How to become a broker and real estate agent in Connecticut
15 min read·
Getting a Connecticut real estate license requires completing a 60-hour pre-licensing course, passing a two-part state exam administered by PSI, and activating your license under a Connecticut-licensed broker. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) oversees the process from application through license activation. A real estate agent must work under a broker's supervision to practice, so the final step, finding a sponsoring broker, is what turns a passed exam into an active license. Whether you are starting as a salesperson or planning to eventually become a broker and real estate agent who supervises others, the path begins with the same requirements set by the Connecticut Real Estate Commission[1].
Eligibility requirements for a Connecticut real estate license
Connecticut sets straightforward requirements for licensure: you must meet a minimum age and complete pre-licensing education, but no high school diploma or GED is required. You do not need a sponsoring broker to take the licensing exam, though you must affiliate with one to activate your license afterward. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics[2] notes that a high school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for real estate professionals nationally, but Connecticut does not impose that requirement. Applicants with felony convictions or convictions related to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, extortion, or criminal conspiracy to defraud must disclose those convictions and upload a Criminal Conviction Application Worksheet as part of the online application process[3].
To get a real estate license, you typically complete pre-licensing education, pass a state licensing exam, undergo a background check, and then affiliate with a broker, since agents must work under a broker's supervision. After licensing, a first sale can take four to six months or more, and new agents should find a mentor and focus on their personal network for initial leads.See the answer for every state
To obtain a Connecticut real estate salesperson license, you must be at least 18 years old and complete a 60-hour Real Estate Principles and Practices course from a state-approved provider. The application fee is $80.00 paid to the Department of Consumer Protection, and the examination fee is $59.00 paid to PSI at the time of scheduling. After passing both portions of the exam within one year of eligibility, you must secure supervision from a Connecticut-licensed broker and pay the $590.00 license activation fee.See the answer for every state
Complete the pre-licensing education requirement
Before sitting for the licensing exam, you must complete pre-licensing education from a school that meets state standards. The CT REALTORS® association[4] notes that instruction is offered in live in-person and virtual-live formats from community colleges, local real estate offices, and private providers.
Connecticut requires salesperson candidates to complete a 60-hour Real Estate Principles and Practices course from a state-approved provider. The curriculum covers real property law, agency, brokerage, listing agreements and buyer representation, financing, appraisal, fair housing and ethics, Connecticut licensing law, real estate taxes and liens, contracts, land use controls, and environmental issues. Broker candidates must complete the same 60-hour course plus a 15-hour Brokerage Principles and Practices course, a 15-hour Legal Compliance course, and electives (two 15-hour courses, one 30-hour course, or 20 real estate transactions in the previous 5 years).See the answer for every state
You can complete pre-licensing courses online, but only through live, synchronous instruction. Per the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection under Public Act 23-84, effective April 1, 2024, pre-licensing courses must be delivered either in-person or live online with real-time instructor engagement. Fully self-paced online pre-licensing is not an approved format in Connecticut. Self-paced online is permitted only for continuing education, not for pre-licensing.See the answer for every state
The Connecticut DCP maintains a searchable database of approved real estate schools and courses on its website, covering both pre-licensing and continuing education for salespersons and brokers. Courses are offered at community colleges, local real estate boards, and local real estate offices. Connecticut approves live in-person and virtual-live (synchronous online) formats for pre-licensing education, so a school's physical location does not limit enrollment. The DCP database can be searched at portal.ct.gov, and questions about approved providers can be directed to dcp.realestate@ct.gov.See the answer for every state
The 60-hour Real Estate Principles and Practices course can take anywhere from several weeks to a few months, depending on whether you choose an accelerated daytime, evening, or weekend schedule. After completing the course, you must submit an application to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and wait for approval before registering with PSI to schedule the exam. Once you pass both portions of the exam within your one-year eligibility window, you have 2 years from the date of your most recently passed portion to activate the license by securing supervision from a Connecticut-licensed broker and paying the license fee.See the answer for every state
Apply for exam eligibility with the Connecticut DCP
After completing the pre-licensing course, you submit an application to the DCP for exam eligibility. The salesperson application[5] requires an $80 application fee, and all fees are non-refundable. You must provide your personal information, Social Security number, and license history from every state where you have held a real estate license. The DCP must approve your application before you can register with PSI to schedule the exam.
Getting a real estate license involves several costs that vary by state, including pre-licensing education, exam fees, background checks, and study materials. Total licensing costs typically run several hundred dollars. After licensing, agents face additional expenses such as brokerage start-up fees, monthly operational costs for MLS access and board membership, and errors and omissions insurance.See the answer for every state
Register for and pass the licensing exam
Candidates pay a $59 testing fee when scheduling. Both in-person and remote testing options are available.
The Connecticut real estate licensing exam is a proctored test administered by PSI that candidates must pass to obtain a salesperson or broker license. The exam consists of two portions covering national and state-specific real estate content, and candidates must pass both portions within one year of eligibility. Candidates must be approved by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection before registering with PSI, and may take the exam on an unlimited basis during that one-year eligibility period. The exam is offered at PSI test centers in Connecticut and Massachusetts and through remote online proctoring.See the answer for every state
PSI administers the Connecticut real estate licensing examination under the direction of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). Candidates must be approved by DCP before registering and scheduling the exam with PSI, and the $59.00 examination fee is paid to PSI at the time of scheduling.See the answer for every state
Preparation begins with completing the 60-hour Real Estate Principles and Practices course from a state-approved provider, which covers topics including real property law, agency, contracts, financing, fair housing, and Connecticut licensing law. PSI publishes a Candidate Information Bulletin that contains exam site locations and study materials, and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection links to a content outline for the Connecticut Real Estate Sales and Broker Licensing Examinations. PSI's online store also sells practice tests and exam prep products specific to Connecticut. The exam is administered in two portions covering national and state-specific real estate content, and candidates may take it on an unlimited basis for up to one year from the date of eligibility.See the answer for every state
PSI, Connecticut's official exam vendor, offers practice tests and study materials through its online store, which lists 10 Connecticut-specific products including standard practice tests, study packs, and test prep bundles. The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, referenced by the DCP, also contains study resource information. Several third-party exam prep websites additionally provide free practice questions and sample exams for the Connecticut real estate licensing exam.See the answer for every state
A Connecticut real estate license remains inactive until a Connecticut-licensed broker agrees to supervise you and submits approval to the Department of Consumer Protection. You have 2 years after passing both exam portions to find a sponsoring broker and activate the license. When evaluating brokers, consider the quality of training and mentorship programs, commission split structure, lead generation support, desk or technology fees, company culture, and long-term growth opportunities. Some brokerages offer higher commission splits but limited support, while others provide lower splits with stronger training and leads, which may benefit new agents more.See the answer for every state
The attorney pathway to a Connecticut real estate license
Attorneys licensed in Connecticut can obtain a real estate salesperson license without completing the standard pre-licensing course. The DCP attorney application[6] allows attorneys to substitute real estate courses from law school, college, university, or a professional real estate school in place of the pre-licensing requirement. No correspondence or online courses are acceptable for this substitution. All attorney applicants must still pass the PSI-administered exam. The total fee for an attorney salesperson license is $670, consisting of an $80 application fee, $570 initial license fee, and $20 guaranty fund fee. Attorney broker applicants must demonstrate at least 2 years of licensed real estate experience in Connecticut and complete a 15-hour Broker Principles and Practices course or provide a sworn affidavit of engaging in real estate closings as a regular part of their law practice. The attorney broker total fee is $1,270.
Reciprocity for out-of-state licensees
Connecticut maintains mutual recognition agreements with 12 states: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island, per the DCP reciprocity page[7]. Applicants must hold an active license in good standing and have passed the licensing exam in the reciprocal state. The reciprocal application[8] charges $670 for salespersons and $1,270 for brokers, with a $20 guaranty fund fee included in each. Applicants from Florida, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio must also take the state portion of the Connecticut exam. The New York Department of State terminated its reciprocal agreement with Connecticut, so New York licensees must apply through the non-reciprocity pathway.
Maintaining your Connecticut real estate license
Once your license is active, you must renew it and complete continuing education on a recurring basis. The biennial renewal cycle took effect April 1, 2024 under Public Act 23-84. New licensees who passed the Connecticut licensing exam between March 1, 2026 and February 28, 2028 are exempt from the continuing education requirement for that cycle, per the DCP continuing education page[9].
Salesperson licenses expire on May 31 and broker licenses expire on November 30 of every even-numbered year. Renewal notices are emailed 30 to 45 days before expiration, and licensees can renew online through the Connecticut eLicensing system using a User ID and password or a Fast Track Renewal PIN. The salesperson renewal fee is $578.00 with a $57.00 late fee if not received by expiration; the broker renewal fee is $758.00 with a $75.00 late fee. Both require 12 hours of continuing education per two-year cycle (one 3-hour mandatory course plus 9 hours of electives), completed at least 3 months before the renewal deadline. Licensees with an inactive license are not eligible to renew and must have a sponsoring broker before the renewal cycle. The full renewal fee is required the first renewal cycle after license issuance.See the answer for every state
Connecticut requires 12 credit hours of continuing education per two-year renewal cycle, including one 3-hour mandatory course covering current real estate and fair housing legislation, licensing laws, and regulations, plus 9 hours of elective courses. The same 12-hour requirement applies to both salespersons and brokers. Alternatively, licensees may pass a 40-question Connecticut CE Examination through PSI instead of completing coursework. The CE completion deadline is 3 months before the license renewal deadline.See the answer for every state
Yes, Connecticut continuing education courses can be completed online, including self-paced asynchronous formats. Effective February 2026, the mandatory CT Real Estate License Law course was approved to be taken as asynchronous online, removing the prior live or livestream requirement. The state approves self-paced online CE provided the course appears on the DCP's approved list. Licensees may also opt to pass a 40-question Connecticut CE Examination through PSI instead of completing coursework. As a reminder, 12 CE hours are required per two-year cycle, consisting of one 3-hour mandatory course and 9 hours of electives, and the completion deadline is 3 months before the license renewal date.See the answer for every state
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection maintains a searchable database of approved real estate schools and courses for continuing education, organized by category for salespersons and brokers. Continuing education courses may be taken in person, live online, or self-paced online, provided the course appears on the state's approved list. Only Connecticut-approved courses satisfy the state CE requirement, and out-of-state courses may be submitted for equivalency credit toward elective hours only. The state's approved providers offer CE courses at varying price points and formats.See the answer for every state
A real estate agent is a licensed professional who helps clients buy, sell, or rent properties and must work under a licensed broker. A real estate broker has completed additional education, experience, and exam requirements beyond those for an agent and can work independently, hire agents, and supervise their work. In Connecticut, broker applicants must have at least 3 years of experience as a licensed salesperson, complete additional coursework totaling 90 hours beyond the initial 60-hour pre-licensing course, and pass a broker licensing exam. A REALTOR® is a separate designation for any licensed agent or broker who joins the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its Code of Ethics.See the answer for every state
To become a Connecticut real estate broker, you must be at least 18 years old and have been actively engaged as a licensed salesperson under a Connecticut broker for at least 3 years, logging at least 1,500 hours of experience with no fewer than 4 closed real estate transactions during that period. Required education includes 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 course, or evidence of 20 real estate transactions in the previous 5 years. After DCP approves the application, you must pass both portions of the PSI-administered exam within 1 year of eligibility, then pay the $1,150.00 license activation fee within 2 years of passing to activate the license.See the answer for every state
To become a REALTOR® in Connecticut, a licensed real estate agent and their broker must both join a local REALTOR® Board or Association within the state. Membership in the local board also provides the rights and benefits of Connecticut REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The term "REALTOR®" is a federally registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a NAR member and subscribes to its Code of Ethics. Licensed agents who have not joined the REALTOR® organization are simply real estate licensees, not REALTORS®. NAR members must complete ethics training every three years.See the answer for every state
To begin the licensing process, enroll in a state-approved pre-licensing course and submit the salesperson application to the DCP for exam eligibility.
