How to get a Nevada broker and real estate agent license
15 min read·
Getting a Nevada real estate license requires completing 120 hours of pre-licensing education, passing a two-part licensing exam, submitting fingerprints for a background check, and affiliating with a sponsoring broker who activates the license. The Nevada Real Estate Division (NRED) oversees the entire process for every broker and real estate agent practicing in the state. Most applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and pass the exam earn their license within a few months.
Eligibility requirements for a Nevada real estate license
To qualify for a Nevada salesperson license, you must be at least 18 years old, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. NRED does not require a college degree for the salesperson license.
Nevada requires 120 hours of pre-licensing education from an approved school: 45 hours Real Estate Principles, 45 hours Real Estate Law (including 18 hours Nevada law), 15 hours contracts, and 15 hours agency. Applicants must pass both the national and state portions of the Pearson VUE exam with results dated within the last 12 months, complete fingerprint background checks (valid for 6 months), and submit Form 549 with a $140 fee. The Nevada Real Estate Division's Form 502 lists approved schools, and exam registration is handled through Pearson VUE.See the answer for every state
Applicants who have held a real estate license in any state within the past ten years must submit a certified license history dated within 90 days of application, per NRED Form 501[1]. Non-Nevada residents must also file a notarized Consent to Service of Process (Form 656).
Complete the required pre-licensing education
Nevada requires pre-licensing education from an NRED-approved school before you can sit for the licensing exam. The coursework covers four subject areas: Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Law, contracts, and agency.
Nevada requires 120 hours of pre-licensing education for a salesperson license, effective October 1, 2021. The breakdown is 45 hours of Real Estate Principles, 45 hours of Real Estate Law (including 18 hours of Nevada law), 15 hours of contracts in real estate transactions, and 15 hours of agency (including 3 hours on broker-agent relationship foundations and 3 hours of risk reduction). Licensed out-of-state applicants are not required to take the 15-hour contracts or 15-hour agency courses.See the answer for every state
NRED maintains Form 502, which lists all state-approved pre-licensing schools offering classroom and distance education formats, as noted on the NRED salesperson requirements page[2].
Yes, Nevada allows pre-licensing education to be completed through distance education. The Nevada Real Estate Division's Form 502 lists multiple approved schools that offer the full 120-hour requirement through online, self-paced formats. Classroom instruction is also available from approved schools for students who prefer in-person learning.See the answer for every state
Nevada's approved pre-licensing schools are listed on Form 502, which the Nevada Real Estate Division maintains on its website. The list includes providers offering both classroom instruction and distance education, as well as state colleges that offer courses over one or more semesters. Course providers determine their own schedules and prices.See the answer for every state
Applicants who hold a current out-of-state real estate license are not required to complete the contracts or agency courses, per the NRED salesperson requirements page[2].
Submit fingerprints for a background check
Nevada requires a fingerprint-based background check before issuing any real estate license. You must complete and sign a fingerprint background waiver before obtaining fingerprints, and the fingerprints expire after six months, per NRED Form 501[1].
You must use a vendor from NRED's approved fingerprint vendor list. Certain criminal convictions may disqualify an applicant from licensure.
Register for and pass the Nevada real estate exam
After completing pre-licensing education and fingerprinting, you schedule and take the state licensing test. You must pass both portions to apply for a license.
The Nevada real estate licensing exam is a two-part test administered by Pearson VUE covering national and state real estate topics. The salesperson exam consists of 80 scored national questions and 40 scored state questions (120 total), with 240 minutes allotted (150 minutes national, 90 minutes state) and a 75% passing score required on both portions. Effective July 29, 2025, candidates must first register with the Nevada Real Estate Division before scheduling an exam through Pearson VUE.See the answer for every state
Effective July 29, 2025, candidates must first register with NRED before scheduling through Pearson VUE, according to the Pearson VUE Nevada real estate page[3]. After NRED registration, candidates receive an Authorization to Test email from Pearson VUE with scheduling instructions. Appointments can be made at pearsonvue.com/nv/realestate[3] or by calling (888) 248-8055.
Pearson VUE administers Nevada real estate licensing exams for salesperson, broker, property management, business broker, community management, inspector of structures, and timeshare sales agent candidates. Candidates register at pearsonvue.com/nv/realestate or call (888) 248-8055. Effective July 29, 2025, candidates must first register with the Nevada Real Estate Division before scheduling an exam through Pearson VUE.See the answer for every state
If you pass one portion but fail the other, you retake only the failed portion. Both passing exam results must be dated within the last 12 months when you submit your license application, per the NRED salesperson requirements page[2].
The Nevada salesperson licensing exam consists of 80 national questions and 40 state questions, with 240 minutes total and a 75% passing score required on each portion. Pearson VUE offers practice tests for $19.95 covering general real estate topics, and the Candidate Handbook and Content Outlines are available as free PDF downloads from the Pearson VUE website. Some schools on Nevada's approved-education list (Form 502) also offer separate exam prep courses with review sessions and practice questions.See the answer for every state
Pearson VUE also offers OnVUE online testing, which allows candidates to take the exam from home with a webcam, microphone, and stable internet connection, per the Pearson VUE OnVUE page[4].
Pearson VUE, Nevada's licensing exam vendor, offers practice tests for $19.95 covering general real estate topics, but state-specific practice tests are not available from Pearson VUE. The Pearson VUE Candidate Handbook and Content Outlines are available as free PDF downloads from the Pearson VUE website. Some schools on Nevada's approved-education list (Form 502) also offer separate exam prep courses with practice questions.See the answer for every state
Submit your license application to NRED
After passing both exam portions, you submit Form 549 to NRED with the $140 salesperson application fee, your original passing exam results, and your fingerprint documentation, per the NRED salesperson requirements page[2].
To get a Nevada real estate salesperson license, you must complete 120 hours of pre-licensing education from an NRED-approved school: 45 hours Real Estate Principles, 45 hours Real Estate Law (including 18 hours Nevada law), 15 hours contracts, and 15 hours agency (including 3 hours broker-agent foundation and 3 hours risk reduction). You must pass both the national portion (80 scored questions, 150 minutes) and the state portion (40 scored questions, 90 minutes) of the Pearson VUE exam with at least 75% on each, submit fingerprints from an approved vendor (which expire after 6 months), and file Form 549 with a $140 fee. You must also affiliate with a Nevada-licensed sponsoring broker to activate the license.See the answer for every state
Fee payments are accepted by check, cashier's check, money order, or cash (exact amount), according to NRED Form 501[1].
The Nevada Real Estate Division charges a $140 salesperson license application fee. Pre-licensing education for the required 120 hours varies by school and delivery format, with online options generally costing less than classroom instruction. Fingerprinting through an approved vendor adds a separate cost that varies by provider. NRED's Form 502 lists approved schools, and individual course providers determine their own schedules and prices.See the answer for every state
Most students complete the Nevada licensing process within a few months, though the timeline depends on individual study pace and scheduling availability. The required 120 hours of pre-licensing education can be completed online at a self-paced rate or through scheduled classroom sessions. After coursework, candidates must schedule the Pearson VUE licensing exam, complete a fingerprint background check (fingerprints expire after 6 months), and submit the license application with exam results dated within the last 12 months.See the answer for every state
Activate your license with a sponsoring broker
A Nevada salesperson license does not become active until a sponsoring broker who holds a valid Nevada broker license submits the affiliation to NRED. Nevada law prohibits a salesperson from practicing real estate without this active broker affiliation. The sponsoring broker's name and license number must appear on the license application.
To become a Nevada real estate salesperson, you must meet the state's eligibility requirements and complete 120 hours of pre-licensing education from an NRED-approved school (listed on Form 502): 45 hours of Real Estate Principles, 45 hours of Real Estate Law (including 18 hours of Nevada law), 15 hours of contracts, and 15 hours of agency. After completing coursework, you must pass both the national and state portions of the Pearson VUE licensing exam, complete a fingerprint background check (prints expire after 6 months), and submit Form 549 with the $140 application fee. Exam results must be dated within the last 12 months, and a sponsoring broker must activate the license before you can practice.See the answer for every state
A real estate salesperson (agent) must work under a licensed broker and cannot practice independently, while a broker can operate independently, open a brokerage, and supervise agents. In Nevada, a salesperson license requires 120 hours of pre-licensing education and a $140 application fee, whereas a broker license requires 64 semester credits of education, at least 2 years of active full-time experience within the last 4 years, and a $160 application fee. Nevada law (NRS 645.330) prohibits a salesperson from practicing without an active broker affiliation. Both earn income primarily from commissions on sales, with commissions typically passing through the broker before being split among the agents and their firms.See the answer for every state
What to do after your license is issued
After NRED issues the license and the sponsoring broker activates it, the next steps involve completing post-licensing education, deciding whether to join a professional association, and building a client base.
The first renewal requires additional education for new licensees, and each subsequent renewal has its own education requirements.
Continuing education in Nevada refers to mandatory coursework that licensees must complete to maintain an active real estate license. First-time licensees must complete post-licensing education through live instruction within the first year of licensure. For subsequent renewals, licensees must complete 36 hours of continuing education every 2 years, with at least 18 hours taken through live instruction.See the answer for every state
For subsequent renewals, Nevada allows up to half of the required 36 continuing education hours to be completed as self-paced internet courses, with the remaining hours taken through live instruction in person or via approved live-streamed formats. First-time renewals require post-licensing education that must be completed entirely through live instruction and is not available online.See the answer for every state
The Nevada Real Estate Division maintains an education calendar on its website listing approved continuing education providers, including classroom courses, distance education options, and live-streaming sponsors. CE courses are available from NRED-approved providers in both online self-paced and live instruction formats, with at least 18 of the required 36 CE hours for subsequent renewals needing to be completed through live instruction. Form 502 also lists approved schools that offer pre-licensing and continuing education courses in Nevada.See the answer for every state
Beyond the state license, some agents pursue the REALTOR® designation through the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), per the NAR membership page[5].
To become a REALTOR®, you must first hold an active real estate license, then join a local REALTOR® association, which also provides membership in the state and national associations. The principal of a real estate firm must join a REALTOR® association before any non-principal agents in that firm can join. National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) dues are $156 per year for 2027, plus a $45 special assessment for the Consumer Advertising Campaign, and members must abide by the NAR Code of Ethics.See the answer for every state
A real estate agent is anyone who holds a state-issued license to facilitate real estate transactions. "REALTOR®" is a trademarked term that only members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) may use. A licensed agent becomes a REALTOR® by joining a local REALTOR® association and paying membership dues, and must abide by NAR's Code of Ethics. Agents who are not NAR members cannot call themselves REALTORS® and are not bound by the NAR Code of Ethics.See the answer for every state
To become a Nevada real estate broker, you must have at least 2 years of active full-time experience as a licensed salesperson within the last 4 years, verified by your employing broker on Form 509. You must also complete 64 semester credits of education, including 45 hours of Broker Management (Nevada-specific) and 18 hours of Nevada law, pass the broker licensing exam through Pearson VUE, and submit Form 549 with a $160 application fee. Up to 16 college credits can be substituted for every 2 years of licensed experience, except for the Broker Management and Nevada law courses, which cannot be waived.See the answer for every state
A single salesperson license covers both residential and commercial transactions in Nevada.
Nevada does not issue a separate license for commercial real estate practice. The Nevada Real Estate Division (NRED) offers license types including salesperson, broker, broker-salesperson, property manager, and business broker, and a commercial real estate agent works under the same salesperson license required for residential practice. To obtain that license, you must complete 120 hours of pre-licensing education from an NRED-approved school, pass both the national and state portions of the Pearson VUE exam, submit fingerprints from an approved vendor, and file Form 549 with a $140 fee while affiliating with a sponsoring broker. Specialization in commercial transactions develops through brokerage placement and experience rather than through a distinct credential.See the answer for every state
Nevada requires every salesperson to affiliate with a licensed broker before practicing, and a sponsoring broker must activate the license before the agent can represent buyers and sellers. According to NAR, a first sale can take several months or more, and REALTORS® with two years or less of experience earn a median of $8,100 annually, while those with 16 or more years earn $78,900. Completing post-licensing education in the first year and finding a mentor help new agents establish a foundation.See the answer for every state
To verify any Nevada real estate professional's credentials, use the License Lookup tool on the NRED website at red.nv.gov.
Your next step: if you have not started pre-licensing education, find an NRED-approved school on Form 502 and begin the required coursework. If you have already completed the education and passed the exam, contact sponsoring brokers in your area to activate your license.
