OH real estate licensing guide

Ohio

Ohio salesperson is application-before-exam: 100 named hours on the live ODRE salesperson page and the live PSI bulletin (fetched 2026-09-02) — 40 Real Estate Principles and Practices, 40 Ohio Real Estate Law including civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation, 10 Appraisal, 10 Finance, effective April 9, 2025 under HB 238 — then a broker-signed Salesperson Examination Application at $81 on lpi.elicense.ohio.gov (paper applications are not accepted), BCI&I plus FBI fingerprints within 10 days, then PSI $66 combined on the 7/1/2026 bulletin: national 80 items (80 points) / 120 minutes at 70% and Ohio 40 items (40 points) / 60 minutes at 70% (combo 120 / 180 minutes), both portions in the same session, both inside 12 months of the initial CIB label. Live ODRE page prints Passing score: 70 without a raw item cut. After issuance, 20-hour post-licensure instruction within 12 months or the statute suspends then revokes. Broker is an active Ohio salesperson license for two of the last five years, 20 counted transactions at 1/2 per side, the named broker-education grid that still adds Financial Management / HR / Applied Business Economics / Business Law, $135, and PSI at 75% (75 items carrying 80 points / 120 minutes plus state 40 / 60 minutes). Indiana's broker-entry 90 and Kentucky's sales-associate 96 are neighbor comparisons — this paper cannot be renamed to either: Ohio still has a salesperson title, the broker signs first, and the 20-hour post-license suspends then revokes.

Verified 2026-09-02

The Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing sits inside the Ohio Department of Commerce at 6606 Tussing Rd, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. Phone (614) 466-4100. com.ohio.gov/divisions-and-programs/real-estate-and-professional-licensing. Statute: R.C. Chapter 4735 and O.A.C. 1301:5. PSI delivers the exam under Candidate Information Bulletin 1001 (test-takers.psiexams.com/ohre; (855) 834-8749; 7/1/2026; fetched 2026-09-02). The live salesperson requirements page fetched 2026-09-02 is the hour bible: 40+40+10+10. Live HB 238 FAQ: effective April 9, 2025. A 2024 blog that still says 120 hours is already wrong.

PSI seats 80 national items in 120 minutes at 70% and 40 Ohio items in 60 minutes at 70%, $66 combined. The broker signs before the superintendent admits you. $81 application. Fingerprints within 10 days. Pass both portions within 12 months of the CIB label. Then 20-hour post-license in 12 months or the statute suspends, then revokes. First licensing year ends on the next birthday; after that, 30-hour CE every three birthdays.

Broker is two of five years as an Ohio salesperson, 20 counted transactions, 120 hours of named courses including four business courses, $135, PSI at 75%. Indiana's broker-entry title, Kentucky's 96-hour sales associate, Pennsylvania's 75, and Michigan's 40 including civil rights are neighbor comparisons, not Ohio's thesis. This paper cannot be renamed to another state: the broker signs first, the cut is 70 then 75, and the 20-hour post-license is a suspend-then-revoke clock.

Licensing authority

Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing

ODRE

A division of the Ohio Department of Commerce that licenses real estate salespersons and brokers, admits examinees to PSI only after a broker-signed application, and administers the Real Estate Recovery Fund. Live salesperson requirements page (fetched 2026-09-02): 40 hours Real Estate Principles and Practices, 40 hours Ohio Real Estate Law (civil rights, housing discrimination, desegregation), 10 hours Appraisal, 10 hours Finance — 100 hours; Salesperson Examination Application $81.00; pass both State and National; passing score 70; sponsored by an Ohio broker. Live PSI bulletin (7/1/2026) reprints that 40+40+10+10 table and charges $66 combined / $46 national-only / $43 state-only. Live HB 238 FAQ: effective April 9, 2025; 20-hour appraisal/finance courses still count if taken within 10 years of the current application. Live broker page: active Ohio salesperson two of last five years, 20 counted transactions, $135, passing score 75.

Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4735 (including §§ 4735.07 broker, 4735.09 salesperson qualifications / $81 / 100 hours after HB 238 / 20-hour post-license, 4735.12 Recovery Fund, 4735.141 CE). O.A.C. 1301:5 (including 1301:5-1-05 exam content split and scaled cuts, 1301:5-7-02 CE). Live ODRE Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License page, Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Broker's License page, and House Bill 238 FAQ (effective April 9, 2025) fetched 2026-09-02. PSI Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing Real Estate Salesperson and Broker Candidate Information Bulletin at test-takers.psiexams.com/ohre, Copyright 2026, 7/1/2026, bulletin 1001, fetched 2026-09-02. PSI (855) 834-8749. eLicense LPI at lpi.elicense.ohio.gov. Paper applications are not accepted. 6606 Tussing Rd, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 (614) 466-4100

Official commission site

License types in Ohio

Next steps

Budget

Verified state fees

Application, exam, and fingerprint fees we could confirm. School tuition is not estimated.

Mobility

Reciprocity, endorsement, recognition

Mutual recognition, endorsement, Act 41, and the states that waive nothing.

Testing

National vs state portions

Pearson VUE, PSI, DRE, and DOS — and what actually fails people.