Real Estate License Requirements by State
Sep 30, 2026Real Estate License Requirements by State
User prompt: Please list the individual states' licensing requirements for the real estate sales license
Response: Requirements vary by state, but all 50 states and Washington, D.C. share four baseline requirements:
- Minimum Age: At least 18 years old (19 in Alabama and Nebraska).
- Background Check: Background screening and fingerprinting.
- Exams: Passing scores on a state-approved real estate exam (national and state law portions).
- Broker Sponsorship: Affiliation with a licensed supervising broker to activate the license.
The primary variable between states is pre-licensing education coursework hours.
|
State |
Pre-Licensing Hours |
Key Notes / Post-Licensing |
|---|---|---|
|
Alabama |
60 hours |
Min. age 19; 30 hrs post-license |
|
Alaska |
40 hours |
Min. age 19 |
|
Arizona |
90 hours |
6 hrs contract/agency prep |
|
Arkansas |
60 hours |
30 hrs post-license |
|
California |
135 hours |
3 required courses (45 hrs each) |
|
Colorado |
168 hours |
Single-license state (Associate Broker) |
|
Connecticut |
60 hours |
— |
|
Delaware |
99 hours |
— |
|
District of Columbia |
60 hours |
— |
|
Florida |
63 hours |
45 hrs post-license |
|
Georgia |
75 hours |
25 hrs post-license |
|
Hawaii |
60 hours |
— |
|
Idaho |
90 hours |
Two 45-hr modules |
|
Illinois |
75 hours |
30 hrs post-license |
|
Indiana |
90 hours |
30 hrs post-license |
|
Iowa |
60 hours |
12 hrs post-license |
|
Kansas |
60 hours |
30 hrs post-license |
|
Kentucky |
96 hours |
48 hrs post-license |
|
Louisiana |
90 hours |
45 hrs post-license |
|
Maine |
55 hours |
Sales Agent entry tier |
|
Maryland |
60 hours |
— |
|
Massachusetts |
40 hours |
— |
|
Michigan |
40 hours |
— |
|
Minnesota |
90 hours |
Three 30-hr courses |
|
Mississippi |
60 hours |
30 hrs post-license |
|
Missouri |
72 hours |
48-hr pre-exam + 24-hr practice |
|
Montana |
60 hours |
High exam pass score requirement (80%) |
|
Nebraska |
66 hours |
Min. age 19 |
|
Nevada |
90 hours |
30 hrs post-license |
|
New Hampshire |
40 hours |
— |
|
New Jersey |
75 hours |
— |
|
New Mexico |
90 hours |
Three 30-hr courses |
|
New York |
77 hours |
Updated curriculum requirement |
|
North Carolina |
75 hours |
Provisional broker status; 90 hrs post-license |
|
North Dakota |
90 hours |
— |
|
Ohio |
120 hours |
4 courses (30 hrs each); 20 hrs post-license |
|
Oklahoma |
90 hours |
Provisional Sales Associate; 45 hrs post-license |
|
Oregon |
150 hours |
Entry license is "Broker" |
|
Pennsylvania |
75 hours |
High exam pass score requirement (77%) |
|
Rhode Island |
45 hours |
Includes lead paint law module |
|
South Carolina |
90 hours |
60-hr unit 1 + 30-hr unit 2 |
|
South Dakota |
116 hours |
Broker Associate entry level |
|
Tennessee |
60 hours |
30-hr course added before license activation |
|
Texas |
180 hours |
6 core 30-hr courses; 98 hrs post-license |
|
Utah |
120 hours |
— |
|
Vermont |
40 hours |
— |
|
Virginia |
60 hours |
30 hrs post-license |
|
Washington |
90 hours |
60-hr fundamentals + 30-hr practices; 90 hrs post-license |
|
West Virginia |
90 hours |
— |
|
Wisconsin |
72 hours |
— |
|
Wyoming |
54 hours |
— |
Sources
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