Real Estate License Requirements by State

Licensing requirements are not exam requirements. This page covers who may qualify and what must be completed before a license becomes active. For the process end to end, start with how to become a real estate agent. For question counts, time limits, providers, and passing scores, use the exam-requirements comparison.

State	Minimum age	Pre-licensing education	Broker affiliation
Alaska	19	40 hours	Required to practice
Alabama	19	60 clock hours	Required to practice
Arkansas	18	60 classroom hours	Required
Arizona	18	90 classroom hours plus a 6-hour Contract Writing Course	Required to accept compensation or work as a licensee
California	18	Three college-level courses	Not required to hold the license
Colorado	18	168 hours	High level of supervision for two years
Connecticut	18	60-hour Real Estate Principles and Practices course	Required to activate license
Delaware	18	99-hour pre-licensing course	Required
Florida	18	63 classroom hours	Registered employer required
Georgia	18	75 hours	25 hours within year one
Hawaii	18	60 class hours	Required to remain active
Iowa	18	60-hour pre-license course plus three 12-hour courses	Required
Idaho	18	90 hours	Required to practice
Illinois	18	75 hours (15 hours must be case studies)	Valid sponsorship required to practice
Indiana	18	90 hours plus a high school diploma or GED	Required to practice
Kansas	18	60 classroom hours	Required at application
Kentucky	18	96 clock hours (or 6 college credit hours)	Required to practice
Louisiana	18	90 hours	Required to practice
Massachusetts	18	40 classroom hours	Required, one broker at a time
Maryland	18	Up to 60 clock hours	Commitment required before licensure
Maine	18	55 hours	Required to practice
Michigan	18	40 hours	Required to complete licensure
Minnesota	18	90 hours (three 30-hour courses)	Required to practice
Missouri	18	48-hour course plus a 24-hour practice course	Must be affiliated with a broker
Mississippi	18	60 hours	Must be affiliated with a broker
Montana	18	60-80 classroom hours	Required before licensure
North Carolina	18	75 hours	90 hours postlicensing within 18 months
North Dakota	18	90 hours	Required before an active license issues
Nebraska	19	96 hours	Required before license issuance
New Hampshire	18	40 hours of approved study	Must be licensed under a broker
New Jersey	18	75 classroom hours	Required to apply
New Mexico	18	90 hours across three courses	Must list a supervising Qualifying Broker
Nevada	18	120 hours	Verified statement required at application
New York	18	77 hours	Required before licensure
Ohio	18	100 hours	Required
Oklahoma	18	90 clock hours, plus 45 postlicense	Required to practice
Oregon	18	150 clock hours	Required to practice
Pennsylvania	18	75 hours of real estate instruction	Sworn broker affiliation required at application
Rhode Island	18	45 classroom hours	Required to practice
South Carolina	18	60 classroom hours plus 30 advanced hours	Must be licensed under a broker-in-charge
South Dakota	18	116-hour prelicensing course	Required to conduct business
Tennessee	18	90 hours (60 + 30)	Application must be signed by a Principal Broker
Texas	18	180 classroom hours	Required to practice
Utah	18	120 hours	Required to practice
Virginia	18	60 hours	30 hours within one year
Vermont	18	40-hour course	Required to activate a license
Washington	18	90 hours	One firm, supervised
Wisconsin	18	72-hour pre-license program (or 10 academic credits)	Must be associated with a firm
West Virginia	18	90 clock-hours	Required to hold a salesperson license
Wyoming	18 (age of majority)	At least 30 class hours	Required, and exclusive to one broker

Requirements change. Every linked state guide names its primary source and verification date. Confirm with the regulator before enrolling or paying a fee.

Real estate licensing FAQ

What do you need to get a real estate license?

Every state sets its own minimum age, pre-licensing education, application, background-check, exam, and broker-affiliation rules. Use the state table and confirm every decision with the linked regulator.

How many hours of real estate education are required?

Required pre-licensing education varies materially by state. The table shows each regulator's published requirement and links to a cited state guide.

Is a sponsoring broker required before taking the exam?

Rules differ: some states require affiliation during application or licensing, while others let candidates pass the exam before activating under a broker. Check the state-specific cited requirement.

Real Estate License Requirements by State

Real estate licensing FAQ

Once eligible, prepare for the exam free