How to get a Delaware broker and real estate agent license
12 min read·
The Delaware real estate salesperson license requires approved education, a Pearson VUE exam, broker sponsorship, and an online application to the state. The Delaware Real Estate Commission[1], operating under Title 24, Chapter 29 of the Delaware Code, regulates all licensing through the Division of Professional Regulation. Whether you want to work as a real estate agent under a broker or advance to a broker license yourself, the process starts with the salesperson credential.
To get a Delaware real estate salesperson license, first complete a 99-hour pre-licensing course from a state-approved provider, covering real estate principles, law, and mathematics. Next, register with Pearson VUE to take the two-part licensing exam (80 national questions and 40 Delaware law questions) and achieve a scaled score of 70 on each section. After passing the exam, submit a license application through the DELPROS online system within one year of course completion, including the $149 application fee, $25 Guaranty Fund fee, a Statement of Broker of Record form signed by a Delaware-licensed broker, and license verification from every jurisdiction where you have held a license. The Delaware Real Estate Commission may need to review and approve the application at its next scheduled monthly meeting before the license is issued.See the answer for every state
Most applicants complete the Delaware real estate licensing process in a few months. The required 99-hour pre-licensing course takes several weeks to a few months depending on whether you choose an in-person or online format and your personal pace. After passing the Pearson VUE-administered exam, you submit a license application through the DELPROS online system, and the Delaware Real Estate Commission may review it at its next scheduled meeting on the second Thursday of each month. The application must be submitted within 6 months of starting it in DELPROS, or you must restart.See the answer for every state
To obtain a Delaware real estate salesperson license, an applicant must complete a 99-hour pre-licensing course from a state-approved provider and pass the Pearson VUE-administered licensing exam, achieving a passing score on both the national and Delaware law portions. The applicant must pass the exam and apply for the license within one year of completing the pre-licensing course. After passing, the applicant submits a license application through the DELPROS online system, pays the $149 application fee and $25 Guaranty Fund fee, provides a Statement of Broker of Record form signed by a Delaware-licensed broker, and submits State/Jurisdiction License Verification from every jurisdiction where the applicant has held a license. The application must be submitted within 6 months of starting it in DELPROS.See the answer for every state
Complete the pre-licensing course
Before registering for the licensing exam, you must finish approved coursework from a school on the state's certified provider roster[4]. The Delaware salesperson licensing page[2] lists the course completion certificate as a required document for the application. The curriculum spans property fundamentals, Delaware real estate statutes, and transaction mathematics. Schools on the approved list include Delaware Tech, the Delaware School of Real Estate, and several county Boards of REALTORS®, with both classroom and distance-learning options.
Yes, you can complete the 99-hour Delaware salesperson pre-licensing course online. The Delaware Real Estate Commission's approved-education list includes online providers, and the course may be taken through self-paced online study or live virtual instruction. Reciprocity applicants who need only the Delaware law portion can take a 33-hour law course online.See the answer for every state
Delaware requires completion of a 99-hour salesperson pre-licensing course from a state-approved provider before you can sit for the licensing exam. The course covers real estate principles, law, and mathematics. For reciprocity applicants who hold an active license in another jurisdiction, a 33-hour Delaware law course is available in place of the full 99-hour requirement.See the answer for every state
Delaware maintains a list of approved pre-licensing course providers on the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation website. The list includes both in-person and online providers across the state. Applicants must complete the 99-hour salesperson pre-licensing course through one of these state-approved schools before scheduling the licensing exam.See the answer for every state
You must pass the licensing exam and apply for your license within one year of finishing the pre-licensing coursework, according to the Sussex County Association of REALTORS®[5].
Register for and take the licensing exam
The Delaware licensing exam is offered at testing centers throughout the state.
Pearson VUE administers Delaware's real estate licensing exams for both salespersons and brokers. Candidates can register online at pearsonvue.com or by calling 800-274-2604. Appointments may be scheduled up to one calendar day prior to the desired test date, subject to availability, and a Candidate Handbook with content outlines is available for download from the Pearson VUE website.See the answer for every state
The Delaware real estate licensing exam is a two-part, computer-based, multiple-choice test administered by Pearson VUE. The salesperson exam has two independently scored portions, national and Delaware law, each requiring a minimum passing score of 70%. The exam costs $85 per attempt, and results are available immediately at the testing center. Pearson VUE provides a free Candidate Handbook and Content Outlines as downloadable PDFs to help candidates prepare.See the answer for every state
Pearson VUE provides a free Candidate Handbook and Content Outlines as PDF downloads on its Delaware real estate exam page, detailing the topics covered on both the national and Delaware law portions. Pearson VUE also offers Broker and Sales practice tests for $19.95 each, though these cover only general real estate topics, not state-specific content. Appointments can be scheduled up to one calendar day before the desired test date.See the answer for every state
The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook[6], downloadable from the testing service's Delaware page, specifies a 4-hour time limit for the exam. A scaled score of 70 on each independently scored portion (national and Delaware law) is required to pass.
You can retake the exam up to three times within the one-year period after finishing your coursework, according to the Sussex County Association of REALTORS®[5]. If you pass one portion but not the other, you retake only the section you did not pass.
Secure a sponsoring broker
Delaware requires every salesperson to work under a licensed broker before the salesperson license can be issued.
A sponsoring broker, or broker of record, is a licensed broker who employs a salesperson and holds responsibility for supervising that salesperson's real estate activities. Delaware requires all salesperson license applicants to submit a Statement of Broker of Record form signed by their employing Delaware-licensed broker of record. A salesperson does not need a broker before taking the licensing exam, since the license application is submitted after passing the exam, but must have a broker of record by the time the application is filed.See the answer for every state
A Delaware salesperson license application requires a Statement of Broker of Record form signed by a Delaware-licensed broker. You do not need to have a sponsoring broker before scheduling and taking the licensing exam, but you must be hired by one before applying for your license. Common steps include researching brokerages in your area, interviewing several to compare commission splits and training programs, and selecting one that fits your business goals.See the answer for every state
If the office where you will work is physically located in Delaware, that office must hold an active office permit issued by the Real Estate Commission[2].
Submit your license application through DELPROS
After passing the exam and securing a sponsoring broker, you submit your salesperson license application through DELPROS[2]. The salesperson initial application fee is $149, and the Guaranty Fund fee is $25, according to the Delaware Real Estate Commission fee schedule[7]. All fees are processed through DELPROS and are non-refundable.
Your application must include:
A copy of your pre-licensing course completion certificate
The original Pearson VUE score report showing you passed both the national and Delaware law portions
A Statement of Broker of Record form signed by your employing broker
State or jurisdiction license verification sent directly from each state where you have ever held a license
You have six months to submit the application once you begin it in DELPROS; after that, you must restart. The Commission may need to review and approve your application at its next scheduled meeting, which falls on the second Thursday of each month.
New salesperson post-license education
Newly licensed salespersons in Delaware must complete 12 hours of required course modules within 90 days of the date of license issuance, according to the Delaware salesperson licensing page[2]. The four modules are:
Real estate agent, broker, and real estate agent in Delaware
Delaware issues three real estate license types: salesperson, associate broker, and broker. A salesperson must work under a broker's supervision, while a broker can operate independently or manage a brokerage.
In Delaware, a Broker is licensed to work independently and is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management and supervision of a brokerage organization (24 Del. C. § 2907(d)), commonly called a "broker of record." An Associate Broker holds a broker license but does not have primary responsibility for management and supervision and typically works under another broker. A salesperson, or real estate agent, must work under a sponsoring broker and cannot practice independently; the broker holds the salesperson's license and oversees their transactions.See the answer for every state
An associate broker holds a broker-tier license but does not carry primary management responsibility for a brokerage. To qualify for a broker or associate broker license, you must have been actively licensed for five continuous years, have three years of active real estate practice, and complete a 99-hour broker pre-licensing course, according to the Delaware broker licensing page[9].
To become a REALTOR®, a licensed real estate professional must join a local REALTOR® association, which also provides membership in the state and national associations. Members must pay national dues of $156 per year (2027) plus a $45 special assessment. The principal of a real estate firm must join a REALTOR® association before any non-principal agent at that firm can join.See the answer for every state
To become a broker in Delaware, you must have been actively licensed as a salesperson and/or broker in Delaware or another jurisdiction for five continuous years immediately before filing, and have been actively practicing real estate for three years immediately before filing. You must complete a 99-hour Delaware broker pre-licensing course, pass both the national and Delaware law portions of the broker exam through Pearson VUE, and submit a Sales or Lease Transaction Listing form showing 30 transactions completed during the five years before application. The broker initial application fee is $248, plus a $25 Guaranty Fund fee, and all applications are submitted through the DELPROS online system within six months of starting.See the answer for every state
Starting your Delaware real estate career
Your first steps after receiving your license are to join a local REALTOR® association if you choose to become a REALTOR®, and begin building your client base under your broker of record's supervision. The Bureau of Labor Statistics[3] reports a 2024 median annual wage of $56,320 for real estate sales agents and $72,280 for brokers, with projected job growth of 3% from 2024 to 2034. Most agents work on commission rather than salary, so building a referral network and gaining transaction experience in your first year will position you for long-term success.
