Kentucky real estate licensing
Kentucky Real Estate Broker License requirements
A practical, source-checked guide to qualifying, passing the exam, applying, and keeping this license active.
By Gabriel Giner, Editor · Verified · RE License Guide Editorial Desk
- Required education
- 336 classroom hours or 21 academic credits including 48-hour brokerage management
- Exam fee
- $100
- Published fees
- $100
- Typical timeline
- 24 months at 20 hours/week is the longest step
What to know first
A Kentucky broker license requires 336 classroom hours from a Kentucky-approved private school, or 21 academic credit hours from an accredited college including at least 12 academic credits in real estate, or a mix (12 academic real-estate credits / 192 classroom hours plus 9 college electives). Each option includes a 48-hour brokerage management course. One semester hour equals 16 classroom hours. CE does not count. If you are not sure your hours will be accepted, KREC wants you to submit Form 207 (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603), the education-review request, before you schedule PSI. You also need 24 months as a sales associate averaging 20 hours per week.
The broker exam is not the same as the sales associate exam's 80 and 50 items. PSI's Broker General portion has 75 items (80 points, because some items are worth up to two points) in 150 minutes, and the State portion has 50 items in 90 minutes; combined, it is 125 items (125 points) in 240 minutes. You still need 75 percent, and the fee is still $100 for one portion or both. The same rules apply: FBI check before the exam, four months to pass both portions, and 60 days to apply or the exam is voided. Brokers from OH/TN/WV/FL book the License Reciprocity Broker exam (state portion only) and bring their license. Indiana's 90-hour broker-entry course does not replace Kentucky's 336 hours, and Tennessee's affiliate-to-broker upgrade is handled by a different board.
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 at 20 hours/week and confirm your 336-hour / 21-credit education
If your history is mixed, submit Form 207 (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603) before paying for more school. The 48-hour management course is required.
-
Request the FBI check, then pass the PSI broker exam (75 and 50 items) at 75%
$100. Reciprocity brokers book the reciprocity exam.
-
File within 60 days
Include E&O, plus firm filings if you will be principal broker.
How long the 336-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
- 34 weeksabout 10 hrs/week
- Steady
- 17 weeksabout 20 hrs/week
- Full-time
- 9 weeksabout 40 hrs/week
Overall estimate from our source review: 24 months at 20 hours/week is the longest step. Form 207 review (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603) can add weeks before PSI.
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
- You need 24 months as a sales associate averaging 20 hours per week before applying. If you were ever licensed elsewhere, attach an out-of-state license history (valid 90 days). Attach Document #407 if you are a nonresident.
- Qualifying education
- 336 classroom hours from a Kentucky-approved private school, OR 21 academic credit hours from an accredited college including at least 12 in real estate, OR 12 academic real-estate credits / 192 classroom hours plus 9 college electives. Every option includes a 48-hour brokerage management course. CE does not count. One semester hour = 16 classroom hours. Submit Form 207 (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603) for education review before scheduling if needed. The 96-hour sales associate course does not count toward the 336.
- Education or filing deadline
- Same as sales associates: apply within 60 days or the exam is voided, and pass both portions within four months. Education must be finished before the broker PSI reservation.
- Character review
- Same FBI standard and disclosure rules as sales associate applicants.
- Background process
- Same as sales associates: FBI check before PSI; the report is valid 90 days.
- Experience
- Worked an average of 20 hours per week for 24 months as a sales associate before applying for a broker license (PSI bulletin)
- Broker affiliation
- A Kentucky broker license lets you serve as principal broker and have sales associates licensed under you. E&O is still required. Company and principal-broker filings are separate KREC documents.
Documents to prepare
- Form 207 education review (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603) if KREC needs to approve your 336-hour / 21-credit education
- Transcripts / 336-hour certificates including 48-hour brokerage management
- Documentation of 24 months at 20 hours/week
- FBI report ≤90 days old
- Passing scores (75%) on the 75-item PSI broker national and 50-item state portions
- E&O and principal-broker / firm filings as applicable
The licensing exam
PSI broker exam: general portion 75 items (80 points) in 150 minutes; state portion 50 items in 90 minutes; combined 125 items in 240 minutes. You need 75% on each, and the fee is $100. Compared with the sales associate outline, the state outline raises Commission items from 5 to 7 and lowers license-requirement items from 10 to 8; brokerage activities stay at 18. The national broker outline adds supervision and trust-account items within property management and practice. If your 336-hour / 21-credit education comes from mixed sources, submit Form 207 (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603) for education review before you reserve the exam.
PSI, after you finish education (and Form 207 review, which the PSI bulletin calls #603, if used) and request the FBI check · Fee: $100
| Part | Questions | Minutes | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker National (General) | 75 | 150 | 75% |
| Broker Kentucky State | 50 | 90 | 75% |
Scoring details from the candidate handbook
- Broker National (General): 75 items worth 80 points, 150 minutes. National broker exams include questions worth up to two points. 75% of 80 points is 60, not 56 of 75 items. Combined with the state portion, the exam is 125 items (125 points) in 240 minutes. $100 for one portion or both.
- Broker Kentucky State: 50 items (50 points) in 90 minutes; 75% to pass. Commission items rise to 7 (from 5) and license-requirement items drop to 8 (from 10); brokerage activities stay at 18; contracts 6; disclosures/agency 8; property management 3. Reciprocity brokers book the License Reciprocity Broker exam.
Same as sales associates: $100 per sitting, four months to pass both portions, and 60 days to apply or the exam is voided.
What to study
-
PSI broker table (75 items / 50 items, 75%)
PSI / KREC
Some national items are worth two points.
-
Form 207 education review (#603 in the PSI bulletin)
KREC
Submit it before the reservation if your 336-hour / 21-credit education comes from mixed sources.
-
48-hour brokerage management course
Kentucky-approved school
A required part of broker education. Indiana's 90-hour course will not count for it.
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 | $60 |
| Examination | $100 |
| Initial license | $60 |
| Renewal (every 2 years) | $130 |
KREC's Fee Schedule: Initial Broker Application Fee (upgrading from sales associate) $60. Renewal $130 active / $120 inactive. PSI $100. The application and initial license fees shown here are the same $60 upgrade, not added to the $130 sales associate original. E&O is separate. Broker Education Review $10.
Published state fees
$220
Application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts cited above. Excludes school tuition.
| Commission | Kentucky Real Estate Commission (502) 564-7760 KRS Chapter 324 (324.046 initial licensure, 324.085 PLE/CE, 324.141 reciprocity, 324.287 fees, 324.395 E&O, 324.400 recovery fund); 201 KAR 11:170 (PLE curriculum), 201 KAR 11:210 (application, FBI 90 days, Core, CE). KREC pages: Requirements (static_id=201), Education (190), Candidate Testing (205), Reciprocal License (655), Fee Schedule (199), Renewals (662), PLE (213). PSI Candidate Information Bulletin 2312 (updated 10/1/2023) at test-takers.psiexams.com/kyre, (855) 746-8176. |
|---|---|
| Pre-licensing | 336 classroom hours or 21 academic credits including 48-hour brokerage management 336 classroom hours from a Kentucky-approved private school, OR 21 academic credit hours from an accredited college including at least 12 in real estate, OR 12 academic real-estate credits / 192 classroom hours plus 9 college electives. Every option includes a 48-hour brokerage management course. CE does not count. One semester hour = 16 classroom hours. Submit Form 207 (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603) for education review before scheduling if needed. The 96-hour sales associate course does not count toward the 336. Same as sales associates: apply within 60 days or the exam is voided, and pass both portions within four months. Education must be finished before the broker PSI reservation. |
| Sponsoring broker | A Kentucky broker license lets you serve as principal broker and have sales associates licensed under you. E&O is still required. Company and principal-broker filings are separate KREC documents. |
| Fingerprints | Same as sales associates: request the FBI Identification Records Check before PSI. The report is valid 90 days. |
| CE / renewal | Same as sales associates: 6 hours of CE each year (3 in law) and the Kentucky Core Course every four years (KREC Renewals page). The 48-hour Brokerage Management course is original broker education, not a CE substitute. E&O is required before renewal. Renewal is $130 active / $120 inactive on KREC's Fee Schedule. |
| Recovery fund | The same Education, Research, and Recovery Fund is tested, with more Commission items on the broker state outline (7 items). |
Mistakes that delay applicants
-
Treating the 96-hour sales associate course as part of the 336 after March 1, 2022
KREC's homepage sets the March 1, 2022 cutoff. 201 KAR 11:210 excludes the sales associate prelicense course from the 9 real-estate academic hours. The 48-hour Brokerage Management course is required.
-
Skipping Form 207 when you have mixed college and classroom education
KREC's Education page says to wait 7–10 days. The PSI bulletin still calls the form #603. Do not register until KREC verifies your hours.
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Taking the 80-item sales associate national exam
The broker national portion is 75 items worth 80 points. The passing score is 60 of 80 points.
-
Paying the $130 sales associate original fee as the broker upgrade
KREC's Fee Schedule lists the broker upgrade at $60.
-
Counting a year under 20 hours/week
KREC's Requirements page: you must average at least 20 hours a week for 24 months. The affidavit comes after you pass.
Reciprocity and recognition
| Partner / path | Accepted exam | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | — | Active broker license. Take the License Reciprocity Broker exam (state portion only) and bring your license or certificate to the test center. |
| Tennessee | — | Same reciprocity broker exam requirements. |
| West Virginia | — | Same reciprocity broker exam requirements. |
| Florida | — | Same reciprocity broker exam requirements. This is not FREC mutual recognition applied in reverse. |
Book the Reciprocity Broker exam, not the ordinary Broker State exam.
Renewal and staying active
Same as sales associates: 6 hours of CE each year (3 in law) and the Kentucky Core Course every four years (KREC Renewals page). The 48-hour Brokerage Management course is original broker education, not a CE substitute. E&O is required before renewal. Renewal is $130 active / $120 inactive on KREC's Fee Schedule.
Applicant checklist
- 24 months at 20 hours/week
- 336 hours or 21 credits including 48-hour brokerage management (Form 207 review if needed; the PSI bulletin calls it #603)
- FBI before PSI
- Pass the PSI 75-item national and 50-item state portions at 75%
- File within 60 days; E&O
How Kentucky is different
Indiana starts licensees at broker after 90 hours, which does not substitute for Kentucky's 336 hours or 21 credits including 48-hour management. Ohio's broker license follows a different Division education grid. Tennessee upgrades from affiliate broker. Kentucky requires 336 hours or 21 credits including 48-hour brokerage management, 24 months at 20 hours/week, Form 207 education review (the PSI bulletin still calls it #603) when needed, and 75% on the PSI 75-item national and 50-item state portions.
Kentucky vs neighboring states
| Jurisdiction | License title | Pre-license hours | Exam vendor | Exam questions | Exam fee | Published state fees | Renewal cycle | Min. age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky (this guide) | Broker | 336 | PSI | 125 | $100 | $220 | 2 yr | 18 |
| Illinois | Managing Broker | 45 | PSI | Not published | $58 | $408 | 2 yr | 20 |
| Indiana | Managing Broker | 24 | Pearson VUE | 130 | $55 | $55 | 3 yr | 18 |
| Missouri | Broker | 48 | PSI | 165 | $52 | $242.50 | 2 yr | 18 |
| Ohio | Broker | 120 | PSI | 115 | $66 | $201 | 3 yr | 18 |
| Tennessee | Broker | 120 | PSI | 125 | $63 | $245 | 2 yr | 18 |
| Virginia | Broker | 180 | PSI | 125 | $60 | $659 | 2 yr | 18 |
| West Virginia | Broker | 180 | Pearson VUE | 140 | $59 | $234 | 1 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 sales associate 96 count toward the 336?
- Not after March 1, 2022 (KREC homepage). Under 201 KAR 11:210, the 9 academic real-estate hours shall not include your sales associate prelicense course. The 48-hour / 3-credit Brokerage Management course is required. Submit Form 207 (#603 in the PSI bulletin) and wait 7–10 days before scheduling PSI.
- How much experience?
- KREC's Requirements page: two years averaging at least 20 hours a week. The experience affidavit comes with the application you receive after passing. Under KRS 324.046(4), the requirement may drop to one year with an associate degree in real estate or a baccalaureate major/minor in real estate.
- Is the broker exam still 80 national items?
- No. It is 75 items worth 80 points, in 150 minutes. The passing score is 75% of 80 points (60), not 56 of 75 items. The state portion is 50 items in 90 minutes at 75%.
- Upgrade fee?
- $60 on KREC's Fee Schedule, not the $130 sales associate original fee. PSI is still $100.
Primary Sources
Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.
- KREC Requirements (336 / 21 with 48 brokerage management; 24 months at 20 hrs/week; Form 207)
- KREC Education — broker (Updated June 2026; 144 elective; 1 credit = 16 classroom)
- KREC Fee Schedule (broker upgrade $60)
- PSI Kentucky CIB bulletin 2312 (broker 75 items/80 points/150 min + 50/90 min at 75%)
- 201 KAR 11:210 broker 9+3+9 excluding sales-associate prelicense
Verified 2026-09-02 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-01
Update history
- Rewrote the guide text for readability and added state comparison tables. No requirements, fees, or deadlines changed.
- Requirements, fees, and deadlines checked against the primary sources cited on this page.
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