee, and pass both portions of the broker exam with a score of 75.

To obtain a broker license in Oklahoma, a current Sales Associate must have two years of active licensure within the previous five years, complete a 90-hour broker course and a 15-hour Broker in Charge course, and submit a Change License request through the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission (OREC) License Portal with a Transaction Experience Waiver. The two-year experience requirement is the primary time factor; the coursework itself can be completed at varying paces depending on the education provider chosen.

The Oregon Secretary of State License Directory lists a processing time of 2 to 6 months from application to license issuance. The process includes registering in eLicense, paying the $300 nonrefundable application fee, completing 150 hours of pre-license education, passing the broker exam administered by PSI, completing fingerprinting and a background check, and having a managing principal broker add the pending license to the registered business. Most people complete the 150 hours of coursework within a few weeks to a few months depending on their pace. The background check takes about 2 weeks on average, though it can take up to 4 weeks.

The timeline to obtain a Pennsylvania broker license depends on completing both the experience and education requirements. Broker candidates must document at least 3 years of experience as a licensed salesperson and complete 240 hours (16 credits) of professional real estate education from an accredited college or approved provider, with courses finished within 10 years of passing both exam portions. Unlike salesperson candidates, broker candidates must be approved by the Real Estate Commission before registering for the exam, and must pay a $40 examination fee through PALS as part of the application. Broker candidates must also be at least 21 years old and hold a high school diploma or equivalent.

Rhode Island requires broker license applicants to hold a salesperson license and work full-time in that capacity for at least 2 years immediately prior to applying, so the minimum timeline from initial salesperson licensure to broker eligibility is 2 years. Applicants must also complete 90 hours of approved classroom or live-broadcast education from a state-approved provider, and the 45-hour salesperson pre-licensing course does not count toward this 90-hour requirement; coursework must be completed within 4 years of filing a complete application with the DBR. After meeting the education and experience requirements, the applicant must pass both the National and State portions of the Pearson VUE broker exam with a minimum scaled score of 70 on each part.

The dominant factor in obtaining a South Carolina broker license is the experience requirement: 5 years of active associate licensure within the past 7 years, effective May 21, 2024, per SC Act No. 204. The applicant must also be at least 21, complete 60 hours of broker pre-licensing education (Unit IIIA and IIIB), pass the broker exam, and apply for the license within 1 year of passing. Once the experience threshold is met, the coursework and exam can typically be completed within a few months.

In South Dakota, the entry-level license is the broker associate, and most candidates complete the process within several months. The 116-hour prelicensing course can be finished in a few weeks of full-time study or longer at a part-time pace, followed by exam scheduling, fingerprinting and background check processing, and application review by the commission. To upgrade to a Responsible Broker license, a broker associate must hold active status for 2 years and complete an additional 24-hour Responsible Broker Course.

The dominant factor is experience: broker candidates must hold an active affiliate broker license for 36 months if licensed after May 12, 1988, or 24 months if licensed on or before that date or with a baccalaureate degree in real estate. Candidates must also complete 120 classroom hours of approved education, 30 of which must be an Office/Broker Management course. The exam approval process takes approximately 4 weeks, and the application fee is $91.

Obtaining a Texas broker license requires at least four years of active experience as a licensed sales agent or broker during the 60 months preceding the application, totaling 720 experience points. The education requirement includes 270 classroom hours of qualifying real estate courses (the 180 sales agent hours plus a 30-hour Real Estate Brokerage course completed no more than two years before applying) and an additional 630 classroom hours of related education, which a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution can satisfy up to 300 hours of. The candidate must also pass the broker exam and has one year from the application filing date to meet all requirements.

Utah broker licensing requires significant lead time because applicants must first accumulate experience as a licensed sales agent. The state requires three years of full-time, licensed, active real estate experience within the five-year period preceding the application (or two years plus one year of qualifying professional experience), along with at least 60 documented experience points under Administrative Rule R162-2f-401a. After meeting the experience requirement, candidates complete 120 hours of broker pre-licensing education, pass the broker exam with a scaled score of 75 on both portions, and submit the application with required documentation. The Utah Division of Real Estate typically processes broker applications in 30 to 60 days, and most candidates complete the education and exam steps within a few months after meeting the experience prerequisite.

Obtaining a Vermont broker license requires completing a 40-hour broker pre-licensing course, passing the national and state broker exams within two years preceding application, and gaining at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson with at least eight separate and unrelated closed transactions. Because the two-year salesperson experience requirement is mandatory, the minimum time to become a broker is at least two years after first obtaining a salesperson license, plus the time needed to complete the broker pre-licensing course and pass the exams.

Virginia requires broker license applicants to have been actively engaged as a salesperson full-time (averaging 40 hours per week) for 36 of the 48 months preceding application, complete 180 hours of Board-approved broker pre-licensing courses, and pass both the State and National portions of the broker exam. Because the experience requirement alone takes at least three years, the earliest a salesperson can qualify for a broker license is three years after initial licensure. The 180 hours of coursework can be completed during or after that experience period.

The Washington broker licensing process involves completing 90 hours of pre-licensing education, passing both portions of the broker exam, completing a fingerprint background check, and submitting a license application. Education must be completed within 2 years before applying for the exam, fingerprint results take up to 14 business days from the Washington State Patrol, and exam results are valid for 1 year. Most applicants complete the process over a period of several months.

Broker applicants in West Virginia must have held a salesperson license for a minimum of 2 years before applying. They must also complete 180 clock-hours of broker pre-licensing education (or 90 hours if they already hold a WV salesperson license), pass a National Criminal Background Check valid for 90 days, document 20 closed transactions in the 2 years prior to application (or 40 over any period), and pass both the national and state portions of the broker exam with a 75% scaled passing score. After passing, applicants have 90 days to submit the final license application, which includes a Subordination Resolution, Trust Fund Form or Waiver, and registration with the WV Secretary of State's Office.

Obtaining a Wisconsin real estate broker license requires at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson under the direct supervision of a licensed broker within the last four years, plus at least 40 points of documented experience. Each closed residential transaction equals 5 points, each commercial transaction equals 10 points, property management equals 0.5 point per month, and each closed timeshare equals 1 point. Applicants must also complete a 72-hour broker pre-license program within four years before applying, pass both the salesperson and broker exams administered by Pearson VUE, and submit an application with a $60 credentialing fee. The two-year experience requirement sets the minimum timeline, while the broker course itself can typically be completed in a few weeks to several months.

Wyoming requires 2 of the 4 years immediately preceding the application to be spent in active engagement in real estate activity as a licensee before applying for a broker license. The salesperson-to-broker conversion also requires completing Broker I, Broker II, and Wyoming Law courses, passing national and state broker exams, submitting fingerprint cards, and filing an application. Responsible Broker applicants must additionally complete the Wyoming Broker Management course.