Pennsylvania FAQs

Requirements to Obtain a Salesperson License:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Meet one of the following:
  • Have completed education requirements in one of the following ways:
    • Have completed 4 credits or 60 hours of real estate instruction in Real Estate Fundamentals (30 hours) and Real Estate Practice (30 hours) within 10 years prior to the date of successful completion of the licensing examination; or
    • Possess a bachelor’s degree with a major in real estate or its equivalent from an accredited college, university or institute of higher learning; or
    • Have completed 4 credits or 60 hours of acceptable basic real estate courses at a real estate school, accredited college, university or institute of higher learning located outside this Commonwealth that has been approved by the jurisdiction where the school is located.
  • Possess a Letter of Certification from another licensing jurisdiction showing you have been actively licensed within the past 5 years. Submit a Letter of Certification from that jurisdiction, dated within 90 days of the date you are registering.
  • Possess a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school or a Certificate of Good Standing from the Supreme Court of the state where you practice law.
• Have successfully passed both the Pennsylvania and National portions of the PSI Salesperson Real Estate Exam.
• Have completed, signed and submitted the licensing application provided by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission along with the required fee.

Educational Requirements to Obtain a Broker's License:

• Be at least 21 years old.
• Have graduated from high school or obtained the equivalent of a high school degree (GED).
• Have at least 3 years of qualified experience as a licensed salesperson or the equivalent.
• Successful completion of 240 hours of real estate Broker education within 10 years prior to the date of successfully completion of the PSI examination.
• Have successfully passed both the Pennsylvania and National portions of the PSI Broker Real Estate Exam.
• Have completed, signed and submitted the licensing application provided by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission along with the required fee.

Broker CE

Complete 14 hours of Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission-approved continuing education during every two year renewal cycle. All licenses expire on May 31st of each even-numbered year.

Salesperson CE - 1st Renewal

Any licensee that holds a standard salesperson’s license issued between December 1, 2009 and November 30, 2011 must complete the required course(s) to renew his/her license by May 31, 2012. The required course is broken into three seven-hour modules: a general module, a commercial module, and a residential module. Licensees must take the general module as well as the one specialty module most applicable to their practice.

Salesperson CE - 2nd and Subsequent Renewals

Complete 14 hours of Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission-approved continuing education during every two year renewal cycle, this can include elective courses, all or part of the required course for new licensees or a Broker course of at least 15 hours in length. All licenses expire on May 31st of each even-numbered year.

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

1. Complete Your Required Education and Exam Prep

You must successfully complete 60 hours of approved real estate education, and be at least 18 years old. Complete the 60-hour requirement with Brigthwood’s approved education.

• 60-Hour Licensing with Master Exam Prep Package
• 30-Hour Real Estate Fundamentals
• 30-Hour Real Estate Practices 

Select and enroll in the course that's right for you on our Pennsylvania Salesperson licensing page.

Your courses are offered by Brightwood Career Institute | Harrisburg

2. Complete a Background Check

You must obtain a Pennsylvania report of your criminal history. Pennsylvania background checks may be obtained at: https://epatch.state.pa.us or from the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository, 1800 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758, (717) 783-5593.

3. Take the Pennsylvania and National Licensing Exam

Successfully pass both the Pennsylvania and National portions of the PSI Salesperson Real Estate Exam. Be prepared on exam day with Brightood’s exam prep QBank.
 

4. Apply for Your Pennsylvania State License

Complete, sign, and submit the licensing application provided by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission along with the required fee.

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In general, online access to study materials for courses shall be granted for a period of up to 6 months from the date of purchase. Online access may be less than 6 months, if limited by state law or changes made at the discretion of Brightwood Real Estate Education, powered by Kaplan.

View our Terms and Conditions policy.

Our full return policy can be found here.

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.