How to get a Salesperson license in Idaho

Idaho real estate agent licenses

Idaho issues 3 real estate agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for several of the Idaho real estate agent licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

1. Every license level (all 3)

Requirements

Minimum age

18 years old³

High school diploma or GED

Required³

Education or training

90 classroom hours²
Salesperson prelicense education: Module 1 (45 hours) and Module 2 (45 hours), completed within 3 years before applying, 100% attendance and 70% or higher on each final course exam; live, Zoom or self-paced online.¹²
Who may teach it: Commission-approved courses from private certified education providers, listed in the Education Lookup.¹²
Alternative: Waived for applicants actively licensed in another state; otherwise the salesperson education has no waiver.⁸

Background check

Background check required³
Fingerprints required³
No felony conviction, unless the Commission grants an exemption review requested at least five years after conviction or end of sentence, probation or parole (whichever is later); no misdemeanor involving fraud, misrepresentation or dishonest dealing within five years; license discipline for those grounds has the same five-year rules.³

Social Security number

The national exam waiver request form has a Social Security number field.¹³

Insurance

Errors and omissions insurance is required for an active license; minimum individual coverage is $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 annual aggregate, deductible at most $3,500. Group policy available through the Commission, or independent coverage with a certificate. Not required while inactive.¹

Also required

Pass the exam within the 12 months before the license application.¹¹

Also required

File an irrevocable consent to service naming the Commission's executive director.³

Also required

Qualifications may be waived or modified by the Commission for good cause through a Special Consideration request.¹⁴

Fees

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, Pearson VUE¹⁵, when you schedule.

How to apply

1. If you hold an active out-of-state license, get the exam waiver first and before scheduling: create a Pearson VUE account, then send the request form with a certified license history.¹³
2. Schedule and pass both exam portions with Pearson VUE (test sites in Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Nampa, Pocatello and Twin Falls), paying when you register.¹⁵
3. Get fingerprinted: an electronic appointment through Pearson VUE (Boise, Pocatello, Spokane Valley) or the mailed hard card. Results stay valid for 6 months and can take 1 to 12 weeks.⁸ Form (PDF, dopl.idaho.gov)⁴
4. Apply online through your DOPL Online Services account after passing the exam and completing fingerprinting. Allow at least 10 business days.¹⁵ edopl.idaho.gov⁴

Apply online

edopl.idaho.gov⁴

Processing time

At least 10 business days; applications are not expedited (military applicants may be expedited).¹⁵

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years⁵

When it expires

Two-year licenses now expire on the licensee's birthday (changing from end of birth month): renewals from October 30, 2026 expire on the 2028 birth date; 2027 renewals expire on the 2029 birth date. A first license runs one year plus the months up to and including the next birth date, at most 2 years. Renew up to 60 days early.⁵

Renewal fee

$0¹⁷ (During the DOPL fee holiday that began January 1, 2026, with no end date announced)

Continuing education

At least 12 hours each renewal period⁶

Approved courses

Courses must be certified by the Commission (check the Education Lookup) or accepted on request; online courses must be ARELLO certified; a Core course can't be repeated for credit.¹⁵

Exemptions

No CE to renew on inactive status; it must be completed before activation.¹⁸
Inactive licensees within the initial licensing period need no CE to activate.⁶
A one-time extension of up to three months (provisional license) for hardship, health or other compelling cause.⁶
Military: no renewal, fee or CE required during active engagement and six months after discharge.¹⁰

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $25¹ (renewing an expired license within one year)

If it expires

An expired license can be renewed for one year, on inactive status only, with the late fee; practicing while expired brings a civil penalty.¹⁵
After one year it terminates and can't be renewed; start over as a new applicant (fingerprints, exams, application, and any prelicense education older than 3 years).¹⁹
Expired renewal requires an attestation on whether licensed acts were done while expired.¹⁶

Renew online

edopl.idaho.gov⁴

From another state

2. Every license level except Designated Broker

How to apply

1. Get E&O insurance and join a designated broker, who activates your license online.¹⁵

From another state

3. Every license level except Salesperson

Requirements

Education or training

At least 90 classroom hours²
Broker prelicense education on top of the salesperson requirement: Brokerage Management (28 hours), Real Estate Law (30 hours) and two electives (e.g. Real Estate Finance or Valuation & Analysis, 20 hours each; GRI or CCIM options), within 3 years before applying, live or by Zoom, 100% attendance and 70% or higher on final exams.¹²
Who may teach it: Commission-approved courses from certified private providers.¹²
Alternative: Actively licensed out-of-state brokers: education waived with the exam waiver.⁸
Alternative: Practicing attorneys may have Real Estate Law waived; practicing appraisers may have Valuation & Analysis waived.⁸
Alternative: FAQ also lists Real Estate Finance as waived for accounting-degree holders working in accounting.¹⁵

Experience

At least 2 years³
Two years full-time, active as a licensed salesperson within the last five years. The Commission's current standard is 15 completed sales and/or listings totalling at least $2 million.³
Supervision: The report of listings and sales may be required and is certified by the applicant's broker(s).³
License you must hold first: Licensed real estate salesperson experience, or an active out-of-state license (next field).³
Substitute: Experience waived for those licensed on active status in another state.⁸
Substitute: The Commission may modify or reduce the requirement based on education or related business experience.³

Exam

Idaho real estate licensing exam (broker)³
Given by: Pearson VUE¹⁵
National portion¹¹
Idaho state portion¹¹
Retakes: Retake one or both portions as often as needed, paying the exam fee each time.¹⁵
Time limit: If one part is passed, the other must be passed within one year or both must be retaken; all parts must be within 12 months before the application.¹⁵
Exam waived: A certificate of waiver of the national portion is available to holders of an active out-of-state license in good standing; the Idaho portion is always required. The waiver must be applied before scheduling.¹

Also required

Idaho salesperson licensees applying for a broker license must submit new fingerprints.³

How to apply

1. Build the experience: two full-time years as a licensed salesperson within the last five, at the current standard of 15 completed sales or listings totalling at least $2 million (or be actively licensed elsewhere, or request special consideration).¹⁵

Temporary or provisional license

No temporary license for new applicants was found. A provisional license of up to 3 months exists only as a CE extension; out-of-state brokers can get a cooperative license for a commercial deal.¹

Renewal

Required topics

Two different Idaho Commission Core courses not previously taken, each renewal period.¹⁸
12 elective hours (commission meeting attendance can give up to 4).¹⁵

From another state

Who needs a Salesperson license

Licensed under, associated with and representing a designated broker in real estate brokerage acts.¹

Work that does not need this license:

• No license needed for your own account, an owner or the owner's regular employee, a single-transaction attorney in fact, receivers, trustees and personal representatives, or an attorney in client work.¹
• Property management (leasing) is not regulated in Idaho, per the Commission.¹⁵

Requirements for a Salesperson license

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Applies to every license level.

Exam

Idaho real estate licensing exam (salesperson)³
Given by: Pearson VUE¹⁵
National portion¹¹
Idaho state portion¹¹
Retakes: Retake one or both portions as often as needed, paying the exam fee each time.¹⁵
Time limit: If one part is passed, the other must be passed within one year or both must be retaken; all parts must be within 12 months before the application.¹⁵
Exam waived: A certificate of waiver of the national portion is available to holders of an active out-of-state license in good standing; the Idaho portion is always required. The waiver must be applied before scheduling.¹

How to apply

1. Complete the prelicense courses within the 3 years before you apply: 90 hours (Modules 1 and 2).¹⁵

Temporary or provisional license

No temporary license for new applicants was found. A provisional license of up to 3 months exists only as a CE extension.¹

Renewal and continuing education

Required topics

First active renewal: 2 Core courses plus 12 hours of post license education: Post License Fundamentals (8 hours) and one 4-hour module.¹⁸
Two different Idaho Commission Core courses not previously taken, each renewal period.¹⁸
12 elective hours (commission meeting attendance can give up to 4).¹⁵

Associate Broker

Qualified personally as a broker but licensed under, associated with and representing a designated broker.¹

How to apply

1. Complete the prelicense courses within the 3 years before you apply: 90 broker hours on top of the salesperson requirement.¹⁵

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2 and group 3 under Applies to every license level.

Designated Broker

A licensed Idaho broker designated by the brokerage company to supervise the company and its associated licensees.¹

Requirements

Education or training

Business Conduct & Office Operations (BCOO) course within 3 years before applying (Brokerage Management taken within that time also counts). Required even for out-of-state brokers.¹²

Business requirements

Designate a physical office location and business name.³

Business requirements

A business entity must itself be licensed, with a designated broker who is an officer, general partner, or member or manager; proof of E&O for both.¹

Business requirements

An individual designated broker not licensed with an entity is licensed as a sole proprietor.¹

Business requirements

Entities must be authorized to do business in Idaho with the Secretary of State first.¹⁵

Fees

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

1. Complete the prelicense courses within the 3 years before you apply: 90 broker hours on top of the salesperson requirement, plus the BCOO course.¹⁵
2. Set up the brokerage: office location and business name, entity registration with the Secretary of State if not a sole proprietor, E&O for you and the company before submitting, and the company application paperwork.¹⁵

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 3 under Applies to every license level.

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a real estate agent in Idaho, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Idaho is on the Idaho license lookup page.

Look up a license

edopl.idaho.gov⁴

File a complaint

edopl.idaho.gov⁴

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Idaho Code Title 54, ch. 20 (Idaho Real Estate License Law): §§ 54-2012, 54-2014, 54-2018, 54-2022, 54-2023
• Idaho Code §§ 54-2002, 54-2003, 54-2004, 54-2013, 54-2015, 54-2016, 54-2017, 54-2020 (DOPL compilation, July 2025)
• IDAPA 24.37.01, Rules of the Idaho Real Estate Commission
• IDAPA 24.37.01.400
• Idaho Code § 67-9409 (Universal licensure)

Rule changes since January 2024

• October 30, 2026: DOPL began moving licenses to expire on the licensee's birthday rather than at the end of the birth month.⁵
• January 1, 2026: Renewal fee holiday started; initial license fees are unaffected.¹⁷

Common questions

Real estate agent licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming