Montana licensing
How to Get a Montana Real Estate License
Montana eligibility and application rules - minimum age, pre-licensing education, sponsoring broker, good moral character, high school diploma, and more - each cited to the Montana Board of Realty Regulation and dated.
Published by Freehold · First published 2026-08-11 · Sources last verified 2026-08-17 · Review method
Your licensing route
From eligibility to an active license
Exact order can vary by state process. Each state-specific rule appears below with its source.
- 01Confirm eligibility
Check age and any residency, education, or background conditions.
- 02Complete approved education
Use the regulator's approved-provider list where one is published.
- 03Apply and take the exam
Follow Montana's application order, then sit the configured salesperson exam.
- 04Activate your license
Complete any sponsorship or initial-license step that Montana requires.
| Requirement | Montana |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Pre-licensing education | 60-80 classroom hours |
| Sponsoring broker | Required before licensure |
| Good moral character | Good repute and competency |
| High school diploma | Two years of high school study |
| Course content rule | Board-approved course and instructors |
| Retake policy | Passed portion holds 12 months |
| License activation | Tied to one supervising broker |
| Reciprocity | Endorsement, substantial equivalence |
| Exam provider | Pearson VUE |
Requirements change. Confirm with the Montana Board of Realty Regulation before enrolling or paying anything.
More on what counts as real estate school, state by state.
Each requirement, and where it comes from
Minimum age
An applicant for a Montana real estate salesperson's license must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-302. Broker's or salesperson's license -- qualifications of applicant -- supervising broker endorsement — verified 2026-08-11
Pre-licensing education
A salesperson applicant must complete between 60 and 80 board-approved classroom or equivalent hours covering real estate principles, law, ethics and finance.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-302. Broker's or salesperson's license -- qualifications of applicant -- supervising broker endorsement — verified 2026-08-11
Sponsoring broker
The salesperson application must be accompanied by the recommendation of a licensed broker holding a supervising broker endorsement who will actively supervise and train the applicant.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-302. Broker's or salesperson's license -- qualifications of applicant -- supervising broker endorsement — verified 2026-08-11
Good moral character
Montana licenses may be granted only to individuals the Board of Realty Regulation considers to be of good repute and competent to transact the business of a salesperson in a manner that safeguards the interests of the public, and the board may require whatever information it considers necessary to determine honesty, trustworthiness and competency.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-302(1) and (3) - Broker's or salesperson's license -- qualifications of applicant — verified 2026-08-17
High school diploma
A salesperson applicant must have received credit for completing two years of full curriculum study at an accredited high school, or an equivalent education as determined by the board. Montana asks less of a salesperson here than of a broker, who must have graduated or completed an equivalent education.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-302(4)(a)(ii) - Broker's or salesperson's license -- qualifications of applicant — verified 2026-08-17
Course content rule
The 60 to 80 hours must sit in a course of study approved by the board and taught by board-approved instructors, must cover real estate principles, real estate law and ethics, real estate finance and related topics, and the applicant must pass an examination on the material taught in each course.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-302(4)(a)(iv) - Broker's or salesperson's license -- qualifications of applicant — verified 2026-08-17
Retake policy
The salesperson examination is split into subject portions set by board rule. An applicant who passes one portion does not have to repeat it, provided the remaining portion is passed within 12 months; miss that window and the passed portion must be sat again.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-303(2) - Broker or salesperson examination — verified 2026-08-17
License activation
A salesperson may not work directly or indirectly for a supervising broker until a license naming that broker has been issued, only one salesperson license is in effect at a time, and leaving a supervising broker without another one accepting supervision puts the license on inactive status, during which the salesperson may not practice.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-51-309(2), (3) and (5) - Broker -- salesperson -- notice to department of change of association — verified 2026-08-17
Reciprocity
Montana licenses out-of-state applicants by endorsement rather than by an automatic reciprocal grant: the applicant must hold an active license in good standing from a jurisdiction whose qualifications, measured at the time of application, are substantially equivalent to Montana's, and where they are not the board decides whether actual qualifications and work experience close the gap.
Source: Montana Code Annotated, 37-1-304(1), (2) and (4) - Licensure by endorsement -- reciprocity — verified 2026-08-17
Exam provider
Montana's real estate exam is administered by Pearson VUE.
Source: Pearson VUE — Montana Real Estate Candidate Handbook, Available Exams and Time Allotted — verified 2026-07-27
Once you are eligible
The Montana salesperson exam is 120 questions in 240 minutes, administered by Pearson VUE. Practice it free: Montana practice test · Montana exam prep · Montana broker exam · compare all 50 states
New to the whole process? How to become a real estate agent walks the five steps and what changes between states.
Montana licensing FAQ
How do you get a real estate license in Montana?
Meet Montana's eligibility rules, complete 60-80 classroom hours, apply to the regulator, and pass the salesperson exam. On sponsoring broker, Montana's rule is: Required before licensure. Each requirement is set out below with the provision it comes from.
What are the requirements for a Montana real estate license?
Montana requires you to be 18 or older and to complete 60-80 classroom hours before sitting the salesperson exam, which is 120 questions in 240 minutes. Every figure on this page names the Montana Board of Realty Regulation page it came from and the date we checked it.
How much pre-licensing education does Montana require?
A salesperson applicant must complete between 60 and 80 board-approved classroom or equivalent hours covering real estate principles, law, ethics and finance.
Sponsoring broker — what does Montana require?
The salesperson application must be accompanied by the recommendation of a licensed broker holding a supervising broker endorsement who will actively supervise and train the applicant.
How do you become a real estate agent in Montana?
Becoming an agent in Montana is the license plus one more step: complete 60-80 classroom hours, pass the 120-question salesperson exam, and then satisfy Montana's rule on sponsoring broker — Required before licensure. A license you hold and a license you can practice under are not the same thing, and the difference is set out above with its source.
Nearby states
Licensing in more than one state? Each state's license requirements covers its own license law.
Idaho · Wyoming · South Dakota · North Dakota
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