Pennsylvania Licensing Requirements

The Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission governs the licensing process and regulates a licensee's practice in the state of Pennsylvania.  You may reference Rules and Regulations of the State Real Estate Commission for specifics. 

You should know that not all licensees are REALTORS®.  A real estate licensee can be classified as a REALTOR® only after he or she has become a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS®.  The first step on your road to becoming a REALTOR® is to obtain a state-issued real estate license.

How does one acquire a Pennsylvania Real Estate License?
A person wishing to acquire a Pennsylvania Real estate License must be at least 18 years of age, have 4 educational credits in real estate (Real Estate Fundamentals and Real Estate Practice), and have successfully completed the State Licensing Examination. After one has passed the State Licensing Exam, a sponsoring broker is required for issuance of the salesperson's license. Acquiring the educational credits is mandatory before one takes the exam. After one has passed the Exam, one may wait up to three years before activating the license. Failure to do so within three years would mean that the prospective licensee must re-take the Exam.

What are the 2 basic courses?
The 2 basic courses are Real Estate Fundamentals and Real Estate Practice. Fundamentals provide the student with a basic foundation for additional study and supports the practice of real estate in Pennsylvania. The course is designed to acquaint the student with the language, principles and laws that govern the business of real estate. Practice provides the student with an introduction to all facets of the real estate business, including a survey of fields of specialization. The course is designed to acquaint the student with the basic techniques, procedures, regulations, and ethics involved in a real estate transaction, along with a working knowledge of the forms and documents used, including the related mathematics. Each course is worth 2 credits. An official school transcript is provided for each course.

Does it matter which course I take first?
It does not matter which of the two courses is taken first. The student may take FUNDAMENTALS first or, instead, take PRACTICE first. A strongly motivated student is the best guarantor of a person’s being well prepared to take and pass the State Licensing Exam. Those seeking to take both courses at the same time should recognize that ample study time must be provided in the student’s schedule.

For more information regarding education course opportunities, please contact one of these Approved Pennsylvania Real Estate Schools.

Already Licensed?  The links below provide valuable information regarding specific policy and or Guidelines of the State Real Estate Commission in pdf form that you may print or download to your computer.  Specific topics include:

Guideline for Home Offices

Guideline for "Team" Advertising

Guideline for Internet Advertising

Guideline for Real Estate Assistants and Unlicensed Individuals

Renewing your License?  Please contact the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission for more information, or reference Guideline regarding Continuing Education.