How to get a New York real estate broker license

A real estate salesperson works under the supervision of a licensed broker and cannot operate independently, while a broker holds a license that permits independent practice and oversight of salespersons. In New York, a salesperson must be at least 18 years old and complete 77 hours of qualifying education, while a broker must be at least 20 years old, complete 152 hours of qualifying education, and have at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson or three years in the general real estate field. The broker, known in New York as the representative broker, is responsible for the conduct of the brokerage business, and the salesperson acts as the broker's agent.

A real estate agent is a broad term for a licensed individual who helps clients buy, sell, or rent property; New York's formal license title is "salesperson." A real estate broker has met additional requirements, including 152 hours of qualifying education and at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson (or three years in general real estate), and can work independently and supervise salespersons. A REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) who subscribes to its Code of Ethics; the term is a registered membership mark, not a license type, and both salespersons and brokers can hold it.

New York does not issue a separate commercial real estate broker license; the standard broker license covers all property types. The 152-hour broker qualifying education curriculum includes 10 hours dedicated to commercial and investment properties within the salesperson-level coursework. Applicants must meet the same requirements regardless of intended practice area: be at least 20 years old, complete 152 hours of qualifying education, document at least two years of full-time salesperson experience (or three years of equivalent experience), and pass the state broker exam.

To become a real estate broker in New York, you must be at least 20 years old, have at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson or three years in the general real estate field (or a combination of both), complete 152 hours of approved qualifying education, and pass the state broker exam. The broker exam is multiple choice with a 2.5-hour time limit, and the initial application fee is $185. Passed exam results are valid for two years.

No college degree is required to become a real estate broker in New York. The Department of State requires applicants to be at least 20 years old, have at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson (or three years in the general real estate field, or a combination), complete 152 hours of approved qualifying education, and pass the state broker exam. A bachelor's degree with a concentration in real estate may qualify an applicant for a waiver of the 152-hour qualifying course requirement, but a degree is not a prerequisite for licensure.

Yes. The NY Department of State may approve computer-based and distance-learning pre-licensing courses, provided the school can monitor and verify student participation for the required time. The DOS publishes a list of approved qualifying education schools that includes providers offering online, self-paced instruction. The 77-hour salesperson pre-licensing course must include a proctored final examination administered in person within New York State.

The broker licensing exam is a multiple-choice test based on the 152-hour qualifying curriculum, with 2.5 hours allotted and results reported as pass or fail. Preparation requires completing 152 hours of approved qualifying education, which consists of the 77-hour salesperson course and a 75-hour broker course covering agency law, license law, operating a real estate office, broker supervision, advanced fair housing and fair lending, cultural competency, implicit bias, and transaction analysis. A school-administered proctored exam must also be passed before sitting for the state exam. You schedule the $15 state exam through the eAccessNY online system at one of 11 test sites across New York.

New York does not limit the number of times you can retake the real estate licensing exam. If you fail, you can schedule another exam through your eAccessNY account and pay the $15 exam fee for each attempt. There is no mandatory waiting period between attempts, though scheduling depends on seat availability.

Obtaining a New York real estate broker license requires completing 152 hours of approved qualifying education, accumulating at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson (or three years in the general real estate field), and passing a multiple-choice exam administered by the Department of State. The broker exam allows 2.5 hours, and results are reported as pass or fail with no numerical score. The total application fee is $185, which includes a $30 surcharge deposited into the anti-discrimination in housing fund.

An associate real estate broker is a licensed broker who elects to work under the name and supervision of another broker rather than operating independently. The representative broker holds the license on behalf of the brokerage and is responsible for the supervision and conduct of the brokerage business. An associate broker, like a salesperson, must have a sponsoring broker to be eligible for license renewal and can only be affiliated with one sponsoring broker at a time.

A real estate broker is a licensed professional who can work independently, supervise agents, and hold a brokerage license, while a REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) who subscribes to its Code of Ethics. A REALTOR® may be either a salesperson or a broker; the term identifies association membership, not a license type. In New York, a broker must be at least 20 years old, complete 152 hours of qualifying education, and pass a state exam, whereas joining NAR requires only a valid real estate license and membership in a local REALTOR® association.

New York requires 22.5 hours of approved continuing education per two-year license term. The mandatory topics are 3 hours of fair housing, 2 hours of implicit bias training, 2 hours of cultural competency, 2.5 hours of ethical business practices, 1 hour of recent legal matters, and 1 hour of agency law (2 hours for the initial salesperson term). The remaining hours are electives in any approved topic.

Yes, the New York Department of State may approve distance learning and computer-based continuing education courses. The department may, however, prescribe that specific subjects or hours must be presented in a classroom setting. All licensees must complete 22.5 hours of approved continuing education per 2-year license term, and courses cannot be carried over to the next renewal period.

Broker licensure requires at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson (or three years in general real estate), 152 hours of approved qualifying education, and a passing score on the broker exam. If you already hold a salesperson license with the required experience, the remaining steps are completing the 75-hour broker course and passing the 2.5-hour broker exam. Most working agents complete the coursework over several weeks to a few months, and the broker application fee is $185 with a $15 exam fee.