Does the salesperson 60 count as the broker 60?

No. According to AREC's Education page, 45 of the broker 60 hours must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course, completed within 36 months immediately before the date you apply to take the broker exam. The salesperson 60 hours (30 principles) do not count, and salesperson post-license hours do not count toward broker post-license.

According to AREC's new-applicant page, 24 months active as a salesperson or broker within the previous 48 months. On written request, AREC may waive this if you have held an active broker license for not less than 18 months, or accept 24 months of real-estate-related experience (with a written history for review).

Is the broker exam the same two portions as salesperson?

No. The Pearson unified Real Estate Broker exam has 120 scored + 10 pretest items, requires a scaled 70, and costs $75. It is one exam and cannot be divided into portions for reexamination. There is a 24-hour wait before retaking. File within 90 days of passing.

What does the upgrade filing cost?

According to AREC's FAQ, a currently active salesperson returns the current license and pocket card and files the successful score report, the $70 license fee, and the signed post-license notice within 90 days. The examination application is a separate $50 to AREC, and Pearson is a separate $75.

When can I become Principal or Executive Broker?

According to AREC's FAQ, after you finish the 30-hour broker post-license course. A Temporary Broker cannot move to Executive or Principal Broker until that course is done.

Arkansas Broker License Requirements (2026)

Required education: 60 hours of which 45 must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course (within 36 months)
Exam fee: $75
Published fees: $50
Typical timeline: 24 months active is the longest step

What to know first

An Arkansas broker license is not a repeat of the 60-hour salesperson course. ACA § 17-42-303 requires 60 hours of real estate education, of which 45 hours must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course, completed within the 36 months immediately before the date of application. You also need 24 months of active salesperson or broker licensure within the previous 48 months. On written request, AREC may waive the experience requirement for someone who has held an active broker license for at least 18 months, or accept 24 months of real-estate-related work within the same 48-month window. The salesperson 60 hours (30 principles) do not count toward this 60.

Pearson delivers a unified broker examination: one exam with 120 scored items plus 10 pretest items on the December 1, 2025 outline, a scaled 70 to pass, and a $75 fee. It is not split into general and state portions like the salesperson exam. If you fail, you retake the whole exam after 24 hours. File with AREC within 90 days of passing. New brokers must complete a 30-hour AREC post-license course within six months of issuance; if you want Executive or Principal Broker status, you must finish it before requesting the upgrade. Missouri broker hours and Oklahoma broker courses will not count as the 45-hour AREC Broker Pre-License Course.

Your path to the license

Follow these steps in order. Deadlines and affiliation requirements can make a passed exam unusable if they are missed.

Document 24 months active in the previous 48

Or petition AREC in writing for a statutory waiver.
Complete 60 hours including the 45-hour AREC Broker Pre-License Course

Must be within 36 months of application. The salesperson 60 hours do not count.
File the AREC application, get fingerprinted after the email, and take the $75 unified Pearson exam

Scaled 70. One exam.
File within 90 days; complete the 30-hour post-license course within six months

Finish post-license before requesting Executive or Principal Broker status.

How long the 60-hour course takes

Coursework is usually the longest step you control. Weeks below are classroom or online hours only; add application processing, fingerprint clearance, and exam scheduling from the roadmap above.

Part-time: 6 weeksabout 10 hrs/week
Steady: 3 weeksabout 20 hrs/week
Full-time: 2 weeksabout 40 hrs/week

Overall estimate from our source review: 24 months active is the longest step. After the 45-hour Broker Pre-License Course, allow time for AREC processing, the Pearson exam, and the 90-day filing window.

Education and eligibility

Minimum age: 18 years old
Identification: A Social Security number is required. An ITIN is not confirmed as a substitute.
Residency and identification: 24 months active as a salesperson or broker within the previous 48 months, or a written AREC waiver (18 months as an active broker, or 24 months of real-estate-related experience AREC accepts). Nonresidents submit license histories.
Qualifying education: ACA § 17-42-303: 60 hours, 45 of them the AREC Broker Pre-License Course, completed within 36 months immediately preceding the application date. The salesperson 60 hours (30 principles) do not count as this course. Courses must come from an AREC-licensed school, an accredited postsecondary school, or a school in another jurisdiction that AREC deems equivalent.
Education or filing deadline: Broker education is valid for 36 months. You have 90 days from passing to file. Pearson authorization lasts one year.
Character review: The same fingerprint and disclosure review applies as for salespersons.
Background process: State and federal criminal background check after AREC authorizes fingerprinting.
Experience: 24 months active as a salesperson or broker within the previous 48 months (ACA § 17-42-303 / Reg 4.1), subject to written waivers AREC may grant.
Broker affiliation: An Arkansas broker license allows you to serve as a principal or executive broker. The 30-hour post-license course must be finished before requesting Executive or Principal Broker status.

Documents to prepare

Broker experience form / license history covering 24 months in 48
Certificate for 60 hours including 45-hour AREC Broker Pre-License Course (≤36 months)
Pearson unified broker passing score (scaled 70)
Filing within 90 days

The licensing exam

Pearson unified Real Estate Broker exam: $75, scaled 70 to pass. December 1, 2025 outline: 120 scored + 10 pretest items covering Commission duties including the Recovery Fund (4%), statutory licensure (10%), other Arkansas statutory topics including timeshares and auctions (6%), federal law (10%), broker operations and trust accounts (18%), agency (12%), property characteristics (10%), valuation (5%), contracts/financing/settlement (15%), and property management (10%). It is one exam, so you cannot retake just part of it. There is a 24-hour wait before retaking. File within 90 days of passing.

Pearson VUE unified Real Estate Broker exam, after AREC Authorization to Test, $75 · Fee: $75

Part	Questions	Minutes	Pass
Unified Real Estate Broker	120	—	70%

Scoring details from the candidate handbook

Unified Real Estate Broker: 120 scored + 10 pretest items; scaled 70; $75. One exam, not split like the salesperson exam. Outline effective December 1, 2025: Commission duties including Recovery Fund (4%); statutory licensure (10%); other Arkansas statutory including timeshares and auctions (6%); federal law (10%); broker operations and trust accounts (18%); agency (12%); property characteristics (10%); valuation (5%); contracts/financing/settlement (15%); property management (10%). Time: the handbook lists a two-to-four-hour appointment window and does not publish a broker-specific time limit, so 240-minute figures seen elsewhere are not official.

You must retake the entire exam, after a 24-hour wait, for $75. Authorization lasts one year. File within 90 days of passing.

What to study

AREC Broker Pre-License Course (45 hours)

AREC-developed / approved provider

A course named in statute. Generic national broker courses do not substitute.
Pearson unified broker outline (December 1, 2025)

Pearson / AREC

120 scored items. Trust accounts and supervision are the topics candidates most often miss.

Application costs

These are commission or testing-vendor amounts we can cite. School tuition and optional preparation products are private-market prices.

Fee	Amount
Application	$50
Examination	$75
Initial license	$70
Renewal (every year)	$80

According to AREC's FAQ, a currently active salesperson upgrading to broker files the successful score report, returns the current license and pocket card, and submits the $70 license fee and signed post-license notice within 90 days. The AREC examination application is $50 (the nonresident not-sitting fee has been listed at $180; confirm with AREC). The Pearson unified exam is $75. Renewal is $80 before September 30, with a $30 late penalty after. For the Recovery Fund fee on an original broker filing, check the passing score report; do not assume the salesperson's $25 applies.

Published state fees

$195

Application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts cited above. Excludes school tuition.

Estimate your full cost →

Commission	Arkansas Real Estate Commission (501) 683-8010 Ark. Code Ann. § 17-42-101 et seq. (Real Estate License Law, including § 17-42-303 education and § 17-42-307 post-license/CE); Commission Regulations 4.1, 4.2(d), 6.2, 11.5. Sources: AREC new-applicant page, FAQ, and Education page; Pearson VUE Arkansas Real Estate and Property Management Candidate Handbook #090400 (rev06/2026).
Pre-licensing	60 hours of which 45 must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course (within 36 months) ACA § 17-42-303: 60 hours, 45 of them the AREC Broker Pre-License Course, completed within 36 months immediately preceding the application date. The salesperson 60 hours (30 principles) do not count as this course. Courses must come from an AREC-licensed school, an accredited postsecondary school, or a school in another jurisdiction that AREC deems equivalent. Broker education is valid for 36 months. You have 90 days from passing to file. Pearson authorization lasts one year.
Sponsoring broker	An Arkansas broker license allows you to serve as a principal or executive broker. The 30-hour post-license course must be finished before requesting Executive or Principal Broker status.
Fingerprints	The same state and federal criminal background check applies as for salespersons. Do not get fingerprinted until AREC emails you.
CE / renewal	Active brokers need the same 7-hour annual CE as salespersons. The 30-hour broker post-license course is original education, due within six months of broker issuance and required before Executive or Principal Broker status (per AREC's FAQ). Salesperson post-license hours do not count toward broker post-license. According to AREC's FAQ, brokers pay a $30 penalty after September 30.
Recovery fund	The same Recovery Fund applies. An original broker filing also includes the fund fee AREC lists on the passing score report. AREC's FAQ states $25 for salespersons but does not state a broker amount, so confirm the current figure with AREC.

Mistakes that delay applicants

Treating the salesperson 60 hours as the broker 60

45 hours must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course within 36 months of application. Exam prep does not count as that course.
Letting broker education age past 36 months

The 36 months are measured to the date you apply to take the broker exam, not the exam date.
Requesting Principal Broker status before the 30-hour post-license course

Per AREC's FAQ, finish it first. Credit will not be given if the course is taken before the broker license is issued.
Expecting to retake only part of the unified broker exam

Per the handbook, it is a one-part comprehensive examination. If you fail, you retake the whole exam after 24 hours, for $75.
Counting salesperson post-license toward broker post-license

Per AREC's FAQ, they are separate courses. The 18-hour salesperson post-license cannot be used toward the 30-hour broker post-license.
Missing the 90-day filing deadline after an upgrade exam

The same calendar-day deadline applies as for salespersons. Your exam result becomes void and you must reapply as an original applicant.

Reciprocity and recognition

Partner / path	Accepted exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity is published for this credential.

Experience earned in another jurisdiction requires an official license history. Any education waivers are granted by AREC. The 45-hour Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course is required Arkansas education.

Renewal and staying active

Active brokers need the same 7-hour annual CE as salespersons. The 30-hour broker post-license course is original education, due within six months of broker issuance and required before Executive or Principal Broker status (per AREC's FAQ). Salesperson post-license hours do not count toward broker post-license.

Late renewal: According to AREC's FAQ, brokers pay a $30 penalty after September 30.

Applicant checklist

24 months active in the previous 48 (or AREC waiver)
60 hours including the 45-hour AREC Broker Pre-License Course within 36 months (≤36 months old at application)
Pearson unified exam, scaled 70 ($75)
File within 90 days
30-hour post-license within six months

How Arkansas is different

Louisiana and Mississippi brokers have their own hour and experience requirements. Missouri's broker license falls under a different statute and builds on its 48-hour plus MREP salesperson education. An Arkansas broker needs 24 months of experience within 48, plus the 45-hour AREC Broker Pre-License Course within a 60-hour total, a scaled 70 on the unified Pearson exam, filing within 90 days, and a 30-hour post-license course.

Arkansas vs neighboring states

Arkansas Real Estate Broker License compared with nearby states
Jurisdiction	License title	Pre-license hours	Exam vendor	Exam questions	Exam fee	Published state fees	Renewal cycle	Min. age
Arkansas (this guide)	Broker	60	Pearson VUE	120	$75	$195	1 yr	18
Louisiana	Broker	150	Pearson VUE	135	$81	$381.75	1 yr	18
Mississippi	Broker	120	PSI	115	$75	$275	2 yr	21
Missouri	Broker	48	PSI	165	$52	$242.50	2 yr	18
Oklahoma	Broker	90	Pearson VUE	130	$90	$480	3 yr	18
Tennessee	Broker	120	PSI	125	$63	$245	2 yr	18
Texas	Broker	900	Pearson VUE	145	$39	$384	2 yr	18

Hours are the pre-license total printed in each guide; states that count credits or named courses show “See guide.” Published state fees add the application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts the guide can cite — tuition is not included.

Frequently asked questions

Does the salesperson 60 count as the broker 60?: No. According to AREC's Education page, 45 of the broker 60 hours must be the Commission-developed Broker Pre-License Course, completed within 36 months immediately before the date you apply to take the broker exam. The salesperson 60 hours (30 principles) do not count, and salesperson post-license hours do not count toward broker post-license.
How much experience?: According to AREC's new-applicant page, 24 months active as a salesperson or broker within the previous 48 months. On written request, AREC may waive this if you have held an active broker license for not less than 18 months, or accept 24 months of real-estate-related experience (with a written history for review).
Is the broker exam the same two portions as salesperson?: No. The Pearson unified Real Estate Broker exam has 120 scored + 10 pretest items, requires a scaled 70, and costs $75. It is one exam and cannot be divided into portions for reexamination. There is a 24-hour wait before retaking. File within 90 days of passing.
What does the upgrade filing cost?: According to AREC's FAQ, a currently active salesperson returns the current license and pocket card and files the successful score report, the $70 license fee, and the signed post-license notice within 90 days. The examination application is a separate $50 to AREC, and Pearson is a separate $75.
When can I become Principal or Executive Broker?: According to AREC's FAQ, after you finish the 30-hour broker post-license course. A Temporary Broker cannot move to Executive or Principal Broker until that course is done.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-02 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-01

Update history

October 8, 2026 Rewrote the guide text for readability and added state comparison tables. No requirements, fees, or deadlines changed.
September 2, 2026 Requirements, fees, and deadlines checked against the primary sources cited on this page.

Spotted something out of date? Send a correction.