District of Columbia Real Estate Broker License requirements

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

1. 1

   Document two consecutive years as an active salesperson immediately preceding

   Out-of-state applicants need those two years in their own jurisdiction. A 60-hour salesperson certificate does not satisfy this step.

2. 2

   Complete the 135-hour DCREC broker prelicense

   Approved-list title: Principles and Practices of Real Estate for Brokers — 135 Hours. Endorsement adds 3-hour Fair Housing and 3-hour Property Management.

3. 3

   Pass the PSI broker exam at 75 percent ($79)

   National 75 items/80 points in 120 minutes; DC 40 items in 90 minutes. Endorsement applicants take the DC portion only. File within six months.

4. 4

   File $65 + $170 + $60 Fund and choose associate broker or independent broker

   Firm/organization registration is extra if you will qualify a company. Advertising must carry the brokerage name.

5. 5

   Renew by February 28 of odd years with 15 all-mandatory CE hours

   Includes 3-hour Broker Supervision. No electives in the 2023–2025 requirements. Do not use the salesperson August 31 deadline.

Minimum age

18 years old

Identification

A Social Security number is required. An ITIN is not confirmed as a substitute.

Residency and identification

Two consecutive years as an active licensed salesperson immediately preceding the application (PSI bulletin and DLCP). Out-of-state applicants need those two years in their own jurisdiction. Reciprocity is limited to Virginia licensees and Maryland brokers. Endorsement: meet or exceed 135 hours elsewhere plus 3-hour Fair Housing and 3-hour Property Management.

Qualifying education

135-hour DCREC-approved broker prelicense (17 DCMR 2601.3; approved-course list title: Principles and Practices of Real Estate for Brokers — 135 Hours). This is not the 60-hour salesperson course, and it is not the 60 hours plus a separate 75-hour add-on. Endorsement: meet or exceed 135 hours in the other jurisdiction, then 3-hour DCREC Fair Housing and 3-hour DCREC Property Management. Property Management CE certificates appear on several DLCP broker tracks.

Education or filing deadline

Apply within six months of passing. Certification letters 90 days. PSI fee valid one year from payment.

Character review

Same Chapter 26 review as salespersons. 90-day sealed certification if licensed elsewhere. 17 DCMR 2609 advertising rules put the brokerage name on every associate-broker and salesperson ad.

Background process

Same DLCP all-applicant items: 2x2 photo, unexpired government ID, debit/credit card. PSI requires two IDs at the test site.

Experience

Two consecutive years of active salesperson experience immediately preceding the date of application (PSI bulletin; DLCP). Out-of-state: two years as a licensed salesperson in that jurisdiction. 17 DCMR 2601.7 also allows equivalent experience acceptable to the Commission as an alternative; the current bulletin presents the two-year salesperson path as the standard route.

Broker affiliation

An independent / real estate broker can qualify a firm (organization registration, good standing, trade name). An associate broker pays the same $170 fee and works under a broker; 17 DCMR 2609.5–2609.6 put the brokerage name and main telephone on every ad. Firm license is a separate filing. A salesperson cannot sponsor anyone.

PSI Services (test-takers.psiexams.com/dcre). Bulletin updated 6/3/2026. Request a Broker exam. $79 one portion or both. · Fee: $79

Same six-month deadline to pass a failed portion and six-month license-filing deadline as salespersons. $79 per exam appointment, one portion or both. Cancel at least two calendar days ahead. Associate-broker and independent-broker applicants take the same broker exam; choosing to work under another broker or to qualify a firm is a licensing decision after you pass, not a different exam.

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

Broker and associate broker $170 (up to two years). Reinstatement/inactive $210. Same $60 Fund. Expire February 28 of odd years. Firm/organization is a separate registration. PSI $79.

• !

  Filing broker on a 60-hour salesperson certificate

  135 hours. Two consecutive years immediately preceding. Different exam (75 items/80 points plus 40-item DC portion). Different expiration.

• !

  Renewing a broker license on the salesperson August 31 deadline

  Brokers expire February 28 of odd years. The 3-hour Broker Supervision module is not optional and is not part of salesperson CE.

• !

  Treating associate broker as a salesperson upgrade without the broker exam

  An associate broker passes the broker exam, pays $170, and works under a broker. It is not a second salesperson license. Advertising still carries the brokerage name (17 DCMR 2609.5–2609.6).

• !

  Skipping the 90-day sealed certification on a Maryland or Virginia broker application

  Reciprocity still requires the original letter with seal, 3-hour Fair Housing, and the DC portion of the exam. A pocket card from DPOR or MREC does not replace the letter.

Every other jurisdiction applies by endorsement: education that meets or exceeds 135 hours, two years of experience immediately preceding, 3-hour Fair Housing, 3-hour Property Management, the DC broker portion at 75 percent, and a 90-day sealed certification. A salesperson license from another state is not a DC broker license.

District of Columbia vs neighboring states

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.

Does the 60-hour salesperson course count as DC broker education?

No. Broker prelicense is 135 hours (17 DCMR 2601.3) plus two consecutive years as an active salesperson immediately preceding the application. Associate broker requires the same broker exam, then a $170 license to work under another broker.

What is the DC broker exam split?

PSI bulletin 6/3/2026: Broker General 75 items scoring 80 points in 120 minutes; Broker State 40 items in 90 minutes; $79 one portion or both. Passing score at least 75 percent (17 DCMR 2601.4). Endorsement applicants take the DC portion only.

When does a DC broker license expire?

February 28 of odd years. Salespersons expire August 31 of odd years. Broker CE for 2023–2025 is 15 hours, all mandatory, including 3-hour Broker Supervision and no electives.

What is the difference between associate broker and real estate broker in DC?

Same $170 license fee, same broker exam. An associate broker works under a broker; an independent / real estate broker can qualify a firm. 17 DCMR 2609 requires the brokerage name on associate-broker advertising. Firm registration is a separate filing.

Can a Maryland or Virginia broker skip the 135-hour course?

Reciprocity (for named MD/VA licensees) still requires 3-hour DCREC Fair Housing, a 90-day sealed certification letter, two years of experience, and the DC broker portion of the exam. Endorsement applicants from other states must meet or exceed the 135 hours. A salesperson license from another state does not qualify you.