Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson License requirements

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

1. 1

   Complete 40 hours at a Board-approved school and obtain the Educational Certificate

   §87SS and the Board FAQ require forty (40) hours. Michigan's 40 hours, which include 4 civil-rights hours, will not be accepted. The certificate is valid for two years.

2. 2

   Open eLIPSE: upload certificate, three endorsements, and notarized CORI; pay the candidate fee

   Endorsers cannot be relatives or classmates; out-of-state endorsers are allowed. Incomplete applications are held 180 days and then abandoned. The Mass.gov salesperson candidate fee is $85 (CIB: $31 application + $54 exam).

3. 3

   PSI after Board approval: 80/150 min pass 56 + 40/90 min pass 28 (combo 120/240 min) at 70% each

   You must test in Massachusetts (CIB Updated 06/12/2025). A passed portion remains valid until your certificate expires.

4. 4

   Pay the prorated license fee in eLIPSE within 30 days of notice of passing; affiliate with a Massachusetts broker to practice

   Per the CIB, your digital license is available in 24 hours, and PSI does not print licenses on site. (The Mass.gov how-to page still mentions printing at the testing center; follow the CIB.) Your license expires on your birth date, two or three years out. Before your first renewal, complete 12 hours of CE to renew active; the fee is $103.

Minimum age

18 years old

Identification

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

Residency and identification

Per the CIB: be at least 18; complete 40 hours; obtain the Educational Certificate; get three endorsements; and apply and pass within two years of completing the salesperson education. The one-year Massachusetts principal-place-of-abode rule in §87SS applies to resident broker applicants, not salesperson applicants. Nonresidents complete the same Board-approved 40-hour education and CORI. A valid SSN and/or Tax Identification number is mandatory (CIB). Reciprocity is limited to the states named in 254 CMR 2.00 on the Mass.gov reciprocity page; PSI cannot waive anything.

Qualifying education

According to the Mass.gov prepare page, FAQ, and CIB, you must complete forty (40) hours of pre-licensure salesperson education at a Board-approved school and obtain the Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Educational Certificate completed by that school. M.G.L. c. 112 §87SS (effective June 1, 2011) sets this requirement. Under the statute, law-school real-property coursework in the Commonwealth can substitute; confirm with the Board rather than assuming. Create your eLIPSE account and upload the school-stamped certificate, three endorsements, and notarized CORI before scheduling with PSI. Prelicense hours do not count as CE (FAQ). Rhode Island's 45 hours or Connecticut's 60 hours do not replace this 40 unless the Board grants an educational waiver.

Education or filing deadline

Per the CIB and FAQ, you must apply for and pass the licensure examination within two (2) years of completing the required salesperson education. The Educational Certificate is valid for two years from the completion date. If it expires, you must retake all education and reapply as a new applicant. The exam fee is valid one year from payment. A passed portion remains valid until the certificate expires. Your license is issued on the date you pass and expires on your birth date two or three years later. Pay the license fee within 30 days of notice of passing (254 CMR 2.00(5)) or you must retake the exam.

Character review

You need a CORI and three endorsements from people who are not related to you and are not classmates from your real estate course. Disclose any convictions. Per the CIB, the Board does not currently license applicants who are on probation or parole. The Good Moral Character policy is on the Board Policies and Guidelines page. You must also certify tax filing under M.G.L. c. 62C §49A.

Background process

A notarized DOL CORI authorization, submitted through eLIPSE with your application (not after the PSI exam). The Mass.gov pages do not list a fingerprint fee.

Experience

No licensed experience is required for a salesperson license. To practice on active status, you must be affiliated with a Massachusetts broker. To become a broker later, you need three years affiliated with an active Massachusetts broker at a minimum of 25 hours per week (current, or completed no more than two years before the broker exam), plus 40 additional hours and the original $5,000 surety bond.

Broker affiliation

A Massachusetts salesperson practices under a licensed broker. According to the Board's FAQ, the Broker of Record must report affiliations and terminations in eLIPSE. Inactive salespersons may receive a referral fee from an active broker but may not practice sales or leasing. An active salesperson cannot control or access escrow funds; that account belongs to the broker. The Mandatory Consumer Disclosure (agency) is a scored state exam topic and must be provided at the first personal meeting.

PSI Services LLC, after the Board approves your application in eLIPSE (test-takers.psiexams.com/mare; (855) 340-3704; CIB Updated 06/12/2025). Each portion is scored separately, and you need 70% on each. Mass.gov lists the salesperson candidate fee as $85; the CIB breaks that into a $54 examination fee plus a $31 application fee. A retake is $54. · Fee: $85

Mass.gov lists the salesperson candidate fee as $85. If you miss the exam, you pay a $54 retake fee. The exam fee is valid one year and is not refundable or transferable. The CIB lists the examination fee as $54 salesperson / $52 broker, the application fee as $31 / $52, and a $54 retake for all candidates. You must pass a failed portion within two years of your Educational Certificate date; if the certificate expires, the partial pass expires too and you must take both portions again. You cannot schedule a retake for the same day, but if you fail on a Wednesday you can call Thursday and retest as soon as Friday if space is available. Cancel at least 2 days ahead or forfeit your fee. Attempts are unlimited while your certificate is valid. After passing both portions, pay the prorated license fee in eLIPSE within 30 days of notice (254 CMR 2.00(5)) or you must retake the exam. A digital license is available in 24 hours (CIB). If you have held a Massachusetts license before, you must renew or reinstate it; a new original license is invalid and will be voided (CIB).

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

The Mass.gov prepare page lists the Salesperson Candidate fee as $85 and the Broker Candidate fee as $106 per person, with a $54 retake if you miss the exam. The exam fee is valid one year and is not refundable or transferable. The CIB (Updated 06/12/2025) breaks the candidate fee down: application $31 salesperson / $52 broker, examination $54 salesperson / $52 broker, and a $54 retake for all. The $85 is those two fees combined, not a third fee. Renewal fees on the Mass.gov renewal page: salesperson $103, broker $142, business $221, school $264, school branch $147. Original license fees are prorated under §§87XX/87ZZ; the reciprocity page lists a salesperson initial fee of $103–$150. The $5,000 surety bond is a broker condition, not a salesperson fee. No fingerprint fee is listed. Check the eLIPSE fee totals before you pay; the reciprocity page notes that a vendor convenience fee may apply to some online transactions.

• !

  Booking PSI before eLIPSE approval

  Per the CIB, you are eligible only once your application is approved. The old process of getting a Candidate Handbook and scheduling yourself is no longer how it works.

• !

  Using a classmate or a relative as an endorser

  Per the Mass.gov prepare page and CIB, classmates known only from the course may NOT sign, and relatives may not sign. Out-of-state endorsers are allowed.

• !

  Importing a Michigan 40-hour civil-rights course or a Rhode Island 45

  Massachusetts requires its own 40 hours at a Board-approved school, unless you qualify under the 254 CMR 2.00 reciprocity list or an approved educational waiver.

• !

  Buying the $5,000 broker bond as a salesperson

  The bond is a broker requirement. It is not a recovery fund, and it does not authorize you to practice independently.

• !

  Letting the Educational Certificate hit two years with only one portion passed

  A partial pass expires with the certificate. You would then need to take both portions again, and complete a new 40 hours if the certificate has expired.

• !

  Waiting more than 30 days after notice of passing to pay the license fee

  Under 254 CMR 2.00(5) and the FAQ, you must retake the exam. This deadline is strictly enforced.

• !

  Treating the Mass.gov "printed at the testing center" sentence as current issuance

  Per the CIB (Updated 06/12/2025), PSI does not print licenses on site. You pay through eLIPSE, and your digital license is available in 24 hours. The how-to page has not been updated.

• !

  Renewing active without all 12 CE hours

  Per the FAQ, the Board must renew you as inactive. Partial hours do not count, and prelicensure is not CE.

• !

  Reading lead paint, Title 5, or registered land as extra-credit trivia

  These are scored Massachusetts state exam topics, and Connecticut or Rhode Island courses will not cover them.

• !

  Calling Pearson, or taking a Rhode Island exam, for a Massachusetts score

  Massachusetts real estate exams are given by PSI under the 06/12/2025 CIB, after eLIPSE approval. Reciprocity requires a 254 CMR 2.00 application; scores do not transfer.

• !

  Applying for a new original after you already held a Massachusetts license

  Per the CIB: LICENSEES WHO HAVE BEEN ISSUED A MASSACHUSETTS LICENSE IN THE PAST MUST RENEW OR REINSTATE THAT LICENSE. THEY MAY NOT BECOME LICENSED ANEW. A new original is invalid and will be voided.

According to the Mass.gov reciprocity page, only brokers and salespersons who passed their examination in the named states may apply for reciprocity (254 CMR 2.00), along with Oklahoma licensees licensed 2 years. Everyone else may submit an educational waiver with a certified letter of Good Standing from their original state and still take the Massachusetts exam. Massachusetts attorneys may become attorney-brokers without the exam under §87SS; that is a separate license path, not reciprocity. This list comes from the Mass.gov page, not from third-party reciprocity charts.

Massachusetts 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.

How many prelicense hours?

Forty (40) hours at a Board-approved school, according to the Mass.gov prepare page, the Board FAQ, and the CIB (Updated 06/12/2025). A Michigan 40-hour course that includes 4 civil-rights hours does not count.

What is the sitting?

After eLIPSE approval, you test with PSI. Per the CIB: General 80 items (80 points) in 150 minutes, State 40 items (40 points) in 90 minutes, or both together in 120 items / 240 minutes. You need 70% on each portion (56 of 80 and 28 of 40). The 5–10 experimental questions count against your time. You must test in Massachusetts.

How much does the candidate / exam cost?

Mass.gov lists the Salesperson Candidate fee as $85 and the Broker Candidate fee as $106, with a $54 retake if you miss the exam. The CIB breaks this down: application $31 salesperson / $52 broker, examination $54 salesperson / $52 broker, and a $54 retake for all. The $85 is the $31 and $54 combined, not a third fee.

Do I book PSI before eLIPSE?

No. Per the CIB, you become eligible once your application and supporting documents are approved. The Mass.gov prepare page says to apply through eLIPSE, including a DOL CORI form, and then schedule with PSI. Incomplete files are held 180 days and then abandoned.

Do I need the $5,000 bond as a salesperson?

No. The original $5,000 surety bond on the Board form is a broker requirement (Mass.gov prepare page and CIB). Buying one as a salesperson does not let you open your own office, and it is not a recovery fund.

When does the license expire, and what CE applies?

Your license is issued on the date you pass and expires on your date of birth, no less than two years and no more than three later (Mass.gov prepare page and CIB). For your first renewal and every active renewal after that, you must complete 12 hours of CE BEFORE renewing active (FAQ and CIB). If you miss CE, the Board must renew you as inactive. Prelicensure does not count as CE. Massachusetts attorneys in good standing who are brokers are exempt from CE by statute. Renewal is $103 for salespersons and $142 for brokers (Mass.gov renewal page), and you must submit a notarized CORI at renewal.

If I pass one portion and fail the other?

Per the CIB, you retake only the failed portion, within two years of your Educational Certificate date. If the certificate expires, the partial pass expires too and you must take both portions again. The FAQ confirms the Board will not automatically invalidate a passing score while the certificate is still valid.

How long to pay for the license after I pass?

Per the FAQ and 254 CMR 2.00(5), you must pay within thirty (30) days of being notified that you passed. If you miss that deadline, you must retake the exam. Per the CIB, your digital license is available 24 hours after paying in eLIPSE, and PSI does not print licenses on site. The Mass.gov how-to page still says licenses are issued at the testing center; follow the CIB.

Licensed in another state — do I still take the 40?

The Mass.gov reciprocity page names CT, RI, WV, NE, IA, TN, MS, CO, GA, PA, and NM (for those who passed that state's exam), plus Oklahoma licensees licensed 2 years. Everyone else may seek an educational waiver with a certified letter of Good Standing and still take the exam. Massachusetts attorneys have a separate, exam-exempt license path.

Where is the Board and who seats the exam?

One Federal Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02110-2012. Board (617) 701-8661. Welcome Center (617) 701-8895. [email protected]. PSI (855) 340-3704, test-takers.psiexams.com/mare. CIB test centers: Auburn, Boston/Charlestown, Fall River, Lawrence, West Springfield. You must test in Massachusetts.

What is scored Massachusetts, not NAR trivia?

Lead paint, Title 5 private sewage disposal, smoke and carbon monoxide detection, wetlands and rivers protection, MCAD fair housing (protected classes that differ from Federal), the State Sanitary Code, short-term vacation rentals, registered land, rental-fee disclosures, and the Mandatory Consumer Disclosure. These are Massachusetts-specific topics that Rhode Island's 45-hour or Connecticut's 60-hour courses will not cover.

What can I do with an inactive license?

Per the FAQ, you cannot work as a real estate agent, but you may receive a referral fee from an active broker. Completing only part of the 12 hours does not qualify you for active status; you must complete all 12 before renewing active.