Real estate broker licensing. Brokerage and salesperson requirements.
Real estate brokerage requires both individual broker license and brokerage entity license. Salesperson license is a separate, more limited credential. Education, exam, and continuing education required in all states.
Start here.
Initial level. Must work under a licensed broker.
Independent agent or supervising broker. Typically requires 1-5 years salesperson experience plus additional education.
Required for brokerage entity. Designated managing broker responsible.
Pre-license education: 60-180 hours depending on state.
State + national portion typical.
The full picture.
Salesperson license
Entry-level license. Allows working under a licensed broker. Pre-license education: typically 60-180 hours depending on state. State + national exam required. Background check, fingerprinting. No experience required.
Broker license
Higher-level license. Required to work independently or supervise salespersons. Typically requires 1-5 years salesperson experience plus additional education (45-90 hours). State exam. Some states have "associate broker" intermediate tier.
Brokerage license (entity)
Required for the real estate brokerage business. Must have designated managing broker who is responsible for compliance. Brokerage must use specific trust account structure for client funds.
Entity structure
Most states allow standard LLC or Corporation. Some require specific structures. Trust account requirements universal: clients funds segregated.
Trust account
Real estate brokerages must maintain trust account(s) for client funds: earnest money deposits, escrows. State rules govern account structure, reconciliation, and audit.
Continuing education
All states require ongoing CE for renewal. Typically 14-30 hours per renewal period (1-4 years).
Multi-state operations
Reciprocity exists in some cases. Each state requires its own license. Some states have full reciprocity (limited examples); most require additional state-specific education and exam.
Audit and inspection
State boards periodically audit brokerages: trust account reconciliation, transaction records, advertising compliance, designated broker compliance.
Renewal
Annual or biennial. CE requirements must be met. Trust account in compliance.
Common questions.
Do I need both salesperson and broker license?
Can I form a brokerage without being a broker myself?
What is the difference between salesperson and broker?
How long does it take?
Trust account?
Multi-state?
What states have reciprocity?
Renewal frequency?
Set up your professional firm.
PLLC formation, registered agent, ongoing compliance. We handle entity-level requirements; you handle the professional practice.
Professional licensing is handled by state boards. File.Business handles entity formation and ongoing compliance.
On the $129/yr Compliance Annual Filings plan, we cover state late fees.
When you autofile your annual report through the $129/yr plan and we miss the deadline, we pay the state's late fee. The guarantee applies to that specific plan and the filings it includes. Other File.Business services are billed at the prices on this page.