Colorado Real Estate Broker and Real Estate Agent License Guide

Colorado administers real estate licensing through the Division of Real Estate, part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). The relationship between a broker and real estate agent in Colorado differs from most states, because Colorado issues only broker licenses to all agents rather than a separate salesperson credential. The path to earning that license follows six sequential steps.

How Colorado's real estate licensing system works

Colorado organizes its real estate professionals into three license tiers based on experience, and all agents begin at the Associate Broker level under supervision. As of January 1, 2026, the state's real estate regulator^[1] defines these tiers as:

Who can apply for a Colorado real estate license

Colorado does not require prior real estate experience or a college degree to begin the licensing process. An accredited university degree concentrated in real estate can replace the coursework requirement, but a degree is not mandatory. Colorado also accepts out-of-state license transfers from agents licensed in other U.S. states and territories, with modified requirements based on prior experience, according to the Division of Real Estate^[1].

Step 1: Complete 168 hours of qualifying education

Colorado requires 168 hours of coursework from a state-approved education provider before you can sit for the broker exam, according to the Colorado Division of Real Estate^[2]. The education covers six mandatory subject areas:

Upon completion, your school issues a REC-33 certificate or official transcript as proof. Attorneys with an active law license follow a modified path, completing 12 hours of education in trust accounts, closings, and recordkeeping instead of the full 168-hour requirement, per the Division of Real Estate^[1]. Colorado accepts both online and in-person course formats through state-approved providers^[2], with no mandatory live-instruction hours.

Step 2: Pass the Colorado real estate broker exam

After completing your education, you must schedule and pass both portions of the licensing exam through PSI, the contracted exam vendor for the Colorado Division of Real Estate. Candidates make reservations by calling the PSI Candidate Care Center at 855-744-0313, per the Division of Real Estate^[3]. The national and state sections are scored independently, so failing one does not invalidate a passing score on the other. The exam fee is $44.95 for the first attempt and $42.50 for each retake, according to the Colorado Division of Real Estate fee schedule^[4]. Your passing scores remain valid for one year from the date you pass each section, per the Division of Real Estate^[1], so you must submit your license application within that window.

Step 3: Complete the fingerprint background check

Every applicant must submit fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a state and national criminal history background check using records from both CBI and the FBI, according to the Division of Real Estate application guide^[5]. The Division will not process your license application without CBI background results.

Do not submit your fingerprints more than 30 days before your license application, because the Division destroys fingerprint records if the application is not received within 60 days of the fingerprint results. Fingerprints can be submitted through CBI-approved fingerprinting vendors.

Step 4: Obtain errors and omissions insurance

You must have a current errors and omissions (E&O) insurance policy in place before obtaining an active license, the Colorado Division of Real Estate^[3] states. Your application requires the insurance provider's name, aggregate coverage limits, policy number, and effective dates.

Some brokerages provide E&O coverage for their agents, so you should check with your sponsoring broker before purchasing an individual policy.

Step 5: Affiliate with a sponsoring broker

New licensees start as Associate Brokers, who must work under an Employing Broker, according to the Colorado Division of Real Estate^[1]. Your license application needs your sponsoring broker's information to go active, so you should identify and affiliate with a brokerage before submitting your application.

Step 6: Submit your license application

The broker license application costs $83 and is submitted online through the Division of Real Estate^[4]. All application fees are non-refundable. Applications can take up to 10 business days to process from the date the Division receives a complete application, though new broker applications may take longer because they depend on fingerprint background results.

Your application must include proof of education completion, proof of exam passage, E&O insurance information, and your sponsoring broker's information. Newly issued licenses expire on December 31 of the year of issue; if issued between November 1 and December 31, the license expires on December 31 of the following calendar year, per the Division of Real Estate^[5].

After you receive your license

Newly licensed brokers are not required to complete any continuing education during their initial licensure period, the Division of Real Estate^[6] states. After the initial period, you enter a three-year license cycle requiring 24 hours of continuing education, including 12 hours from three different versions of the 4-hour Annual Commission Update Course.

Verify a Colorado real estate license

The Division of Real Estate maintains an online database where the public can check whether a broker license is active, inactive, or expired. Employing brokers and consumers use this tool to confirm that a licensee is authorized to practice.

Next steps to start your Colorado real estate career

Once your license is active, you can begin working with buyers and sellers as an Associate Broker. To start, review the Division of Real Estate's initial licensure steps^[3] and select a state-approved education provider^[2] to begin your coursework.