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RE License Guide

New Jersey real estate licensing

New Jersey Real Estate Broker 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 4 official references Next review 2026-12-01
Required education
150 hours: 90-hour general real estate course FIRST, then 30-hour Agency/Ethics and 30-hour Office Management and related topics
Exam fee
$38
Published fees
$25
Typical timeline
Three years full-time as a New Jersey salesperson is the long pole
01

What to know first

A New Jersey broker license is not a weekend add-on to the salesperson 75. The live Requirements page (fetched 2026-09-02) wants high school or equivalency, 150 hours of prelicensure education, and continual licensure and full-time employment as a New Jersey real estate salesperson for the three years immediately preceding application. Applicants must first complete a 90-hour general real estate course, and then two 30-hour courses on Agency/Ethics and Office Management and related topics. After all three courses, submit to the Education Qualification Section the completed school certificate and a completed Experience Report For Broker Applicant form. Following review and approval, the Commission mails a Certificate of Examination Eligibility used to reserve the broker examination. Pass the broker examination and apply for issuance as a broker or broker-salesperson not later than one year after successful completion of the broker prelicensure education requirements.

PSI bulletin: broker candidates will not be permitted to take the broker examination unless their preceding three years of work experience has been approved by NJREC and they have completed the required 150 hours. The 90-hour general course must be completed first. Then the two 30-hour courses. Only then may an application for experience approval be submitted. $25.00 application fee payable to the State Treasurer of New Jersey with the experience-approval form — certified/cashier's check, money order, or broker's business account check; no personal checks; nonrefundable. Broker candidates retain the School Certificate until all three parts are completed: PART A is the 90-hour general, PARTS B and C the two 30s; all three must be certified on a single School Certificate even if taken at different licensed schools. Examination Summary Table: Broker 115 questions (120 points; some items scored up to two points), 70% (84 correct), 4 hours. Still a unified paper. $38. Upon passing as a broker-salesperson under another broker, the $270.00 fee is License $200 + Application $50 + Guaranty Fund $20. Sole proprietor / broker of record is a different Bureau filing. A New York broker 45-hour course and a Pennsylvania broker grid do not contain New Jersey Agency/Ethics + Office Management in that order.

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. Document three years full-time as a New Jersey salesperson

    Experience Report. Do this in parallel with school, but do not file experience approval until all three courses are on one School Certificate.

  2. 90-hour general FIRST, then Agency/Ethics 30 and Office Management 30

    Single School Certificate PART A/B/C. Salesperson 75 is not the 90.

  3. $25 experience approval, wait for the Certificate of Examination Eligibility, then PSI $38 (115/120 points/4 hours/84 of 120)

    No personal checks. Do not book PSI first.

  4. IDEMIA $66.05; $270 cart (or sole-proprietor / broker-of-record filing); 12-hour CE including the named cores

    Broker-salesperson needs the prior salesperson license terminated on its reverse. Guaranty Fund is $20 inside the $270.

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
Live Requirements page: continually licensed and employed on a full-time basis as a New Jersey real estate salesperson for the three years immediately preceding application. Out-of-state brokers continuously licensed as a broker in another state for 3 years still complete the two 30-hour courses and attach a current certification of license status and history (PSI bulletin). Disabled-veteran waivers of education and experience: Education Waiver Section. Broker education or experience waiver $25; approval of experience report $25 (live fees page).
Qualifying education
Live Requirements page and PSI bulletin (fetched 2026-09-02). Order is mandatory: 90 general first, then the two 30s, then the experience-approval filing. All three certified on a single School Certificate (PART A / B / C) even if taken at different licensed schools. Salesperson 75 is not this 150 and does not count as the 90. Pass the broker exam and apply for issuance not later than one year after successful completion of the broker prelicensure education requirements. Continuously licensed New Jersey brokers who did not take the two 30s to qualify must complete those two 30s and provide the broker license reference number (PSI bulletin).
Education or filing deadline
One year from successful completion of the broker prelicensure education to pass and request issuance (live Requirements page). Experience approval is a prerequisite to the PSI reservation.
Character review
Same character review. Fresh IdentoGO on the new license type.
Background process
IDEMIA $66.05 after you pass. Do not reuse an aged salesperson print if the Bureau wants a new Universal Form for the broker license type.
Experience
Continually licensed and employed on a full-time basis as a New Jersey real estate salesperson for the three years immediately preceding application (live Requirements page). Experience Report For Broker Applicant form. $25 to the State Treasurer. No personal checks.
Broker affiliation
Broker-salesperson hangs under another broker ($270 cart). Sole proprietor (employing broker) or broker of record of a corporation/partnership/LLC contacts Licensing Services at (609) 292-7272 ext. 50118 or 50442 — that is a different filing than the individual $270. Entity initial license $270 / renewal $200 on the live fees page. Branch office $150 initial / $100 renewal.

Documents to prepare

  • Single School Certificate with PART A (90) + PART B/C (two 30s)
  • Experience Report approved by NJREC ($25)
  • Certificate of Examination Eligibility, then PSI broker 115/120 points/4 hours/84 of 120 (70%)
  • IDEMIA receipt + Universal Form
  • $270 to the State Treasurer for broker-salesperson (or the sole-proprietor / broker-of-record filing)
04

The licensing exam

PSI broker paper, $38, 4 hours, 115 questions carrying 120 points, 70% = 84 correct. Some items worth two points — 81 of 115 is not the cut. Unified sitting, not a split retake. National-style weights shift slightly (financing 9%, calculations 6%, property management 5% with broker-only trust-account and contract buckets). New Jersey items expand: Commission 3, licensing 4, statutes/rules 30, additional 3. Supervisory responsibilities (licensees, teams, unlicensed assistants) are broker-only. Same Pinelands / Mount Laurel / attorney review / escrow bookkeeping grid, heavier. Eligibility from the Commission after experience approval, not from the school import used by salespersons. Sit only after the Certificate of Examination Eligibility. Do not sit the salesperson 110 as a broker candidate.

PSI after NJREC experience approval and Certificate of Examination Eligibility. Same URL and $38. Sit the broker 115-item paper, not the salesperson 110. · Fee: $38

Part Questions Minutes Pass
National-style content (inside unified broker 115) 80 240 Part of one 115-item / 120-point / 4-hour / $38 paper. Cut is 84 of 120 points (70%), not a raw 81/115. Some items worth two points. Fail and you sit the whole paper again
New Jersey broker content (inside unified 115) 35 240 Commission 3 + licensing 4 + statutes/rules 30 + additional 3. Supervisory responsibilities are broker-only. Same sitting. Outline prints 40 New Jersey-item slots across those buckets inside the 115/120-point paper — the cut remains 84 of 120 overall

Same $38 / unlimited-until-eligibility rules. Unified paper. Do not sit the salesperson 110. Eligibility is the Commission certificate plus the one-year education-to-issuance clock.

What to study

  • 90-hour general + Agency/Ethics 30 + Office Management 30 (named broker stack)

    NJREC-licensed schools

    Order is mandatory. Single School Certificate PART A/B/C. Salesperson 75 is not this 150.

  • PSI bulletin 1667 broker table (115/120 points, 84 of 120, 4 hours)

    PSI / NJREC

    Unified paper. Supervisory responsibilities are broker-only. Do not sit the salesperson 110.

  • N.J.A.C. 11:5 office and escrow rules

    NJREC

    Place of business, escrow-account bookkeeping, broker/salesperson relationships. Heavier on the broker 30-item statutes bucket.

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$50
Examination$38
Initial license$200
Renewal (every 2 years)$200
Fingerprints / background check$66.05

PSI bulletin broker-salesperson cart $270 = License $200 + Application $50 + Guaranty Fund $20. $25 experience-approval fee is extra (and the live fees page also lists $25 for broker education or experience waiver and $25 for approval of experience report — pay the invoice you are actually on). Live fees page: broker of record / sole proprietor / broker-salesperson initial $270, renewal $200, reinstatement $250. Entity $270 / $200. PSI $38. IDEMIA $66.05. Disabled-veteran path can waive the $200 broker license fee (bulletin remaining $70). Confirm live Bureau extensions 50118 / 50442 for employing-broker filings.

Commission

New Jersey Real Estate Commission (Department of Banking and Insurance)

(609) 292-7272

N.J.S.A. 45:15-1 et seq. (Real Estate License Act), including §45:15-9 (qualifications) and §45:15-12.1; N.J.A.C. 11:5 (including 11:5-2.1 prelicensure education, 11:5-12.3 / 11:5-12.4 continuing education). PSI New Jersey Real Estate Salesperson, Broker and Instructor Examination Candidate Information Bulletin at test-takers.psiexams.com/njre (bulletin 1667, fetched 2026-09-02). Email relic@dobi.nj.gov.
Pre-licensing

150 hours: 90-hour general real estate course FIRST, then 30-hour Agency/Ethics and 30-hour Office Management and related topics

Live Requirements page and PSI bulletin (fetched 2026-09-02). Order is mandatory: 90 general first, then the two 30s, then the experience-approval filing. All three certified on a single School Certificate (PART A / B / C) even if taken at different licensed schools. Salesperson 75 is not this 150 and does not count as the 90. Pass the broker exam and apply for issuance not later than one year after successful completion of the broker prelicensure education requirements. Continuously licensed New Jersey brokers who did not take the two 30s to qualify must complete those two 30s and provide the broker license reference number (PSI bulletin).

One year from successful completion of the broker prelicensure education to pass and request issuance (live Requirements page). Experience approval is a prerequisite to the PSI reservation.
Sponsoring broker

Broker-salesperson hangs under another broker ($270 cart). Sole proprietor (employing broker) or broker of record of a corporation/partnership/LLC contacts Licensing Services at (609) 292-7272 ext. 50118 or 50442 — that is a different filing than the individual $270. Entity initial license $270 / renewal $200 on the live fees page. Branch office $150 initial / $100 renewal.
Fingerprints

Same IDEMIA Live Scan $66.05, same Universal Form (salesperson/broker/referral version), after you pass. Broker-salesperson path: sponsoring or former broker must terminate the previous salesperson license on its reverse side; terminated license returned with the pass notice; copies not accepted (PSI bulletin).
CE / renewal

Same 12-hour term machine including 2 ethics + 1 Fair Housing/NJLAD + 1 agency. Broker prelicensure courses completed during the term can satisfy that term's CE. Referral conversion into a broker hanging still owes the full core grid.

Live fees page: reinstatement of unrenewed broker / broker-salesperson $250. Complete the 12-hour CE applicable to the license type.
Recovery fund

$20.00 Guaranty Fund inside the $270 broker cart (PSI bulletin). Same fund as salesperson, larger assessment.
06

Mistakes that delay applicants

  • Taking the two 30s before the 90-hour general, or treating salesperson 75 as the 90

    Order is mandatory. All three on one School Certificate.

  • Booking PSI before NJREC experience approval

    Forfeits the $38. Wait for the Certificate of Examination Eligibility. $25, no personal checks.

  • Sitting the salesperson 110, or treating 70% as 81 of 115

    Broker is 115 questions / 120 points / 84 of 120. Some items worth two points.

  • Expecting New York or Pennsylvania reciprocity to swallow Agency/Ethics and Office Management

    No reciprocity. Out-of-state brokers still take the two 30s plus a certified history.

  • Mailing a photocopy of the terminated salesperson license, or skipping IdentoGO on upgrade

    Copies not accepted. Fresh Universal Form. $270 cart includes $20 Guaranty Fund, not $10.

  • Opening a firm on the broker-salesperson hanging without the employing-broker filing

    Ext. 50118 / 50442. Entity license is a separate $270.

07

Reciprocity and recognition

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

No reciprocity with any state (live Requirements page). Out-of-state brokers continuously licensed 3 years still take the two 30-hour courses and attach a certified history. Disabled-veteran waivers exist. $25 education or experience waiver on the live fees page.

08

Renewal and staying active

Same 12-hour term machine including 2 ethics + 1 Fair Housing/NJLAD + 1 agency. Broker prelicensure courses completed during the term can satisfy that term's CE. Referral conversion into a broker hanging still owes the full core grid.

Late renewal: Live fees page: reinstatement of unrenewed broker / broker-salesperson $250. Complete the 12-hour CE applicable to the license type.

Entity renewal $200. Branch $100. Change of status (sole proprietor / broker of record / broker-salesperson) $50.

Applicant checklist

  • Three years full-time as a New Jersey salesperson; Experience Report + $25
  • 90-hour general FIRST, then Agency/Ethics 30 + Office Management 30, single School Certificate
  • Certificate of Examination Eligibility; PSI $38 (115/120 points/4 hours/84 of 120)
  • IDEMIA $66.05; $270 cart (or sole-proprietor / broker-of-record filing); terminate the salesperson license if hanging as broker-salesperson
  • 12-hour CE term including the named cores
09

How New Jersey is different

New York broker and Pennsylvania broker are different named-hour and experience grids, and both have reciprocal paths New Jersey refuses. New Jersey broker is 90 general FIRST plus Agency/Ethics 30 plus Office Management 30, three years full-time as a New Jersey salesperson, $25 experience approval, PSI 115/120 points/4 hours at 70% (84), $270 cart.

10

Frequently asked questions

How much experience?
Live Requirements page: continually licensed and employed on a full-time basis as a New Jersey real estate salesperson for the three years immediately preceding application. Experience Report + $25, no personal checks.
Does salesperson 75 count as the 150?
No. 90-hour general FIRST, then two 30s (Agency/Ethics and Office Management). All three on one School Certificate. Order is mandatory.
Is the cut still 77 of 110?
No. Broker is 115 questions carrying 120 points, 70% = 84 correct, 4 hours. Some items worth two points. Still a unified paper. Do not sit the salesperson 110.
Can I book PSI before experience approval?
No. Bulletin: failure to obtain NJREC approval first forfeits examination fees. Wait for the Certificate of Examination Eligibility.
I am a New York / Pennsylvania broker. Reciprocity?
No. Continuously licensed out-of-state brokers for 3 years still take the two 30-hour courses and attach a certified history. The 90 may be the piece that history addresses — confirm with Education rather than skipping the two 30s.
Broker-salesperson vs employing broker?
Broker-salesperson hangs under another broker on the $270 cart and needs the prior salesperson license terminated. Sole proprietor / broker of record is a Bureau filing at ext. 50118 or 50442. Entity license is a separate $270.
What CE do brokers take?
Same 12-hour term machine as salespersons, including 2 ethics + 1 Fair Housing/NJLAD + 1 agency. Completing broker prelicensure courses can satisfy CE for the term in which they were completed.

Primary Sources

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

  1. NJREC Requirements (150 hours as 90 + two 30s; 3 years full-time NJ salesperson; one-year education-to-issuance clock)
  2. NJREC fees ($270 broker initial / $200 renewal; $25 experience report)
  3. PSI bulletin 1667 (broker 115/120 points/4 hours/70% = 84; $270 cart; $25 experience approval)
  4. NJREC CE (12 hours including 2 ethics + 1 Fair Housing/NJLAD + 1 agency)

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