How to get a New York real estate broker license
To get a New York real estate broker license, you must be at least 20 years old, complete 152 hours of approved qualifying education, document qualifying real estate experience, pass a state-administered multiple-choice exam, and file an application with a $185 fee through the Department of State's eAccessNY portal. Most applicants already hold a salesperson license and accumulate two years of full-time experience before upgrading, though New York also allows qualification through three years of general real estate experience without a salesperson license. The broker license is valid for two years and must be renewed online.
The real estate broker role in New York
A real estate broker in New York can operate independently, supervise salespersons, and conduct real estate transactions for compensation without sponsorship from another broker. The NY Department of State[1] defines a broker as any person, firm, LLC, or corporation who, for another and for a fee, lists for sale, sells, exchanges, buys, or rents real estate, or negotiates a loan secured by a mortgage on real property. Under NY Real Property Law §441-a[2], the license term is two years.
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.
A single broker license in New York authorizes transactions across residential and commercial property types.
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.
Eligibility requirements for a New York broker license
Broker applicants must satisfy age, identification, experience, and education requirements established by the Department of State before they can sit for the exam and file a license application.
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.
Applicants must hold a current New York photo driver's license or non-driver ID card, per the NY Department of State[3]. New York has no reciprocity agreements with any other state for real estate licensure as of February 1, 2023, so out-of-state licensees must meet New York's full requirements.
The attorney exemption
Attorneys admitted to the New York State Bar are exempt from the qualifying education, exam, and experience requirements, but must still submit an application and pay the $185 fee, according to NYSAR[4]. A bachelor's degree with a concentration in real estate may also qualify for a waiver of the qualifying course requirement, subject to Department of State approval.
Meeting the experience requirement
Broker applicants must document real estate experience through a points-based system defined in the license law[2]. Under 19 NYCRR §179.2(b), 3,500 points equate to two years of full-time experience as a licensed salesperson. Applicants qualifying through three years of general real estate experience without a salesperson license must accumulate 5,250 points. The combination path also requires 5,250 points.
Full-time active service means at least 35 hours per week for 50 weeks in each qualifying year, per 19 NYCRR §175.21(c)[2]. The three experience paths are:
| Experience path | Minimum points | Qualifying period |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed salesperson | 3,500 | 2 years |
| General real estate (non-licensee) | 5,250 | 3 years |
| Combination of both | 5,250 | Combined |
Point values are assigned per transaction type under 19 NYCRR §179.3[2]:
| Transaction type | Points |
|---|---|
| Residential sale (single family, condo, co-op, 2-8 unit multi-family) | 250 |
| Commercial sale | 400 |
| Residential rental effected | 25 |
| New lease ($1-$200,000 aggregate) | 150 |
| Exclusive listing | 10 |
| Open listing | 1 |
| Commercial financing ($1-$500,000) | 200 |
Completing the 152-hour qualifying education
The Department of State requires 152 hours of qualifying education for broker licensure, effective December 21, 2022, when the total increased from the former 120-hour standard. The NY Department of State[3] lists five acceptable course combinations, all totaling 152 hours.
The broker course itself consists of 75 hours of instruction plus a 3-hour proctored final examination, per 19 NYCRR §176.4[2]. All five pathways to 152 hours are:
| Prior coursework completed | Additional courses needed |
|---|---|
| 77-hour salesperson | 75-hour broker |
| 75-hour salesperson qualifying | 75-hour broker + 2-hour CE (fair housing/implicit bias) |
| 45-hour salesperson | 30-hour salesperson remedial + 2-hour CE + 75-hour broker |
| 75-hour salesperson + 45-hour broker | 32-hour broker remedial |
| 45-hour salesperson + 30-hour remedial + 45-hour broker | 32-hour broker remedial |
The 77-hour salesperson, 75-hour salesperson qualifying, and 30-hour remedial courses are valid for 8 years from the completion date, per the DOS Broker FAQ[5]. Once a course has been applied toward a license, it does not expire and can be used for the broker upgrade. A school-administered proctored examination is required in addition to the state exam. The Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®[6] reports that DOS requires 90% attendance before a student is eligible to sit for the course exam.
Broker qualifying courses are also available through approved distance-learning providers.
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.
Taking the New York broker exam
The broker exam consists of multiple-choice questions drawn from the qualifying curriculum. The NY Department of State[3] administers the exam and reports results as either "passed" or "failed" with no numerical score provided. The Department does not publish a numerical passing threshold.
Passed exam results are valid for two years from the exam date. Applicants schedule the exam through their eAccessNY account after completing the qualifying education and school final exam.
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.
Filing the broker license application
The broker license application fee is $185, comprising a $155 base fee plus a $30 mandatory surcharge deposited into the anti-discrimination in housing fund, under NY Real Property Law §441-b[7]. Applications are filed through the eAccessNY online portal. All fees are nonrefundable, and a $20 fee applies to any check returned by the bank.
Before filing, proposed business names must be submitted to the Division of Licensing Services for approval, per the NY Department of State[3]. The full fee schedule for broker-related transactions:
| Transaction | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial application | $185 |
| Written exam | $15 |
| Branch office application | $185 |
| Renewal | $185 |
| Change of association | $20 |
| Change of personal name or address | $10 |
| Duplicate license | $10 |
| Termination of association | $0 |
Types of broker licenses in New York
New York offers several broker license categories depending on business structure and operating model. An individual broker operates independently under their own name. An associate broker holds a full broker license but chooses to work under another broker's supervision and name rather than operating independently.
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.
Other license types include trade name brokers (operating under a registered trade name), partnership brokers, corporate brokers, and LLC/LLP brokers. For each additional officer of a corporation or member of a partnership or LLC who wants to act as a broker, a separate license at the same $185 fee is required, per §441-b[7]. An office manager must have been active as a licensed associate broker for at least two of the four years preceding appointment, under §440[2].
After licensure: renewal and continuing education
A New York broker license is valid for two years and must be renewed online through eAccessNY. The renewal fee is $185, and the Department of State[8] sends an email and postcard reminder three months before expiration.
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.
The 15-year broker continuing education exemption was removed effective July 1, 2021, per the DOS CE Update[9]. All brokers, including those previously exempt, must complete continuing education each cycle. If a broker lets their license expire, they have two years from the expiration date to renew. After that window, they must meet current education requirements and pass the state written exam again, per the DOS Broker FAQ[5]. Associate brokers must have a sponsoring broker to be eligible for renewal.
How long it takes and what to do next
The timeline to become a broker depends primarily on whether you already meet the experience requirement.
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.
For a salesperson who already meets the experience threshold, the remaining work involves finishing broker coursework, sitting for the school final, registering for and passing the state exam, then submitting the license application. Most working agents finish the coursework in one to two months. After passing, file through eAccessNY with the required fee and any approved business name. Once the Department of State processes and issues the license, you can operate independently as a real estate broker in New York.
Sources
- NY DOS — Real Estate Broker (Hub Page)GovernmentMay 2026
- NY DOS — License Law PDF (Feb 2025)GovernmentApril 2026
- NY DOS — Become a Real Estate BrokerGovernmentMay 2026
- NYSAR — Become a BrokerEducationAugust 2026
- NY DOS — Broker FAQGovernmentMay 2026
- HGAR — Broker License GuideEducationAugust 2026
- Justia — NY RPP §441-b License FeesStatuteAugust 2026
- NY DOS — Renew/Update Broker LicenseGovernmentMay 2026
- NY DOS — CE UpdateGovernmentMarch 2026