How to Get a Real Estate License in Mississippi

A real estate career in Mississippi can take shape in all kinds of places–busy markets along the Gulf Coast, historic neighborhoods around Jackson, or quieter towns throughout the Delta. No matter where you’re hoping to work, every new agent begins the same way: by moving through Mississippi’s licensing process with the Mississippi Real Estate Commission (MREC). 

The MREC sets the requirements for becoming a Mississippi salesperson, but the overall path is approachable once you understand how it works. You’ll work through education, an exam, and state approvals, all of which are designed to make sure new agents enter the field prepared. When everything is in place, you can join a sponsoring broker and begin building your business in the community you want to serve. 

Here’s a quick look at the steps ahead:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Complete state-approved prelicensing education
• Pass the Mississippi real estate exam
• Submit fingerprints and a background check
• Affiliate with a sponsoring broker
• Activate your real estate license

Table of Contents

• Steps to Get a Real Estate License in Mississippi
• Mississippi Real Estate Continuing Education and License Renewal Requirements
• Reciprocity for Salesperson Licenses in Mississippi

Steps to Get a Real Estate License in Mississippi

To start your real estate career in Mississippi, you’ll move through the following MREC-required steps:

Step 1: Meet Mississippi’s Basic Eligibility Requirements

Before starting your coursework, ensure that you meet the state’s baseline requirements. Mississippi expects all applicants to:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
• Be a bona fide resident of Mississippi 

Step 2: Complete 60 Hours of Mississippi Prelicensing Education

Mississippi requires 60 hours of state-approved real estate coursework before you can move forward in the licensing process. The curriculum introduces the core areas of real estate practice and Mississippi-specific laws.

Your course will cover topics such as:

• Agency relationships and fiduciary responsibilities
• Real estate contracts
• Mississippi license law and regulations
• Property ownership and land use
• Real estate financing
• Ethics and professional conduct
  

When you complete all 60 hours, you’ll receive a course completion certificate, which you’ll include in your application to the MREC. 

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Step 3: Submit Your Mississippi Real Estate License Application

Before you can schedule the licensing exam, you’ll need to send your official application to the MREC. This step allows MREC to verify your eligibility and confirm that you’ve completed the required prelicensing education. 

Your application typically includes:

• Your 60-hour course completion certificate
• The state application form
• Required fees
• Any supporting identification or documentation requested by the MREC

Once the MREC reviews and approves your application, they’ll notify you that you’re eligible to move forward with the licensing exam.

Step 4: Schedule and Pass the Mississippi Real Estate Licensing Exam

Once approved, you’ll register for the licensing exam through PSI, the state’s official testing vendor. The exam includes both national and Mississippi-specific questions, and you must pass both sections to move forward.

What to expect:

• Bring valid identification on exam day
• You’ll receive your score report immediately after testing
• If you need to retake a portion, PSI will tell you exactly what to do next

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Step 5: Complete Fingerprinting and a Background Check

Mississippi requires all new salespersons to submit fingerprints and undergo a state and federal background check. This step helps the MREC verify your eligibility to hold a real estate license.

You’ll follow the MREC’s fingerprinting instructions, which typically include:

• Scheduling with an approved fingerprinting vendor
• Paying the processing fee
• Waiting for the results to be sent directly to the MREC

Step 6: Affiliate with a Mississippi Sponsoring Broker

To hold an active real estate license in Mississippi, you must work under a licensed Mississippi broker. This is the person or firm who will supervise your work, offer training, and help you gain hands-on experience with clients.

When choosing a brokerage, consider:

• Training and mentorship programs
• Commission structures
• Office culture and support systems
• Market presence in the area you want to serve
  

Once a broker agrees to sponsor you, they will help you complete the necessary activation paperwork.

Step 7: Activate Your Mississippi Real Estate License

After your exam results, background check, and broker sponsorship are in order, the MREC will review everything and issue your real estate license. You’ll receive confirmation once your license is active and you’re cleared to begin practicing. From here, you’re officially ready to help buyers and sellers across Mississippi.

Mississippi Real Estate Continuing Education and License Renewal Requirements

Mississippi salesperson licenses must be renewed every two years, and the MREC requires continuing education (CE) to keep agents up-to-date on state laws, contracts, and agency responsibilities. The CE requirements depend on whether you’re renewing for the first time or returning for a later renewal cycle. 

CE Requirements for Mississippi Salespersons

Most active salespersons must complete 16 hours of state-approved CE during each two-year renewal period. These hours must include:

• Courses in Mississippi license law
• Courses in contract law
• Courses in agency law
• Additional elective hours to reach the full 16-hour requirement
  

CE must be completed before your license expiration date in order to renew on time. Mississippi also allows up to 6 CE hours taken in the final three months of your current renewal cycle to carry over into the next one. 

First-Time Salesperson License Renewal

Mississippi requires new salespersons to complete a 30-hour post-licensing course within their first year. This course is designed to help new agents move from the classroom into real-world practice, covering topics such as brokerage relationships, agency duties, contracts, state license law, and practical skills you’ll use when working with clients. The post-licensing course takes the place of traditional CE for the first renewal.

Once you finish the 30-hour requirement, you’ll submit your renewal application to the MREC to keep your license active. 

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Subsequent Salesperson License Renewals

After your first renewal, all future renewal cycles require the full 16 hours of CE every two years. Your license must be renewed by the deadline to remain active; otherwise, it will lapse until CE requirements and renewal fees are completed.

Mississippi also offers a CE exemption for qualifying licensees who are 65 years of age or older and who have held a Mississippi real estate license for 25 years or more. 

Reciprocity for Salesperson Licenses in Mississippi

When you hold a salesperson license in another state and are considering moving to or practicing in Mississippi, you’ll want to understand how the licensing process works here. The MREC allows non-resident and out-of-state licensed salespersons to apply for a Mississippi real estate license, but Mississippi does not maintain formal reciprocity agreements with any specific states.

What this means in practice:

• If you are licensed as a salesperson in another state and want to switch to Mississippi, you must apply via MREC’s Non-Resident/Reciprocal Salesperson License Application.
• Because there are no formal reciprocity agreements identifying “partner states,” each application is reviewed on its own merits. Your current license must be in good standing, and you may need to meet Mississippi’s exam, education, or other requirements as determined by the MREC.
• Simply being licensed elsewhere does not automatically waive Mississippi’s requirements–you should contact the MREC directly to understand which parts of your out-of-state license will be accepted. 

Key Steps for Out-of-State Salespersons

1. Verify that your active license in the other state is in good standing
2. Submit the MREC Non-Resident/Reciprocal application form with appropriate signatures and documentation
3. Provide a license history or certification from your home state
4. Meet any Mississippi-specific requirements that the MREC lists for your case
5. After approval, you can obtain your Mississippi salesperson license and operate under an employing Mississippi broker