How to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania real estate agent licenses

Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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

High school diploma or GED

Required¹

Background check

Background check required²
Applicant discloses full details of any felony or misdemeanor conviction or plea and the sentence; CHRCs (dated within 180 days) from every state where the applicant lived, worked or studied in the past 5 years; Pennsylvania check through ePATCH (volunteer checks not accepted).⁷
You can ask the board to review your record before you apply⁸

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

Apply online

pals.pa.gov²

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years¹

When it expires

Biennial; all licenses expire May 31 of every even-numbered year (current period June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2028)⁹

Continuing education

At least 14 hours each renewal period¹

Required topics

2026-2028 period: at least 2 of the 14 hours in 'Protecting Consumer's Real Property, Personal Property and Information'⁴
First renewal of a new standard licensee: the Commission-developed 14-hour course for new licensees (general module plus a Residential or Commercial module) instead of elective hours¹⁰
Courses must be taken in blocks of at least 2 hours¹⁰

Approved courses

Commission-approved courses through an approved education provider, approved before the course is completed¹¹

Exemptions

Full CE waiver if the license was first issued within 6 months of the biennial period being renewed¹²
Waiver of all or part of CE for illness, emergency or hardship¹²
CE does not apply to reciprocal license holders¹³

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $5³ (per month or part of a month beyond the renewal date, in addition to the renewal fee)

If it expires

No grace period; renewal online only through PALS⁹
Reactivating an expired license requires 14 hours of CE (not reusable for the next renewal)⁹
Inactive or expired 5 years or more: must retake and pass the licensing exam¹

Renew online

pa.gov¹⁴

From another state

2. Every license level except Real Estate Salesperson

Requirements

Minimum age

21 years old¹

Education or training

At least 240 clock hours¹
240 hours (16 credits) of professional real estate education, including 2 credits of office management and 2 credits of real estate law, at least 6 credits from 3+ Commission-developed courses; credits used for the salesperson exam do not count; courses completed within 10 years before passing the exam.¹
Who may teach it: Accredited college, Commission-approved education provider, or out-of-state provider approved by its own licensing authority¹⁶
Alternative: Bachelor's degree with a real estate major (or equivalent coursework) or a juris doctor satisfies the education requirement¹⁶
Alternative: 2 credits for each year of active practice as a licensed broker in another state in the prior 10 years¹⁶

Experience

At least 3 years¹
At least 3 years as a licensed salesperson with experience the Commission considers adequate, or 3 years of equivalent experience/education; documented by a resume of activities and a sworn statement from the employing broker¹
Supervision: Employing broker confirms the activities by sworn statement¹⁶
License you must hold first: Licensed salesperson (or Commission-approved equivalent)¹

Exam

Pennsylvania Real Estate Broker Examination (General/National and State portions)²
Given by: Pearson VUE⁴
When you can take it: Only after the Commission approves the candidate's education and experience (qualification review, $40)²
General/National portion²
Pennsylvania State portion¹⁷
Time limit: Each portion passed within 3 years before the license application¹
Exam waived: Active broker license in another state within the last 5 years: only the PA State portion²

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 240 hours of broker education and 3 years as a licensed salesperson (or equivalent).²
2. In PALS choose 'Apply for New License' > Real Estate Commission > the broker license type; pay the application fee plus the $40 exam-qualification review and upload transcripts and experience documentation.² pals.pa.gov²
3. After Commission approval, register with Pearson VUE and pass both broker exam portions ($49 per portion, or $49 for both on the same day).²
4. Upload the passing score sheets and remaining documents (criminal history checks dated within 180 days) to the application.²

Temporary or provisional license

Provisional endorsement license (up to 1 year) for out-of-state licensees applying by endorsement⁶

From another state

Who needs a Real Estate Salesperson license

Works for a licensed broker: comparative market analyses; listing, selling, buying or negotiating real estate sales or exchanges; negotiating loans; leasing/renting; collecting rent on the broker's behalf.¹

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Owners dealing in property they own or lease (for partnerships/corporations, up to five partners or officers); not for wholesale transactions¹
• Attorneys at law and attorneys-in-fact under a recorded power of attorney¹
• Employees who only show apartments and give rental information for an owner of multifamily residential property, without authority to sign leases, negotiate terms or hold tenant money¹
• Licensed auctioneers at a bona fide auction¹

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.

Minimum age

18 years old¹

Education or training

At least 75 clock hours¹

The board's words

“(i) Except as provided under subparagraph (ii), the applicant shall have completed 75 hours in real estate instruction in areas of study prescribed by the rules of the commission, which rules shall require instruction in the areas of fair housing and professional ethics.”

Who may teach it: Accredited college or Commission-approved real estate education provider; out-of-state provider approved by its own jurisdiction's licensing authority²
Alternative: Bachelor's degree with a real estate major, juris doctor, or 75 hours of approved prelicensing coursework in another jurisdiction²

Exam

Pennsylvania Real Estate Salesperson Examination (General/National and State portions)²
Given by: Pearson VUE²
When you can take it: After completing the 75 hours of prelicensing education²
General/National portion²
Pennsylvania State portion²
Time limit: Each portion must have been passed within 3 years before the license application is submitted¹
Exam waived: Active salesperson license in another state within the last 5 years: only the PA State portion²

Business requirements

Must have an employing Pennsylvania-licensed broker who certifies they will supervise and train the applicant; the license is mailed to the broker's main office²

Also required

Good reputation for honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and competence¹

How much a Real Estate Salesperson license costs

You pay the State Real Estate Commission (2 fees) and Pearson VUE (exam fee).

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 75 hours of approved prelicensing education (Real Estate Fundamentals 30 h + Real Estate Practice 45 h).²
2. Register with Pearson VUE and pass both portions of the salesperson exam ($49 per portion, or $49 for both on the same day). Applicants actively licensed elsewhere in the last 5 years take only the PA State portion.²
3. Find a Pennsylvania-licensed employing broker and obtain criminal history record checks (dated within 180 days) for every state lived or worked in during the past 5 years.²
4. Create a PALS account and start the 'Real Estate Salesperson - Standard' (or Reciprocal) application, upload documents and click 'Send to Broker'.² pals.pa.gov²
5. After the broker approves in PALS, reopen the application, answer the legal questions, submit and pay ($25 application + $72 initial license + $10 Recovery Fund).²
6. Apply within 3 years of passing the exam; once issued the license appears in PALS and the printed license is mailed to the broker's main office.¹

Temporary or provisional license

Provisional endorsement license (up to 1 year) for out-of-state licensees applying by endorsement; discretionary temporary licenses for military applicants⁶

Renewal and continuing education

Moving to Pennsylvania with a license from another state

These are the routes the State Real Estate Commission publishes for the Real Estate Salesperson license.

Associate Broker

A broker employed by another broker. Broker license types: Associate Broker, Broker Multi-Licensee (broker of record), Broker Corporation/LLC/Partnership, Broker Sole Proprietor.¹

Requirements

Business requirements

Must be employed by a Pennsylvania broker; the employing broker certifies supervision¹⁷

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. Your employing broker certifies supervision; the license is mailed to the broker's main office 7-10 business days after issue.¹⁷

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

Broker

Individual or entity that, for a fee, negotiates, lists, sells, buys, exchanges, leases, finances or manages real estate for others, performs comparative market analyses, and may employ associate brokers and salespersons. Broker license types: Associate Broker, Broker Multi-Licensee (broker of record), Broker Corporation/LLC/Partnership, Broker Sole Proprietor.¹

Requirements

Business requirements

Sole proprietors and broker companies must maintain an office in Pennsylvania (standard license) and pass an office inspection before the license issues²

Business requirements

A corporation, LLC or partnership is licensed through an individual broker of record (Broker Multi-Licensee application first); every partner/officer engaged in real estate must be licensed¹⁷

Business requirements

Recommendations attesting to good reputation from one Commission-licensed broker and two unrelated persons who own property in the county where the applicant resides or has a place of business (or the prior county, if the applicant moved within 1 year)¹⁷

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. Sole proprietors and broker companies schedule an office inspection with the Commission inspector; companies first file the broker-of-record (Multi-Licensee) application, then the company application.²

Renewal

Renewal fee

$126³

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 BrokerState license only (State Real Estate Commission); no local real estate agent license.¹

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

pa.gov¹⁴

File a complaint

pa.gov¹⁴

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act, Act of Feb. 19, 1980, P.L. 15, No. 9, 63 P.S. 455.101-455.902
• 49 Pa. Code 35.203
• 49 Pa. Code 35.221 (general requirements)
• 49 Pa. Code 35.230-35.231 (licensure by endorsement; provisional endorsement license)
• 49 Pa. Code 35.255 (reciprocal licenses)
• 49 Pa. Code 35.382-35.384 (continuing education)
• 56 Pa.B. 5544 (Aug. 22, 2026), State Real Estate Commission final-form rulemaking 16A-5625, Licensure by Endorsement
• 49 Pa. Code 35.223 (licensure as salesperson)
• 49 Pa. Code 35.272 (examination for salesperson license)
• 49 Pa. Code 35.222 (licensure as broker)
• 49 Pa. Code 35.271 (examination for broker license)

Rule changes since January 2024

• August 22, 2026: Licensure by endorsement (49 Pa. Code 35.230) and provisional endorsement license (35.231) added; fee rule 35.203 amended to cover endorsement applicants.¹⁸
• November 1, 2025: Salesperson and broker exams available in Spanish at test centers (Pearson).⁴

Common questions

Real estate agent licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
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• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
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• Maine
• Maryland
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• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
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• Texas
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