Ohio licensing
How to Get an Ohio Real Estate License
Ohio eligibility and application rules - minimum age, pre-licensing education, high school diploma, sponsoring broker, background check, and more - each cited to the Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing 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 Ohio's application order, then sit the configured salesperson exam.
- 04Activate your license
Complete any sponsorship or initial-license step that Ohio requires.
| Requirement | Ohio |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Pre-licensing education | 100 hours |
| High school diploma | Required if born after 1950 |
| Sponsoring broker | Required |
| Background check | State and FBI records checks |
| New salesperson postlicense education | 20 hours within 12 months of licensure |
| Retake policy | No limit on retake attempts |
| Application sequence | Broker's recommendation required before the exam |
| Good moral character | Honesty and no disqualifying civil-rights adjudication |
| Exam registration | Exam within 12 months of admission notice |
| Reciprocity | License issued under Ohio's occupational-licensing reciprocity chapter |
| Exam provider | PSI |
Requirements change. Confirm with the Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing 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
You must be at least 18 years old, a United States citizen or a legal alien with proof of status, honest and truthful, and free of a disqualifying conviction as determined under Ohio Revised Code section 9.79.
Source: Ohio Division of Real Estate - Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License, Eligibility — verified 2026-08-11
Pre-licensing education
Four named courses: Real Estate Principles and Practices 40 hours, Ohio Real Estate Law 40 hours (including civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation), Real Estate Appraisal 10 hours, and Real Estate Finance 10 hours. The 120-hour figure often quoted for Ohio is the broker requirement, not this one.
Source: Ohio Division of Real Estate - Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License, Education Requirements — verified 2026-08-11
High school diploma
Applicants born after 1950 must hold a high school diploma or an equivalent recognized by the Ohio Department of Education; the requirement does not reach applicants born before that year.
Source: Ohio Division of Real Estate - Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License, Eligibility — verified 2026-08-11
Sponsoring broker
A salesperson applicant must be sponsored by an Ohio broker; sponsorship is one of the eligibility conditions rather than a step taken after the license is issued.
Source: Ohio Division of Real Estate - Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License, Eligibility — verified 2026-08-11
Background check
Both an Ohio and an FBI criminal records check are required, with instructions carried on the Salesperson Examination Application itself rather than handled separately.
Source: Ohio Division of Real Estate - Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License, Background check — verified 2026-08-11
New salesperson postlicense education
A new salesperson must submit proof of 20 hours of post-licensure instruction within twelve months of the license's issue date, or the license is automatically suspended; a further twelve months to cure it before automatic revocation.
Source: Ohio Revised Code, 4735.09(J) - Salesperson's application - license qualifications. — verified 2026-08-17
Retake policy
Ohio law places no limit on the number of times an applicant may retake the salesperson examination after an unsuccessful attempt.
Source: Ohio Revised Code, 4735.09(C) - Salesperson's application - license qualifications. — verified 2026-08-17
Application sequence
The salesperson application must be accompanied by the recommendation of the sponsoring real estate broker, certifying the applicant is honest and truthful and recommending admission to the salesperson examination.
Source: Ohio Revised Code, 4735.09(A) - Salesperson's application - license qualifications. — verified 2026-08-17
Good moral character
Before taking the exam an applicant must establish honesty and truthfulness, no disqualifying offense under section 9.79, and no final adjudication of violating civil rights laws relevant to real estate buyers or sellers, absent a later finding of rehabilitation.
Source: Ohio Revised Code, 4735.09(F) - Salesperson's application - license qualifications. — verified 2026-08-17
Exam registration
An applicant who has completed the classroom instruction at the time of application must be examined no later than twelve months after being notified of admission to the salesperson examination.
Source: Ohio Revised Code, 4735.09(K) - Salesperson's application - license qualifications. — verified 2026-08-17
Reciprocity
The superintendent must issue a salesperson license to an applicant who satisfies Ohio's general occupational-licensing reciprocity requirements for out-of-state and military-connected applicants under Chapter 4796 of the Revised Code.
Source: Ohio Revised Code, 4735.09(L) - Salesperson's application - license qualifications. — verified 2026-08-17
Exam provider
Ohio's real estate exam is administered by PSI.
Source: PSI — Ohio Real Estate Salesperson and Broker Candidate Information Bulletin, EXAMINATION SUMMARY TABLE — verified 2026-07-29
Once you are eligible
The Ohio salesperson exam is 120 questions in 180 minutes, administered by PSI. Practice it free: Ohio practice test · Ohio exam prep · Ohio 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.
Ohio licensing FAQ
How do you get a real estate license in Ohio?
Meet Ohio's eligibility rules, complete 100 hours, apply to the regulator, and pass the salesperson exam. On sponsoring broker, Ohio's rule is: Required. Each requirement is set out below with the provision it comes from.
What are the requirements for an Ohio real estate license?
Ohio requires you to be 18 or older and to complete 100 hours before sitting the salesperson exam, which is 120 questions in 180 minutes. Every figure on this page names the Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing page it came from and the date we checked it.
How much pre-licensing education does Ohio require?
Four named courses: Real Estate Principles and Practices 40 hours, Ohio Real Estate Law 40 hours (including civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation), Real Estate Appraisal 10 hours, and Real Estate Finance 10 hours. The 120-hour figure often quoted for Ohio is the broker requirement, not this one.
Sponsoring broker — what does Ohio require?
A salesperson applicant must be sponsored by an Ohio broker; sponsorship is one of the eligibility conditions rather than a step taken after the license is issued.
How do you become a real estate agent in Ohio?
Becoming an agent in Ohio is the license plus one more step: complete 100 hours, pass the 120-question salesperson exam, and then satisfy Ohio's rule on sponsoring broker — Required. 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.
Pennsylvania · West Virginia · Kentucky · Indiana · Michigan
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