How to Become a Broker and Real Estate Agent in Missouri

To get a Missouri real estate license, you must complete a 48-hour pre-examination course and a 24-hour practice course, pass a two-part exam administered by PSI, submit a license application with a $100 fee to the Missouri Real Estate Commission (MREC), and affiliate with a sponsoring broker who activates your license. The process applies to anyone pursuing work as a broker and real estate agent in Missouri, though most people start with a salesperson license before upgrading to a broker license later.

Requirements for a Missouri real estate license

Missouri requires real estate license applicants to be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or equivalent, consistent with the typical minimum requirements described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics^[1]. Beyond these baseline criteria, applicants must complete MREC-approved pre-licensing education, clear a criminal history background check, and pass both portions of the licensing exam.

Complete your pre-licensing education

MREC requires two courses for a salesperson license, taken in sequence. You can find approved providers on the education providers list^[2].

Both courses are offered in classroom and online formats.

Submit fingerprints for a criminal background check

All applicants for an original Missouri real estate license must complete fingerprinting for a state and federal criminal history background check before applying for licensure. The total cost is $40.50, with $8.50 paid to IDEMIA (the fingerprinting vendor), $20.00 to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and $12.00 to the FBI, according to the Missouri Division of Professional Registration^[3]. MREC does not receive any portion of this fee.

To schedule fingerprinting, register through the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS)^[4] and use MREC's four-digit registration number, 0004. Acceptable forms of identification at the appointment include a valid driver's license, military ID, or passport. The process takes about 10 minutes. If you are a Missouri resident who has already submitted fingerprints through an approved Missouri vendor for a prior license, you do not need to repeat the fingerprinting.

Schedule and take the Missouri real estate exam

PSI administers the Missouri real estate exam at test centers in St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Jefferson City, with additional locations in Kirksville and West Plains, as listed on the MREC exam schedule page^[5].

Unscheduled candidates cannot enter the test center. Candidates who arrive more than 15 minutes late will not be tested and will lose their registration payment, according to the MREC examination fees page^[6]. You can also take the exam at PSI test centers outside Missouri by calling PSI to schedule.

Apply for your Missouri real estate license

After passing both portions of the exam, submit a license application to MREC. The fee is nonrefundable, and your application must include both course completion certificates, per the MREC application form^[7].

You must submit the application within six months of completing the pre-examination course. After six months, course credit and exam scores expire. The salesperson application requires your sponsoring broker's signature, so you must identify a broker willing to supervise you before submitting.

Activate your license through a sponsoring broker

A Missouri salesperson license is not active until your sponsoring broker submits the affiliation to MREC. Your broker must activate your license before you can legally practice real estate, according to the Missouri REALTORS®^[8]. A salesperson cannot operate independently and must work under a licensed broker at all times. As of July 30, 2023, MREC no longer automatically issues physical licenses; you can download a PDF copy from your MOPRO account^[9] after activation.

Understanding the roles: agent, broker, and real estate agent

Missouri real estate involves three roles that are often confused. An agent must be affiliated with a broker and has no authority to work alone. A broker holds a higher-level license that permits them to operate a firm, oversee agents, and collect commissions from agents' transactions. The designation "REALTOR®" applies to licensees who join NAR^[10], a professional trade association, and agree to follow its code of ethics. It is a membership label, not a license category.

Transferring an out-of-state license to Missouri

Missouri reduces the licensing requirements for salespersons who already hold an active license in another state, allowing them to skip the standard pre-examination course. Applicants must submit a license verification from their home state's commission that is no older than 90 days. Nonresident broker applicants face additional requirements, including prior salesperson experience and completion of Missouri's broker pre-examination course. Details vary by license type, per MREC's nonresident requirements^[11].

Next steps after getting licensed

Once your license is active, you must complete 12 hours of MREC-approved continuing education every two-year renewal cycle, with at least 3 hours in a CORE course, per the MREC CEU requirements page^[12]. Salesperson licenses expire September 30 of even-numbered years, and broker licenses expire June 30 of even-numbered years. New salesperson licensees must also complete the Missouri Real Estate Practice Course before their first renewal if they have not already done so.

To upgrade to a broker license, Missouri requires at least 24 months of active salesperson experience within the preceding 30 months, a 48-hour broker pre-examination course, and passing scores on both portions of the broker exam.

Start by enrolling in a Missouri-approved pre-examination course, then schedule your fingerprinting appointment while you study. The sooner you complete the coursework, the sooner you can sit for the exam and submit your application.