How to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Michigan

Michigan real estate agent licenses

Michigan 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 Michigan 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 old⁴³⁵

Social Security number

SSN required at application; applicants exempt from or without an SSN upload the SSN affidavit form⁴³⁵

Fees

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, PSI⁴³⁵, when you schedule.

How to apply

Apply online

michigan.gov⁶

Renewal

How often

Every 3 years¹

Continuing education

At least 18 hours each renewal period²

Required topics

At least 2 hours of legal education (statutes, rules, court cases) in each year of the cycle, 6+ per cycle²
At least 1 hour of fair housing law in each year of the cycle, 3+ per cycle²
Remaining 9 hours any time in the cycle²

Renew online

michigan.gov⁶

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: LARA publishes active duty military, veteran and military spouse information for this profession⁶

2. Every license level except Real Estate Salesperson

Requirements

Education or training

At least 90 clock hours¹

The board's words

“hours of approved prelicensure classroom courses in real estate. All of the following apply to these 90 hours”

Who may teach it: Courses approved by LARA, given by a public school district, community college, degree-granting institution or other approved provider¹
Alternative: Law degree = 60 hours (incl. 6 fair housing)²
Alternative: MBA or master's in finance = 60 hours²
Alternative: Bachelor's in business or finance = 30 hours²

Experience

At least 3 years¹
Equivalent of 3 years of full-time experience in the real estate business, counted by credits (e.g. 1 year per 12 months as a salesperson closing 5+ transactions)¹
Substitute: Builders: 1 year per 12 months building and personally selling or leasing 5+ units¹
Substitute: Investors: 6 months per 5 own-account transactions, max 1 year¹
Substitute: Attorneys: 1 year per year acting in 6+ real estate transactions¹
Substitute: Managing 10+ Michigan units for 3+ years: 1 year²
Substitute: Other credits: developers, licensed appraisers, loan/trust/title/corporate real estate officers¹

Exam

Michigan real estate broker licensing examination¹
Given by: PSI³⁵
When you can take it: No pre-approval needed to sit the broker exam; license requires 90-hour education and 3-year experience¹
Time limit: A passing score (or passed portion) is valid for 1 year from the exam date¹
Exam waived: A lapsed broker or associate broker who stayed continuously licensed as a salesperson may be relicensed without the exam¹

Background check

Background check required¹
Good moral character review; broker license barred for embezzlement or misappropriation convictions¹

Fees

How to apply

1. Complete 90 hours of approved broker pre-licensure education (9 on fair housing law), or claim degree equivalents.²
2. Document the equivalent of 3 years of full-time real estate experience on the Broker Verification of Experience form.¹
3. Pass the PSI Real Estate Broker exam (no pre-approval needed); a passing score is valid for 1 year.¹

Processing time

Department must act on a completed broker or associate broker application within 30 days⁷

Renewal

Renewal fee

$108³⁵ (Per 3-year renewal)

Exemptions

Waiver requests under MCL 339.204(2) must reach the department 30 days before the last board meeting before expiry²

If it expires

Late renewal allowed within 60 days after expiry with a late fee⁷
Within 3 years: relicense without exam by paying fees and completing 6 CE hours per year elapsed¹
After 3 years: 6 CE hours per year elapsed, or new pre-licensure hours in the last 12 months, or pass the exam again¹

From another state

Who needs a Real Estate Salesperson license

Works for a licensed broker, for compensation, to sell, buy, list, lease, rent, negotiate or provide market analyses of real estate, or do property management for the broker.¹

Work that does not need this license:

• Exempt: owners or lessors acting on their own property (unless as a principal vocation), attorneys acting as attorneys, court-appointed sellers, receivers, executors and similar fiduciaries (MCL 339.2503)¹

Requirements for a Real Estate Salesperson license

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

Education or training

At least 40 clock hours²
40 clock hours of approved pre-licensure courses in real estate principles, including 4 hours of civil rights and fair housing law, completed within 36 months before applying²
Who may teach it: Courses approved by LARA, given by a public school district, community college, degree-granting institution or other approved provider¹

Exam

Michigan real estate salesperson licensing examination¹
Given by: PSI⁴
When you can take it: After submitting the MiPLUS application and uploading the 40-hour course certificate; PSI then emails a Candidate ID⁴
Time limit: A passing score (or passed portion) is valid for 1 year from the exam date⁴

Background check

Background check required¹
Good moral character review by the department¹

Business requirements

The application must be signed by the employing broker; licenses are issued only to individuals¹

How much a Real Estate Salesperson license costs

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

How to apply

1. Complete 40 hours of approved pre-licensure education, including at least 4 hours of civil rights and fair housing law. The certificate is valid for 36 months.⁴
2. Apply online in MiPLUS, upload the course certificate and pay the $88 fee (application fee plus 3-year license fee) by card. Non-residents also file a Consent to Service of Process.⁴
3. Watch for the PSI email with your Candidate ID, then schedule and pass the Real Estate Salesperson exam. A passing result is valid for one year.⁴
4. After you pass, add your employing broker's 10-digit license number to the application (MiPLUS 'Modification'). Once the broker approves, LARA issues the license by email.⁴
5. Do not work until LARA issues your license and pocket card (or a temporary license).¹

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

Renew online in MiPLUS no sooner than 90 days before the license expires; 3-year cycle.⁴

Renewal fee

$78⁴ (Per 3-year renewal)

If it expires

Late renewal allowed within 60 days after expiry with a late fee⁷
Within 3 years: relicense without exam by paying fees and completing 6 CE hours per year elapsed¹

Moving to Michigan with a license from another state

These are the routes the Bureau of Professional Licensing publishes for the Real Estate Salesperson license.

Associate Real Estate Broker

Individual who meets broker requirements and provides brokerage services as an employee or independent contractor of a broker; principals of broker companies must hold this license.¹

Requirements

Business requirements

License issued only to individuals; nonprincipals may hold only one associate broker license¹

How to apply

1. Apply in MiPLUS (an associate broker is affiliated with a broker, or designated as a principal of a broker company). The fee is $143, covering the 3-year license, paid by card.³ michigan.gov⁶
2. Give the intended employing broker's name and license number: principal associate brokers do this in the application, non-principal associate brokers after approval (by email-prompted modification).³

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

Real Estate Broker (Individual)

Individual (or sole proprietorship) licensed to sell, buy, list, lease, negotiate, manage or provide market analyses of real estate for others for a fee, and to employ salespersons; must keep a place of business in Michigan.¹

Requirements

Business requirements

Must maintain a Michigan place of business; branch office license for each extra location¹

Business requirements

Companies get a broker license through principals who each hold an associate broker license¹

Also required

Must keep a place of business (physical address) in Michigan⁵

How to apply

1. Apply in MiPLUS. The fee is $143, covering the 3-year license, paid by card.⁵ michigan.gov⁶

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

City and county rules

Associate Real Estate BrokerReal estate brokers, associate brokers and salespersons are licensed by the state (LARA) under Article 25 of the Occupational Code.⁶

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

michigan.gov⁶

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• MCL 339.2501 (definitions)
• MCL 339.2502a (minimum age, renewal, relicensure)
• MCL 339.2504 (pre-licensure education)
• MCL 339.2504a (continuing education)
• MCL 339.2505 (application, examination, broker experience)
• MCL 339.2506, 339.2508, 339.2509, 339.2514
• MCL 339.411 (late renewal, relicensure, processing deadlines)
• MCL 338.2237
• Mich. Admin. Code R 339.22111, R 339.22115, R 339.22161 (eff. June 4, 2025)

Rule changes since January 2024

• June 4, 2025: New Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons General Rules took effect (pre-licensure hours, CE structure).²

Common questions

Real estate agent licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
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• Colorado
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• Delaware
• District of Columbia
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• Idaho
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• New Hampshire
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