New York State Requirements

New York Real Estate Commission

One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Ave.
6th Floor
Albany, NY 12231-0001
Phone: 518-474-4429
Website: dos.ny.gov/real-estate-broker

Salesperson Prelicensing Education Requirements

• Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State
• Be 18 years old.
  
• Successfully complete 77 hours of approved salesperson qualifying education.
• Pass examination administered by the Department of State.
• New York state requires proctoring for the final exam at a location within the state of New York. For testing facilities, pleasse refer to the table below. 
• Be sponsored by a NYS licensed Broker
• Have a current NYS photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card
• For more information, please review state’s website https://www.dos.ny.gov/licensing/re_salesperson/re_sales_broker_faq.html#3
• For information on how to apply for licensure, please review the following link: https://www.dos.ny.gov/licensing/eaccessny_faq.html#7

Broker Prelicensing Education Requirements

• Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State.
  • Prior to filing this application, all proposed business names must be submitted, in writing, to the Division of Licensing Services for approval. Upon approval of the name you wish to use, you must then file the appropriate document with either the respective County Clerk’s office or the NYS Department of State, Division of Corporations.
• Be at least 20 years or older.
• Have at least two years of experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or at least three years of experience in the general real estate field or a combination of both
• Meet the minimum points required for the experience type (e.g., buying and selling your own property, managing property owned by your employer)
• Have satisfactorily completed 152 hours of approved qualifying education. This includes the 45-hour salesperson course, the 30-hour salesperson remedial, a 2-hour continuing education course on Fair Housing and/or Implicit Bias training, and the 75-hour broker course.
• Pass a qualifying exam administered provided by the Department of State
• New York state requires proctoring for the final exam at a location within the state of New York. For testing facilities click here: Proctor Locations for New York Real Estate Licensing
• Have a current NYS photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card

Salesperson Continuing Education Requirements

• Renewal periods are every two years from the date printed on the license. Licensees are eligible to renew up to three months prior to the expiration date.
  
• Must complete 22.5 hours of education to include:
  • At least 2 hours of instruction pertaining to cultural competency
  • 2 hours of instruction pertaining to implicit bias training
  • 2.5 hours on the subject of ethical business practices
  • At least 1 hour of recent legal matters
  • At least 3 hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property
  • At least 1 hour of instruction pertaining to the law of agency except in the case of the initial two-year licensing term for real estate salespersons
  • 2 hours of agency related instruction must be completed within the two-year period immediately preceding a renewal. 
  • Any salesperson who successfully completes an approved broker qualifying course (which requires passing the final exam), within their current term, will receive continuing education credit for completion of that course. Please note: If completing the broker course for continuing education, you must also complete 2.5 hours of ethical business practices and 1 hour of recent legal matters topics to satisfy the requirement.

Broker Continuing Education Requirements

• Renewal periods are every two years from the date printed on the license. Licensees are eligible to renew up to three months prior to the expiration date.
  
• Must complete 22.5 hours of education to include:
  • At least 2 hours of instruction pertaining to cultural competency
  • 2 hours of instruction pertaining to implicit bias training
  • 2.5 hours on the subject of ethical business practices
  • At least 1 hour of recent legal matters
  • At least 3 hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property
  • At least 1 hour of instruction pertaining to the law of agency except in the case of the initial two-year licensing term for real estate salespersons
  • 2 hours of agency related instruction must be completed within the two-year period immediately preceding a renewal.
• A recent legislative amendment REMOVED the 15-year real estate broker continuing education exemption and now requires all brokers who were previously exempted to complete continuing education starting July 1, 2021.

Exam Provider Information

Once you have taken and passed your prelicensing education exam, you will need to schedule your state licensing exam.

• Applicants are required to schedule their Real Estate Salesperson exam online. In order to schedule your examination, you must have an eAccessNY account. In addition to being able to apply for the exam, you will be able to view your scheduled exam details and exam results online. 
• To create an account, access here Create My Account for New Licensee or Registrant access
• For Licensee or Registrant with an active account, access here Access My Account
• Persons with disabilities who require accessibility information should call 518-474-4429. Persons who require testing modifications should not schedule an exam and, instead, call 518-474-4429.