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RE License Guide

Maryland real estate licensing

Maryland Real Estate Salesperson License requirements

A practical, source-checked guide to qualifying, passing the exam, applying, and keeping this license active.

Gabriel Giner

By Gabriel Giner, Editor  ·  Verified  ·  RE License Guide Editorial Desk

Source checked 8 official references Next review 2026-12-01
Required education
60-hour salesperson pre-licensing program from an MREC-approved education provider
Exam fee
$44
Published fees
$44
Typical timeline
60 hours plus PSI seating plus the 5–7 business-day registration-number email plus online application
01

What to know first

Maryland's 60 is the school-to-PSI paper. The live MREC Licensing FAQs (labor.maryland.gov/license/mrec/mreclicfaqs.shtml, fetched 2026-09-02) print the original-file bible in FAQ 1: take the 60-hour pre-licensing course with an approved education provider; once you have completed the course you may schedule to take the exam through PSI; after you have passed both portions of the exam (national and state), you will receive an email within 5–7 business days with your registration/license number and steps to apply for the license online. The live Taking the Exam page restates two portions, 70% on each, apply within one year or the score expires, $44.00 paid directly to PSI, computer, two hours in length. PSI's Maryland Real Estate Commission Candidate Information Bulletin (test-takers.psiexams.com/mdre; (855) 744-0318; Updated 8/15/2024; bulletin 529; fetched 2026-09-02) is the sitting bible: salesperson pre-licensing program is 60 hours; applicants must pass both portions within 1 year of course completion; eligibility expires one year to the day from the date it is issued; the education provider uploads eligibility electronically — paper applications are returned.

Examination Summary Table: Salesperson National 80 (80 points) / 90 minutes; State 30 (30 points) / 30 minutes; Both 110 (110 points) / 120 minutes. Passing scores on the bulletin: national 56, state 21 (70% of 80 and of 30). Experimental items, generally approximately 10% of the number of questions (one to ten), may be administered; they are not scored but count against time. Fee $44 per registration, whether first time or repeating, sitting two portions or one; not refundable or transferable; valid one year from the date of payment. A passing score on a portion is valid until the deadline based on your course completion date; fail to pass both portions within that deadline and complete a new pre-licensing program — prior scores expire with the prior coursework.

Live Forms and Fees page: Salesperson License, Original (includes $20 GF payment) $98; Renewal $78. Guaranty Fund is a scored Commission-powers item on the Maryland state outline (4 salesperson items). For active licensure, affiliation with a licensed Maryland real estate broker is required; you will need the intended broker's registration number. Inactive is allowed with no affiliation and no licensed activity; FAQ 21: once you have applied for an original license and placed it on inactive, you have three years from that date to affiliate — a license cannot be inactive or expired more than three years (FAQ 7). FAQ 4: a COMMERCIAL LICENSE is ONLY eligible to perform commercial transactions; a RESIDENTIAL license may perform both. Convictions do not automatically bar (FAQ 19) — True Test copies of the proceedings with the application; case by case; appeal if denied. The live FAQs, exam page, and PSI bulletin this hub fetched do not print a fingerprint or IdentoGO row. This paper cannot be renamed to another state: PIFHA, short-sale and home-improvement knowledge, Maryland Code of Ethics (not NAR), and the $20 Guaranty Fund inside the $98 cart are scored Maryland items.

02

Your path to the license

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

  1. Complete the 60-hour salesperson prelicensing course with an MREC-approved provider

    School uploads eligibility to PSI. Eligibility expires one year to the day. Verified live FAQ 1 + PSI bulletin 2026-09-02.

  2. PSI $44: national 80/90 min pass 56 + Maryland 30/30 min pass 21 (combo 110/120 min)

    70% each portion. Both portions inside 1 year of course completion. Score report from the PSI account. Email with registration number in 5–7 (FAQ) / 3–5 (exam page) business days.

  3. Apply online within one year of passing; $98 original includes $20 Guaranty Fund

    Active: Maryland broker registration number. Inactive: 3-year affiliation clock. True Test copies if a conviction is on the record. Manual application if criminal or prior discipline (call MREC, not PSI).

  4. First renewal: 15-hour named grid (if initially licensed as a salesperson on or after October 1, 2023) completed at least 30 days before the renewal date

    Subsequent cycles: Legislative A 3, Fair Housing C 2, Ethics D 3 (MD Code of Ethics — not NAR), Agency H 3, electives 4. Providers have 14 days to upload. Reinstatement $168 plus past-due renewals inside 3 years.

03

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
PSI bulletin prerequisites: good character and reputation; at least 18; complete a current 60-hour salesperson course; pass both portions within 1 year of course completion. Maryland residency is not independently required on the live FAQ 1 path. Reciprocal: Pennsylvania (raised-seal certificate from the PA Commission, then the online Original Reciprocal application plus broker-supervision letter) and Oklahoma (contact MREC Education at dloplrecec-labor@maryland.gov) are the two states named on live FAQ 9; every other original state uses Out of State License Recognition. Confirm that live product rather than importing a compact list.
Qualifying education
Live FAQ 1 and PSI bulletin prerequisites (fetched 2026-09-02): salesperson pre-licensing program is 60 hours; the education provider provides eligibility electronically to PSI upon successful completion; eligibility expires one year to the day from the date it is issued. Approved providers: live Education page → Approved Education Providers. Pass both PSI portions within 1 year of course completion. A Pennsylvania 75, a Virginia 60, or a D.C. 60 is not automatically this 60 — reciprocal/recognition is a live MREC product (FAQ 9), not a handshake at PSI. Maryland does not recognize post-licensing education from another state as Maryland CE (live CE-requirements reminders).
Education or filing deadline
Pass both portions within 1 year of course completion (PSI bulletin). Eligibility expires one year to the day from issuance. A passing score on a portion is valid until the deadline based on your course completion date. Apply for the license within one year of passing (FAQ 20 / live exam page). Inactive affiliation window is 3 years (FAQ 21). License expired more than 3 years cannot be reinstated by back fees and CE (live renew page).
Character review
PSI bulletin: be of good character and reputation. Live FAQ 19: a felony or misdemeanor conviction does not automatically make you ineligible; MREC encourages everyone to apply; each conviction is weighed case by case; you have the right to appeal a denial; submit True Test copies of the proceedings with the application. Title 17 good-character language is the statute behind that FAQ. Non-disclosure is independently disqualifying. Manual application if a criminal offense or prior real-estate discipline is involved (PSI bulletin).
Background process
Self-disclosure on the application plus True Test copies where a conviction exists. No fingerprint dollar on the live pages this hub fetched. Do not invent IdentoGO.
Experience
No licensed experience for the salesperson hanging. Active practice requires a Maryland broker affiliation. Broker later: three consecutive years of active licensure immediately prior with no breaks (inactive, late-renewal reinstatement, or suspension kills the clock), plus 135 broker hours and the broker PSI paper.
Broker affiliation
PSI bulletin license-application block: for active licensure, affiliation with a licensed Maryland real estate broker is required for salespersons and associate brokers; you need the intended broker's registration number and branch office location if applicable. Inactive may be requested with no affiliation and no licensed activity. FAQ 21: after original application on inactive, three years from that date to affiliate; if you want to be active right away, affiliate immediately. FAQ 11: transfer online (Broker Trade Address) with the new broker's registration/license number. Transfer fee $28 on the live Forms and Fees page. A residential hanging may do commercial work; a commercial-only hanging may not do residential (FAQ 4). The Commission does not mail hard copies — active licensees get the copy from the broker (FAQ 5).

Documents to prepare

  • 60-hour certificate from an approved provider (school uploads eligibility to PSI)
  • PSI national 80/90 min at 56 and Maryland 30/30 min at 21 (or combo 110/120 min), both portions inside the course-completion year
  • Online original application + $98 (includes $20 Guaranty Fund) within one year of passing
  • Maryland broker registration number for active status, or inactive with the 3-year affiliation clock
  • True Test copies if a conviction is on the record
04

The licensing exam

PSI Maryland CIB (bulletin 529, Updated 8/15/2024), fetched 2026-09-02. test-takers.psiexams.com/mdre; (855) 744-0318. School uploads eligibility; salesperson eligibility expires one year to the day from issuance; pass both portions within 1 year of course completion. $44 per registration (one portion or both; first time or retake), valid one year from payment, not refundable or transferable. Salesperson National 80 (80 points) / 90 minutes, pass 56. State 30 (30 points) / 30 minutes, pass 21. Both 110 (110 points) / 120 minutes. Live MREC Taking the Exam page also prints 70% on each portion, two hours, $44.00. Experimental ~10% of the number of questions count against time. National salesperson outline (same PSI national grid): Property Ownership 10%, Land Use 5%, Valuation 8%, Financing 10%, Contracts 19%, Agency 13%, Disclosures 7%, Property Management 3%, Transfer 6%, Practice 12%, Calculations 7%. Maryland state outline (salesperson item bands): Duties and Powers of the Real Estate Commission 4 (general powers, investigations/hearings/appeals, suspensions/revocations/penalties, Guaranty Fund); Licensing Requirements 4 (activities requiring a license, change in status, renewals, CE); Brokerage Relationships 7 (listing agreements, disclosure of brokerage relationship, disclosure of interest/conflict, disclosures); Supervision 5 (handling monies including trust monies, recordkeeping including electronic, supervision requirements, knowledge of other Maryland state laws — short sale, home improvements, PIFHA); Business Conduct 6 (offers, commissions including rebates, advertising and signs, fair housing, summary suspensions/convictions); Ethics 4 (unfair inducements, dealings with other licensees, general ethics). Arrive 30 minutes early. One valid signature-bearing photo ID matching the legal name on the registration. Score on screen; print the report from the PSI account. Failures get a diagnostic. Retake only the failed portion inside the course-completion deadline.

PSI Services LLC (test-takers.psiexams.com/mdre; (855) 744-0318; CIB Updated 8/15/2024, bulletin 529). School uploads eligibility. $44 per registration. Independently scored portions at 70%. · Fee: $44

Part Questions Minutes Pass
Salesperson National 80 90 80 items (80 points); 90 minutes on the live PSI bulletin 529 table; pass 56 (70%). $44 covers one registration — one portion or both. Combo with state is 110 items (110 points) / 120 minutes. Contracts 19%, agency 13%
Salesperson Maryland State 30 30 30 items (30 points); 30 minutes on the live table; pass 21 (70%). Commission 4 including Guaranty Fund, licensing 4, brokerage relationships 7, supervision 5 (trust monies, electronic records, PIFHA/short sale/home improvements), business conduct 6, ethics 4. Passed portion lives until the course-completion deadline, not a free extra year

Fee $44 per registration whether first time or repeating, two portions or one; not refundable or transferable; valid one year from payment. Retake only the failed portion inside the course-completion deadline. Fail to pass both portions within 1 year of course completion and complete a new 60-hour program; prior scores expire with the prior coursework. Cannot schedule a retake the same day; a Wednesday fail can call Thursday and retest as soon as Friday if space exists. Cancel 2 days ahead or forfeit.

What to study

  • 60-hour Maryland salesperson prelicensing

    MREC-approved provider (live Approved Education Providers list)

    School uploads PSI eligibility. 1-year course-completion clock for both portions. Student success rates by school are posted as Excel on the live Education page without Commission endorsement.

  • PSI Maryland CIB bulletin 529 (Updated 8/15/2024) — 80/90 min pass 56 + 30/30 min pass 21

    PSI / MREC

    State outline: Guaranty Fund, brokerage-relationship disclosure, trust monies, electronic records, PIFHA/short sale/home improvements, rebates, Maryland ethics. Combo 110/120 min. $44.

  • Maryland Code of Ethics / brokerage-relationship disclosure forms / Residential Agency

    MREC

    Ethics 4 + brokerage relationships 7 on the 30-item state paper. NAR ethics is not this course and is not this exam bucket.

  • Title 17 and COMAR 09.11; PIFHA; short-sale and home-improvement statutes

    Maryland General Assembly / MREC

    Supervision bucket "knowledge of other Maryland state laws." Scored, not trivia.

  • Modern Real Estate Practice / Mastering Real Estate Math (latest edition)

    Dearborn — national 80

    Contracts 19%, agency 13%, calculations 7%. Memorize 43,560 if the national math bucket asks.

05

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$98
Examination$44
Initial license$98
Renewal (every 2 years)$78

Live Forms and Fees page (fetched 2026-09-02): Salesperson Original (includes $20 GF payment) $98; Renewal $78. Application and initialLicense in this object are that same $98, not stacked. PSI $44 per registration (bulletin 529 + live exam page). Transfer $28. Reactivate inactive $28. Reinstatement $168. CE late $75. Certificate of license history $28 (5-year) / $84 (full). Personal name change $28. No fingerprint dollar on the live pages. Broker original is a different $211 row. Confirm the live fees page before you pay — "fees are set by Law and Regulation and are subject to change with public notice."

Commission

Maryland Real Estate Commission (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing)

(410) 230-6200 (licensing questions — live PSI bulletin and exam page: do not call PSI about the application). PSI examinations (855) 744-0318. Dial 7-1-1 for Maryland Relay.

Business Occupations and Professions Article, Title 17 (Maryland Real Estate Brokers Act), including §17-303 qualifications, §17-314 / §17-315 CE (30-day-before-renewal rule effective October 1, 2024), §17-318 branch-office manager. COMAR 09.11. Live MREC Licensing FAQs, Taking the Exam page, Forms and Fees page, and Continuing Education Requirements page, fetched 2026-09-02. PSI Maryland Real Estate Commission Candidate Information Bulletin at test-takers.psiexams.com/mdre (Updated 8/15/2024; bulletin 529), fetched 2026-09-02. Education Department dloplrecec-labor@maryland.gov; broker credit reports dlmrecbrokercr-labor@maryland.gov.
Pre-licensing

60-hour salesperson pre-licensing program from an MREC-approved education provider

Live FAQ 1 and PSI bulletin prerequisites (fetched 2026-09-02): salesperson pre-licensing program is 60 hours; the education provider provides eligibility electronically to PSI upon successful completion; eligibility expires one year to the day from the date it is issued. Approved providers: live Education page → Approved Education Providers. Pass both PSI portions within 1 year of course completion. A Pennsylvania 75, a Virginia 60, or a D.C. 60 is not automatically this 60 — reciprocal/recognition is a live MREC product (FAQ 9), not a handshake at PSI. Maryland does not recognize post-licensing education from another state as Maryland CE (live CE-requirements reminders).

Pass both portions within 1 year of course completion (PSI bulletin). Eligibility expires one year to the day from issuance. A passing score on a portion is valid until the deadline based on your course completion date. Apply for the license within one year of passing (FAQ 20 / live exam page). Inactive affiliation window is 3 years (FAQ 21). License expired more than 3 years cannot be reinstated by back fees and CE (live renew page).
Sponsoring broker

PSI bulletin license-application block: for active licensure, affiliation with a licensed Maryland real estate broker is required for salespersons and associate brokers; you need the intended broker's registration number and branch office location if applicable. Inactive may be requested with no affiliation and no licensed activity. FAQ 21: after original application on inactive, three years from that date to affiliate; if you want to be active right away, affiliate immediately. FAQ 11: transfer online (Broker Trade Address) with the new broker's registration/license number. Transfer fee $28 on the live Forms and Fees page. A residential hanging may do commercial work; a commercial-only hanging may not do residential (FAQ 4). The Commission does not mail hard copies — active licensees get the copy from the broker (FAQ 5).
Fingerprints

The live MREC FAQs, Taking the Exam page, Forms and Fees page, and PSI bulletin 529 this hub fetched do not print a fingerprint, IdentoGO, or Livescan row. FAQ 19 is self-disclosure plus True Test copies of conviction proceedings, case by case. If a criminal offense or previous real estate disciplinary action is involved, the PSI bulletin says manual application is required — contact MREC at (410) 230-6200 for an application form; do not contact PSI. Do not invent a background-check dollar.
CE / renewal

Live CE-requirements page (fetched 2026-09-02). 15 hours per term. First renewal for salespersons initially licensed on or after October 1, 2023: named grid (Contracts J 3, Agency H 3, Principles of Real Estate Practice, Property Management and Landlord and Tenant Laws, Professionalism 1.5, Real Estate Financing 1.5) — mandatory, not substitutable, including not by another state's CE. The live table total is 15; some topic-hour cells did not render in the fetch. Subsequent renewal (or first licensed before October 1, 2023): Legislative and Legislative Update A 3, Fair Housing C 2 (commercial-only substitutes ADA P 2), Ethics D 3 (MD Code of Ethics, flipping, predatory lending, professionalism — NAR is not a substitute), Principles of Brokerage Relationships and Disclosure H 3, electives 4. Complete during the term and at least 30 days before submitting the renewal (Titles 17-314 and 17-315, effective October 1, 2024) or face a reinstatement fee. Providers have up to 14 days from completion to upload. You must complete CE and renew to remain inactive. Multiple licenses: the school must submit completion for each license number. Out-of-state hours may count toward ELECTIVES only, emailed to dloplrecec-labor@maryland.gov at least 30 days prior; Maryland does not recognize post-licensing education.

Live renew page: reinstate an expired license without re-examination for up to three years from the last valid expiration date, subject to applicable CE for the period of non-licensure, all past-due renewal fees, and a reinstatement fee of $168. CE late fee $75 on the live Forms and Fees page. After three years, contact the Commission for current education and exam requirements — back fees and CE will not reinstate. Electronic reinstatement if within two years; mail-in if between two and three, request received at least 30 days before the three-year cap.
Recovery fund

Live Forms and Fees page: original salesperson $98 includes $20 GF payment; original broker $211 includes $20 GF; original associate broker $143 includes $20 GF. Renewals ($78 salesperson / $191 broker / $123 associate broker) do not repeat the "includes $20 GF" parenthetical on that page — do not invent a renewal GF add-on the live table did not print. Guaranty Fund is a scored Commission-powers item (4 salesperson / 5 broker) on the PSI state outline. Pay-fines-or-guaranty-fund-claim is a live MREC menu item; this hub does not freeze a statutory cap the live fees page did not number.
06

Mistakes that delay applicants

  • Calling PSI to apply, or mailing a paper eligibility form after 3/31/2025

    The school uploads salesperson eligibility. PSI bulletin: mail/fax/email applications are returned. Contact the provider if PSI has no record.

  • Passing national at 56 and waiting more than a year from course completion to pass state

    Both portions inside 1 year of course completion. Prior scores expire with the prior coursework. Then a new 60.

  • Applying more than one year after passing, or leaving inactive more than three years

    FAQ 20 and FAQ 7 / 21. The 3-year cap is not a friendly reminder.

  • Treating NAR ethics as Maryland ethics, or substituting Legislative / Agency / Ethics

    Live CE reminders. First-renewal post-Oct 1, 2023 salespersons sit a named contracts/practice/PM grid, not the subsequent legislative grid.

  • Completing CE 29 days before renewal

    Titles 17-314 and 17-315 (effective October 1, 2024): 30 days prior or a reinstatement fee. Providers have 14 days to upload — finishing on day 30 is still a trap.

  • Working a residential deal on a commercial-only hanging

    FAQ 4. Residential covers both; commercial-only does not.

  • Inventing IdentoGO or skipping True Test copies of a conviction

    No fingerprint dollar on the live pages. FAQ 19 wants True Test copies. Manual application if criminal or prior discipline — call MREC, not PSI.

  • Paying $78 and forgetting the $20 Guaranty Fund is inside the $98 original, not a third fee

    Live fees page: original includes $20 GF. Renewal $78 does not repeat that parenthetical. Do not stack a blog GF on renewal unless a later live table prints it.

  • Reading PIFHA, short sale, or home improvements as extra-credit trivia

    They are scored Maryland state items. This paper cannot be renamed to Virginia or D.C.

  • Calling Pearson, or sitting a Pennsylvania Pearson paper, for a Maryland score

    Maryland real estate is PSI under bulletin 529 at $44. PA reciprocity is a raised-seal certificate path, not a score transfer.

07

Reciprocity and recognition

Partner / path Accepted exam Conditions
Pennsylvania PA original certificate of licensure with raised seal (must come from the PA Commission) Live FAQ 9: mail or PA-Commission-email the raised-seal certificate to MREC, then complete the online Original Reciprocal License application. Associate brokers and salespersons also need a letter from the Maryland broker who will supervise. Brokers also need Articles of Incorporation/Organization, license history, and proof the company is registered with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.
Oklahoma Contact MREC Education before filing Live FAQ 9: if you were originally licensed in OK, contact the MREC Education Department at dloplrecec-labor@maryland.gov. Do not treat that email as a waiver of the 60 until Education says so.

Live FAQ 9: originally licensed in any other state — Out of State License Recognition (Licensing Applications and Information → Out of State License Recognition), not the PA/OK reciprocal path. This hub does not freeze a school-blog compact list. Maryland does not recognize another state's post-licensing as Maryland CE (live CE reminders).

08

Renewal and staying active

Live CE-requirements page (fetched 2026-09-02). 15 hours per term. First renewal for salespersons initially licensed on or after October 1, 2023: named grid (Contracts J 3, Agency H 3, Principles of Real Estate Practice, Property Management and Landlord and Tenant Laws, Professionalism 1.5, Real Estate Financing 1.5) — mandatory, not substitutable, including not by another state's CE. The live table total is 15; some topic-hour cells did not render in the fetch. Subsequent renewal (or first licensed before October 1, 2023): Legislative and Legislative Update A 3, Fair Housing C 2 (commercial-only substitutes ADA P 2), Ethics D 3 (MD Code of Ethics, flipping, predatory lending, professionalism — NAR is not a substitute), Principles of Brokerage Relationships and Disclosure H 3, electives 4. Complete during the term and at least 30 days before submitting the renewal (Titles 17-314 and 17-315, effective October 1, 2024) or face a reinstatement fee. Providers have up to 14 days from completion to upload. You must complete CE and renew to remain inactive. Multiple licenses: the school must submit completion for each license number. Out-of-state hours may count toward ELECTIVES only, emailed to dloplrecec-labor@maryland.gov at least 30 days prior; Maryland does not recognize post-licensing education.

Late renewal: Live renew page: reinstate an expired license without re-examination for up to three years from the last valid expiration date, subject to applicable CE for the period of non-licensure, all past-due renewal fees, and a reinstatement fee of $168. CE late fee $75 on the live Forms and Fees page. After three years, contact the Commission for current education and exam requirements — back fees and CE will not reinstate. Electronic reinstatement if within two years; mail-in if between two and three, request received at least 30 days before the three-year cap.

Renew online. Broker renewals (not this salesperson hanging) also need a credit report not older than six months. Confirm live fees — subject to change with public notice. October 1, 2024 30-day CE rule is the trap that turns a $78 renewal into a $168 reinstatement.

Applicant checklist

  • 60-hour MREC-approved salesperson course (school uploads PSI eligibility; 1-year eligibility / 1-year course-completion clock)
  • PSI $44: 80/90 min pass 56 + 30/30 min pass 21 (combo 110/120 min); both portions inside the course year
  • Online original application + $98 (includes $20 Guaranty Fund) within one year of passing
  • Maryland broker registration number for active status, or inactive with a 3-year affiliation clock
  • First renewal: 15 named hours completed 30 days before the date (post-Oct 1, 2023 first-license grid or the subsequent Legislative/Ethics/Agency grid)
09

How Maryland is different

Pennsylvania: 75 hours, Pearson, reciprocal with Maryland on the live FAQ 9 path (raised-seal certificate mailed/emailed from the PA Commission). Virginia: 60 hours, PSI, different named CE. Delaware: 99 hours, Pearson. D.C.: 60 hours, Pearson. Maryland: 60 hours, school pushes PSI eligibility, $44, 80/90 min pass 56 + 30/30 min pass 21, $98 including $20 Guaranty Fund, 3-year inactive cap, first-renewal CE after October 1, 2023 is a named contracts/agency/practice grid. Pennsylvania reciprocity is a live MREC product; other states use Out of State License Recognition — not a compact list copied from a school blog.

10

Frequently asked questions

How many prelicense hours?
Sixty hours with an approved education provider. Live FAQ 1 and PSI bulletin 529 (salesperson pre-licensing program is 60 hours). The school uploads eligibility to PSI. Verified 2026-09-02 from the live FAQ plus the live bulletin.
What is the sitting?
PSI $44. National 80 items (80 points) / 90 minutes, pass 56. Maryland 30 items (30 points) / 30 minutes, pass 21. Combo 110 / 120 minutes. 70% on each portion (live exam page + bulletin passing-score table). Both portions within 1 year of course completion. Apply within one year of passing (FAQ 20).
Does the school or MREC make me PSI-eligible?
The school. PSI bulletin: education provider provides eligibility electronically; if PSI does not have your record, contact the education provider. Paper applications are returned.
How much is the original license?
Live Forms and Fees: $98 including $20 Guaranty Fund. Renewal $78. PSI is a separate $44 to the vendor.
Do I fingerprint?
Not on the live FAQs, exam page, fees page, or PSI bulletin 529 this hub fetched. Convictions: True Test copies, case by case (FAQ 19). Manual application if criminal or prior discipline — call MREC (410) 230-6200, not PSI.
How long can I wait to apply after I pass? To affiliate?
FAQ 20: one year from the date you took the exam to apply. FAQ 21: once original is on inactive, three years from that date to affiliate. Active right away means affiliate immediately. Expired or inactive more than three years is not a back-fee reinstatement (FAQ 7 / live renew page).
What CE applies on first renewal if I was first licensed as a salesperson on or after October 1, 2023?
Live CE-requirements page (fetched 2026-09-02): a named 15-hour first-renewal grid — Contracts (J) 3, Principles of Brokerage Relationships and Disclosure (H) 3, Principles of Real Estate Practice, Property Management and Landlord and Tenant Laws, Professionalism 1.5, Real Estate Financing 1.5. Some hour cells on the live table did not render in the fetch; the named topics and the 15-hour total did. Mandatory; may not be substituted with other education or another state's CE. Subsequent cycles (or licensees first licensed before October 1, 2023): Legislative A 3, Fair Housing C 2, Ethics D 3, Agency H 3, electives 4. NAR ethics is not Maryland ethics. Complete at least 30 days before the renewal date (Titles 17-314 and 17-315, effective October 1, 2024); providers have 14 days to upload.
Is NAR ethics enough?
No. Live CE reminders: the ethics course must include MD Code of Ethics, flipping and predatory lending and professionalism. NAR ethics is not a substitute for the Maryland required ethics course. Legislative (A), Ethics (D), and Agency (H) may not be substituted.
Commercial vs residential?
FAQ 4: commercial-only may perform ONLY commercial transactions. Residential may perform both. CE grids also split residential vs commercial-only (Fair Housing C vs ADA P).
Pennsylvania or Oklahoma licensed — do I still take the 60?
Live FAQ 9 names those two reciprocal paths (PA raised-seal certificate; OK Education email). Every other original state uses Out of State License Recognition. Confirm the live product before you skip the 60.
Where is the Commission?
100 S. Charles Street, Tower I, Baltimore, MD 21201. (410) 230-6200. Walk-in assistance is not available; appointments Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Checks or money order in person. PSI: (855) 744-0318. Centers listed on the live exam page include Baltimore, College Park, Crofton, Hagerstown, plus bulletin sites (Laurel, Rockville, Salisbury, Waldorf).
What is PIFHA?
A scored "other Maryland state laws" item on the supervision bucket of the 30-item state paper, alongside short sale and home improvements. It is not extra-credit trivia and it is not a Virginia or D.C. form.

Primary Sources

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

  1. MREC Licensing FAQs (60-hour course then PSI; 5–7 day registration email; 135-hour broker; PA/OK reciprocal; 3-year inactive; convictions case by case)
  2. MREC Taking the Exam ($44; 70% each portion; two hours; apply within one year; PSI centers)
  3. MREC Forms and Fees (salesperson original $98 includes $20 GF; renewal $78; broker original $211; reinstatement $168)
  4. MREC Continuing Education Requirements (15 hours; first-renewal named grid after Oct 1, 2023; 30-day-before-renewal rule)
  5. MREC Education / approved providers
  6. MREC Renew or Reinstate (30-day CE rule; $168 reinstatement; 3-year cap)
  7. PSI Maryland Real Estate (schedule)
  8. PSI Maryland CIB bulletin 529 (Updated 8/15/2024; $44; 80/90 min pass 56 + 30/30 min pass 21; 60 / 135 hours)

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