NJ Real Estate Licensing Requirements

NJ Real Estate Licensing Requirements2023-05-09T15:17:24-04:00
Real Estate license

An Applicant Must

  • Be 18 years of age or older

  • Have a high school education or equivalency

  • Be a US citizen, or be legally present in the United States

  • Read the “Screening Questions” below, which will be passed out on the first day of the pre-licensing class

  • Complete a 75-hour prelicensure course at a licensed school and pass the license examination

  • After successfully completing the course and passing the examination the applicant must apply for a license through a sponsoring real estate broker

  • In addition, the Commission must be satisfied as to the applicant’s honesty, trustworthiness, character and integrity

  • An applicant must pass the salesperson license examination and apply for and request the issuance of a license as a salesperson not later than one year after their successful completion of the salesperson prelicensure education requirements

Screening Questions

The screening questions below relate to the statutory qualifications to receive a real estate license. The purpose of this notice is to urge you to consider whether any such incidents in your background may serve to disqualify you from licensure as a real estate salesperson or broker. If you have any doubts or questions as to whether you will qualify for licensure, you can call the New Jersey Real Estate Commission for guidance at (609) 292-7272 extension 50383. With the exception of motor vehicle violations, have you ever been convicted of a crime, misdemeanor, or disorderly persons offense in the state of New Jersey, or any other state, or by the federal government, or are you presently on probation or parole?

  • Is there a criminal complaint, disorderly persons charge, a criminal accusation or criminal information presently pending against you or are you presently under indictment in New Jersey, any other state or by the federal government, or are you presently enrolled in New Jersey’s Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) program or any similar state or federal program involving the deferral of the disposition or sentencing in a criminal matter?

  • Have you ever had a real estate or other professional license certification or similar credential revoked, suspended, surrendered in lieu of formal prosecution or denied in New Jersey or any other state?

  • Do you have a child support obligation on which there is an arrearage due that equals or exceeds the amount of child support payable for six (6) months, or are you the subject of a child support-related warrant, or during the past six months have you failed to provide any court-ordered health care coverage, or have you failed to respond to a subpoena relating to a paternity or child support proceeding?

  • Are you UNDER the age of 18 at the time of taking the examination?

  • Do you now hold, or have your ever held ANY license issued by the New Jersey Real Estate Commission?

  • Are you a high school graduate or the holder of a G.E.D?

  • Do you currently hold a real estate license issued by another state?

New Jersey real estate seminars

New Jersey Real Estate Referral Agent’s License

To qualify for a real estate referral agent’s license in New Jersey, an applicant must fulfill all of the requirements shown above to become a salesperson. Once licensed, if a salesperson elects to become a referral agent, they are excused from CE requirements thereafter.

real estate pre license courses

New Jersey Real Estate Broker’s License

To qualify in New Jersey, you must:

  • Have a high school education or equivalency

  • Be able to prove they have been engaged full time (defined as at least 40 hours per week) in their real estate career for at least the three years immediately preceding their application

  • Be a US citizen, or be legally present in the United States

  • Successfully complete 150 hours of prelicensure education

  • Applicants must first complete a 90-hour general real estate course, and then two 30-hour courses on Agency/Ethics and Office Management/Related Topics

  • In addition, applicants must have been continually licensed and employed on a full-time basis as a New Jersey real estate salesperson for the three years immediately preceding application

  • After completion of all three courses, applicants must submit to the Education Qualification Section of the Commission their completed school certificate and a completed Experience Report For Broker Applicant form. Following review and approval, the applicant will be mailed a Certificate of Examination Eligibility, which may be used to make a reservation to take the Broker license examination

  • An applicant must pass the broker license examination and apply for and request the issuance of a license as a broker or broker-salesperson not later than one year after their successful completion of the broker prelicensure education requirements. Failure to pass the state exam, undergo the fingerprinting/criminal background process, and be accepted by a sponsoring broker within this period of 365 days after graduating from the 75-hour course will result in the applicant having to retake the entire 75-hour course

If an applicant has ever been convicted of a crime or is currently on parole or probation their application for a real estate salesperson or broker’s license may be denied. See N.J.S.A. 45:15-9, 45:15­12.1 and 2A:168A-1 et seq. Applicants for both a salesperson’s and broker’s licenses must be fingerprinted as a part of their criminal background check.

If you are a disabled United States Veteran and a citizen of New Jersey, it may be possible to secure waivers of the education and experience requirements for licensure. Please contact the New Jersey Real Estate Commission’s Education Waiver Section at 609-292-7272 for details.

New Jersey does not have reciprocity with any state.

If you have any questions regarding the above please do not hesitate to contact the Real Estate Commission at 609-292-7272 ext. 50546

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