Minnesota State Required Pre-Licensing Hours: 30 hours
Agent Real Estate Schools Minnesota Course Hours Offered: 30 hours
Step 1: Meet the state’s requirements as outlined on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website.
They include:
- You must be 18 years old and above.
- You must have at least 3 years of licensed real estate salesperson experience in Minnesota or another state with comparable requirements within the 5 years prior to the date of application for the broker's examination.
Step 2: Complete the required 30-hour broker pre-licensing course at an institution approved by the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Step 3: Register and pass the broker licensing exam.
Step 4: Within 12 months of completing the course, apply for a broker’s license, and pay the applicable fee.
Note: Go to the Minnesota Department of Commerce website for details on the application process and fee.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Minnesota Broker License?
It can vary from person to person depending how fast you can complete both the required 30 hours of pre-licensing courses. You must also pass your licensing examination as well as completing the application process, and the application processing times are also a factor.
What Kind of Information Will I Learn to Help Me Get a Broker License in Minnesota?
All courses are approved by Minnesota Department of Commerce. Once completed, you are eligible to sit for the Minnesota broker licensing exam.
Agent Real Estate Schools gives a window of 6 months from the start date of your courses, (as required by Minnesota state) to finish the required 30 hours.
The 30-Hour Broker course is designed to give you important information about how to be a successful and effective real estate broker. We cover all the Minnesota real estate laws and regulations. You’ll learn critical information to keep you legal, like how to set up a trust account and how to follow the agency disclosure requirements. You will review real estate fundamentals, plus specialized topics for brokers such as the broker's role in closing; employment laws and insurance; the Fair Labor Standards Act; tax laws, withholding, and tax reports; independent contractor vs. employee status; State and Federal Unemployment Tax Act; and errors and omissions insurance.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Real Estate Broker License in Minnesota?
Becoming a real estate broker in Minnesota requires time and money but is very rewarding. An aspiring agent will spend up to $550.
How these costs break down:
- Pre-licensing exam coursework can run up to $350.
- Exam fees run $65.
- License fees cost $180.
- Technology fee cost $25.
Real Estate License Reciprocity
Yes, Minnesota offers full reciprocity for active real estate license holders and residents of certain states.
They include:
- Colorado
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Wisconsin (partial reciprocity)
Out-of-state residents are required to:
- You must submit a license application on www.pulseportal.com and pay the license fee of $210.
- Email a Letter of Certification (no more than 90 days old) documenting that you are currently licensed as a broker and reside in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, or Wisconsin to [email protected] with “Real Estate Application” in the subject line.
- If you’re a resident of Wisconsin, you must complete the 13-hour Wisconsin to Minnesota Reciprocal pre-license course and the course must be completed in not more than a year prior to application for licensure.
- Residents of Wisconsin must also pass the state portion of the broker exam.
Can You Apply for a Minnesota Broker License Online?
Yes, you can apply online. You can submit the license application at www.pulseportal.com for a fee of $190. Applicants who wish to be considered for an additional broker's license must first determine whether they qualify. Review the Additional Broker's License Request form and ensure that you can check one of the boxes on it and meet the other listed requirements. If you believe that you qualify, complete the entire form, and submit it to the Commerce Department.
After you have been approved and have submitted the second broker application on www.pulseportal.com you will need to email a copy of the department approval letter and a copy of your application confirmation page to the department with “Real Estate Licensing” in the subject line.
How Do I Apply for The Minnesota Real Estate Licensing Exam?
Minnesota partners with Pearson VUE to administer the real estate licensing examination. You can visit Pearson VUE website to find a testing center near you and to make an online exam reservation. You may also call (833) 273-1946 to schedule your exam. For more information on the exam, you can refer to the candidate handbook
Note: Fees paid to the Minnesota Department of Commerce do not include the exam fee. The exam fee must be paid separately to Pearson VUE.
How Do I Submit My Fingerprints for The Background Check?
You will need to submit your fingerprints for the background check if you do not hold a current license, including a temporary license, issued by the Minnesota Board of Social Work.
Once you submit your application and pay both the CBC and the applicable application fee to the Board, you will receive a fingerprinting packet via email from the CBC Program Office. The CBC Program Office is responsible for processing CBCs for all the health-related licensing boards.
The email from the CBC Program Office contains detailed instructions about how to be fingerprinted, how to submit your fingerprints to the CBC Program Office and will include all required forms for the fingerprint-based CBC. Do not schedule fingerprinting until you have received this email from the CBC Program Office.
When the CBC Program Office receives your fingerprints and required forms, the CBC Program Office will submit the information to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) for processing. The BCA will return the results to the CBC Program Office. The CBC Program Office will send the results to the Board for review.
How Do I Take the Minnesota Broker Licensing Exam?
The Minnesota salesperson licensing examination is administered by Pearson VUE and it consists of 130 questions.
- State portion 50 questions
- General portion 80 questions
Both the general and state sections of the Minnesota licensing exam must be passed with a score of at least 75%. Immediately upon exam completion, candidates will receive a score report marked as “pass” or “fail”. Those who pass one part of the examination and fail the other, need to retake only the failed portion of the exam.
You will need to take some items with you to the testing center.
They include:
- Two forms of valid, current signature identification, one of which must be photo-bearing (preferably a driver’s license)
- Original course completion certificate.
- Simple calculator
Note: You must apply for your broker license within 1 year of passing the examination. Otherwise, you will need to retake the examination and pass it again.
How Do I Submit My Minnesota Broker Application?
You can submit your Broker license application at www.pulseportal.com.
Be sure to have completed all requirements required by Minnesota department of commerce which included payment of application fee. You must apply for your Broker license Within 12 months of completing the pre licensing course and the state licensing examination.
Minnesota Broker License Renewal
Minnesota real estate licenses are good for two years. Renewal fees will run you $120.
Does Minnesota Require Post-Licensing Education?
Minnesota real estate brokers who are renewing their licenses or filing for a late renewal must complete 30 hours of approved continuing education coursework by June 30th of the renewal year. The Primary Broker must certify through the on-line renewal process that the licensee has completed hours.
Applicants must complete the following required topics within the renewal period:
- 1 hour of training to specify in Agency Representation and disclosure.
- 1 hour of training in state and federal fair housing laws, regulations and rules, other antidiscrimination laws.
- Must obtain 3.75 or 7.5 hours of module training every license year per designated course by the state.
Special Considerations
Obtaining Certificate of Course Completion: Upon completion of the course, you will be provided an electronic certificate of completion which can be found in the “my courses” tab in your student portal. Next to each completed course you will find an icon for the course completion certificate.
You will be required to submit your certificate of completion with your license request, please refer to your license application to determine if this is necessary.
Minnesota Department of Commerce
Website: https://mn.gov/commerce/licensees/real-estate/
Phone: 651-539-1599
Fax: 651-284-4107
Address: 85 7th Place East, Suite 280 Saint Paul, MN 55101