New Jersey FAQs

To qualify for a real estate salesperson's license an applicant must be 18 years of age or older, have a high school education or equivalency, complete a 75-hour prelicensure course at a licensed school and pass the license examination. After successfully completing the course and passing the examination the applicant must apply for a license through a sponsoring real estate broker. In addition the Commission must be satisfied as to the applicant's honesty, trustworthiness, character and integrity.

To qualify for a broker's license an applicant must have a high school education or equivalency and must successfully complete 150 hours of prelicensure education. Applicants must first complete a 90-hour general real estate course, and then two 30-hour courses on Agency/Ethics and Office Management and related topics. In addition, applicants must have been continually licensed and employed on a full-time basis as a New Jersey real estate salesperson for the three years immediately preceding application. After completion of all three courses applicants must submit to the Education Qualification Section of the Commission their completed school certificate and a completed Experience Report For Broker Applicant form. Following review and approval, the applicant will be mailed a Certificate of Examination Eligibility, which may be used to make a reservation to take the Broker license examination. An applicant must pass the broker license examination and apply for and request the issuance of a license as a broker or broker-salesperson not later than one year after their successful completion of the broker prelicensure education requirements.

In order to qualify for license renewal on July 1, 2013, 12 credits of CE must be completed by June 30, 2013.   At least six of the twelve credits must be obtained in courses within the “core topics,” specified at N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.4.  The six shall include at least 2 credit hours on ethics.  The remainder can be electives.

In order to qualify for license renewal on July 1, 2013, 12 credits of CE must be completed by June 30, 2013. At least six of the twelve credits must be obtained in courses within the “core topics,” specified at N.J.A.C. 11:5-12.4. The six shall include at least 2 credit hours on ethics. The remainder can be electives.

All information provided is subject to change. If you have specific questions, please visit the New Jersey Real Estate Commission website.

1.  Complete Your Required Education

You must have a high school diploma or equivalent and successfully complete 75 hours of approved real estate education at a school licensed by the New Jersey Real Estate Commission.

2.  Complete Your Exam Prep

To further prepare yourself and to be confident you are ready for the exam, enroll in Your Guide to Passing the PSI Exam Prep QBank.

3.  Register and Pass Your State Licensing Exam

The exam is administered by PSI Services LLC. To register, go to http://candidate.psiexams.com/

4.  Complete Your Fingerprinting and Obtain a Sponsoring Broker

Before you submit an application to become a licensed real estate Salesperson, you must have your fingerprints taken and be sponsored by a Broker. For information on fingerprinting, please visit: http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_rec/licensing/fingerpring06.html

5.  Submit Your Application

Submit your application to the Licensing Services Bureau, Real Estate.

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Both formats are delivered online via the Internet but there are distinct differences with unique advantages designed with the highest level of convenience and success in mind. This page provides details on all of our course delivery formats.

We have a team of seasoned real estate professionals who develop our materials as well as teach our courses. Meet our lead instructors.

All Brightwood College and Brightwood Career Institute, powered by Kaplan Real Estate Education licensing, postlicensing and continuing education courses are submitted and approved by that state's governing body.

Each state has a different governing body that regulates real estate professionals with requirements that vary by state. To find the requirements for your state, go to your state's landing page and select 'State Requirements' from the top navigation.

Each state handles reciprocity differently. We encourage individuals who are licensed in a state and desire to become licensed in additional states to contact the target state regulator body for details. After obtaining the requirements necessary to be licensed in that state, our customer service team can assist you with matching courses to state reciprocity rules. 

What is the difference between a sales person and a broker? A real estate salesperson or broker is a professional licensed by their state to help consumers with real estate matters.  A salesperson must work under a managing or principal broker, this is the broker who is in charge of the brokerage firm.  Some states only license brokers, in that case, new brokers may be called broker associates and are required to work under a managing or principal broker. Much like a salesperson. 

A managing, principal or employing broker is a licensed broker who is in charge of a brokerage firm and the salespersons or broker associates of the firm. Typically to become a managing broker at least two years of active license experience and further course work and sometimes license exams are required.

No matter if you are a real estate salesperson, broker associate or managing broker the job is the same work with buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords to help them reach an agreement.

This video provides a simple five-question test to determine if you fit the profile.

An appraiser gives an opinion of the quality, value, or utility of a specific property. An appraisal is usually required whenever real estate is sold, mortgaged, taxed, insured, or developed. A typical appraisal might include physically inspecting the property, measuring the improvements and collecting the associated costs, preparing a site drawing, writing the physical description of the property, researching official records and deeds, finding similar properties to compare, and writing a final appraisal report.

• Make a list of brokerage firms you want to talk with. If you don't know where to start, browse real estate ads to see if some firms seem more interesting than others.
• Visit your local Chamber of Commerce or Board of REALTORS^® to find out which firms are best represented. Pay attention to television and radio advertising, billboards, and the “For Sale” signs you see in yards.
• Make appointments with the managing or principle broker of each real estate firm on your list. Larger firms may have recruiting managers.

• Ask the broker for an itemized list of startup expenses. Are you required to join local, regional, and national professional organizations? Are there recurring monthly or quarterly expenses for membership?
• Find out if advertising expenses are paid by the agency. How about “For Sale” signs and other signs? Do they provide them to agents free of charge?
• Who pays for long distance telephone calls to clients? How about photocopies, stamps, and other office-related expenses?
• Does the firm provide in-office computers and printers for real estate agent use, or are you expected to bring your own?
• Ask if the firm carries errors and omissions insurance for agents. If so, find out what's covered. Discuss the policy with an insurance carrier to make sure it's adequate.

According to Salary.com, most real estate agents earn on average between $36,566 and $47,610 annually. How much agents make depends on the number of transactions they complete, the commission paid to the brokerage, and their split with the sponsoring broker. If you are talking with a franchised agency, be sure to ask what percentage of each sales commission is deducted and sent to the franchising company. Top producers earn a lot more than the average real estate agent. Each real estate office sets its own standards for top producers, but it's probably safe to say that a top producer would need to sell at least one home a month to qualify. Mega-stars earn $200,000 and up per year. Very few real estate professionals earn a salary versus commission.

On September 3, 2015, Kaplan concluded a previously announced agreement to sell its nationally accredited schools, including Kaplan Real Estate Education, to Education Corporation of America (ECA).  This close secures the goals of both ECA and Kaplan, as each business is strengthened. This partnership continues to be a great fit and is immediately scalable while maintaining strong, career-focused education for our students.

Going forward, your Kaplan Real Estate Education courses will be offered by Brightwood College, or Brightwood Career Institute, both are divisions of ECA. You will still receive the same high-quality education you’ve come to expect from Kaplan, written and led by the same industry-leading authors and instructors.

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