Minnesota State Required Pre-Licensing Hours: 90 hours
Agent Real Estate Schools Minnesota Course Hours Offered: 90 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
Step 2: Complete the required 90-hour pre-licensing course for salesperson at an institution approved by the Minnesota Department of commerce. (Course I, Course II, Course III)
Step 3: Register and pass the licensing exam by earning a score of 75% or higher
Step 4: Obtain a sponsoring broker. Are you curious about how to choose the right broker for you?
Step 5: Submit your application for a Minnesota real estate license. Be sure to follow the application procedures required by Minnesota Department of Commerce.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Minnesota Real Estate License?
It can vary from person to person depending how fast or slow you can complete both the required 90 hours of pre-licensing courses. You must also pass your licensing examination as well as completing the application process, finding a sponsoring broker, and the application processing times are also a factor.
What Kind of Information Will I Learn to Help Me Get a Real Estate License in Minnesota?
All courses are approved by Minnesota Department of Commerce and once you complete them you are eligible to sit for the Minnesota Salesperson 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 90 hours.
The required courses within the 90 hours include:
- Course I (30 hours)
- Course II (30 hours)
- Course III (30 hours)
You must successfully complete Course I before taking the salesperson’s state and national exams and Course II and Course III may be completed either before or after your exam but must be completed prior to applying for your license.
The courses may be obtained through State certified real estate schools, approved college and universities and education completed at other licensing jurisdictions
Note: You will need to schedule an appointment with an exam proctor while taking your licensing exam. At the end of the test, you must also sign an affidavit to verify it was you that took the exam yourself.
Can You Apply for a Minnesota Real Estate License Online?
No, you can’t apply online. You will need to obtain a sponsoring broker and then as your licensed primary broker they can submit an application for licensure. Only a licensed primary broker can submit a license application for you. The license fee is $130.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Real Estate License in Minnesota?
Becoming a real estate agent in Minnesota requires time and money but is very rewarding. An aspiring agent will spend up to $770.
How these costs break down:
- Pre-licensing exam coursework can run up to $599.
- Exam fees run $65.
- License fees for an agent cost $100.
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.
Note: Residents of Wisconsin must also pass the state portion of the broker exam.
How Do I Apply for The Minnesota Real Estate Licensing Exam?
Minnesota partners with Pearson VUE to administer the broker 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 Real Estate Licensing Exam?
The Minnesota real estate licensing exam 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 Real Estate Application?
You must be associated with an actively licensed real estate broker before you can become a licensed real estate salesperson. You must be licensed to act on behalf of a licensed broker. You do not submit your application for a real estate salesperson license; the real estate broker that you become associated with must submit it by logging in to Pearson VUE’s Credentials Management System for Certification and Licensing Programs using the username and password of the licensed real estate company that the individual will be associated with.
Once the state’s Commerce Department has approved the application, your broker will be able to print out your license and inform you that you are licensed as a Minnesota real estate salesperson. For more information on how to find a sponsoring broker, click here.
Minnesota Real Estate License Renewal
Minnesota real estate licenses are good for two years. Renewal fees will run you $70.
Does Minnesota Require Post-Licensing Education?
Minnesota real estate agents who are renewing their licenses or filing for a late renewal must complete 30 hours of approved continuing education coursework.
- 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