How to become a real estate agent in Vermont

To get a Vermont real estate salesperson license, you must be at least 18 years old, complete a 40-hour pre-licensing course approved by the Vermont Real Estate Commission, and pass both the national exam (administered by PSI) and the state exam (administered within the online application) within two years preceding your application. You must also affiliate with a Vermont-licensed principal broker and submit your application through the Office of Professional Regulation's Online Services System with a $100 application fee. After receiving your license, you must complete 8 hours of post-licensure education within 90 days of issuance.

The full process of obtaining a Vermont real estate salesperson license generally takes a few months. Vermont requires 40 hours of prelicensing instruction, which most students complete within a few weeks in an online self-paced format. After finishing the course, candidates schedule the national exam through PSI and submit the online application to the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, which processes applications in 3 to 5 business days. The state exam is administered within the online application itself. Once licensed, new salespersons must complete 8 hours of post-licensure education within 90 days of license issuance.

Vermont requires a 40-hour pre-licensing course approved by the Commission, with no stated requirement for in-person instruction or mandatory live hours. Approved providers offering online, self-paced courses can be found through the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation's online course search. The state does not require schools to report course completions; applicants submit their certificate of completion directly with the license application.

Vermont requires a 40-hour prelicensing course approved by the Vermont Real Estate Commission for both salesperson and broker licensure. The course completion certificate must be uploaded with the license application through OPR's Online Services System. Approved courses can be found through OPR's online course search on the Secretary of State website.

The Vermont real estate licensing exam consists of two parts: a national portion and a state portion. The national exam is administered by PSI Services at PSI test centers and covers topics such as agency relationships, contracts, finance, property ownership, and property management. The state exam is administered by the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) as part of the online license application process, not through PSI. A candidate who fails one part may retake that part within six months; after six months or two failures, the candidate must retake the full exam.

PSI, the vendor that administers Vermont's national real estate exam, offers practice tests through its online store, including a national salesperson practice test with 100 total questions. Pearson VUE also offers broker and salesperson practice tests for $19.95 each, covering national real estate topics only. Neither vendor lists a Vermont-specific practice test, as the state portion is administered separately within the Office of Professional Regulation's online application process.

The national exam covers property law, finance, contracts, agency relationships, ethics, and related real estate topics, and PSI offers practice tests through its online store to help candidates prepare. The Vermont state exam covers license law, agency, contracts and disclosures, land use, and transfer of title, and is administered within the online application process rather than through PSI. Candidates should review the Vermont Real Estate Commission administrative rules and the mandatory course outline for state-specific content.

In Vermont, a real estate salesperson (commonly called an agent) must be at least 18 years old, complete a 40-hour pre-licensing course, pass national and state exams, and work under the supervision of a principal broker. A broker has additional requirements: completing a 40-hour broker pre-licensing course, passing the broker-level national and state exams, and gaining at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson with at least eight separate and unrelated closed transactions. Brokers can work independently and supervise salespersons, while salespersons must be employed by or associated with a brokerage firm.

A Vermont broker license requires completing a 40-hour broker prelicensing course, passing the national and state exams within the two years preceding application, and gaining at least two years of experience as a licensed salesperson with at least eight separate and unrelated closed transactions. The applicant must also be affiliated with a Vermont-licensed office and submit the application through OPR's Online Services System with a $100 application fee. OPR processes applications in 3 to 5 business days.

To become a REALTOR®, a licensee must obtain a real estate license, affiliate with a brokerage, and join a local board or Association of REALTORS®, which automatically extends membership to the state and national associations. New members must complete Code of Ethics training and New Member Orientation within 90 days of the local board application date. NAR members must complete Code of Ethics and Fair Housing training every three years.

A real estate agent is a licensed professional who helps clients buy, sell, or rent property and must work under a licensed broker. A REALTOR® is a real estate agent or broker who belongs to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and must adhere to NAR's Code of Ethics. In Vermont, obtaining REALTOR® membership requires holding a real estate license, affiliating with a brokerage, joining a local board or Association of REALTORS®, and completing Code of Ethics training within 90 days of the local board application date.

Vermont does not have formal reciprocity agreements. Vermont uses an endorsement system in which applicants licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction whose requirements are substantially equal to Vermont's may have the 40-hour prelicensing course and the national exam waived. Indiana and Rhode Island are not equivalent for the salesperson prelicensing waiver, and California, New York, Puerto Rico, and West Virginia are not equivalent for the national exam waiver. All applicants must take the Vermont state exam, and a Fast-Track Endorsement is available for those licensed in good standing for 3 or more years in another jurisdiction.

Salespersons must complete 16 hours of continuing education per biennial renewal cycle, including a 4-hour mandatory course designated by the Commission. Brokers must complete 24 hours per cycle, also including the 4-hour mandatory course. First-time salesperson renewals must additionally complete 8 hours of post-licensure education within 90 days of initial license issuance. All licensees must also review the Vermont Energy Goals slideshow during the online renewal process, which carries no CE credit.

Yes, Vermont has no limit on the number of CE or post-license hours that may be completed online, provided the courses are OPR-approved. Under H.305 (2023), synchronous (live or interactive, not pre-recorded) virtual CE courses qualify as live, in-person training and are accepted for renewal.

The Vermont Office of Professional Regulation maintains an online course search where licensees can find approved continuing education providers and courses. Continuing education is available both online and in person from state-approved providers, and there is no limit to the number of CE hours that may be completed online. The Vermont Association of REALTORS® also offers continuing education classes at locations throughout the state and through its online school. Per H.305 (2023), synchronous live virtual continuing education courses qualify as live, in-person training for renewal purposes.