Ohio real estate licensing
Ohio 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
- 120 hours of named broker courses (salesperson-era hours plus four business courses)
- Exam fee
- $66
- Published fees
- $201 in Division $135 + PSI $66, plus 120-hour tuition and Webcheck
- Typical timeline
- Two years of Ohio salesperson activity is the longest step
What to know first
An Ohio broker license is a separate license under Chapter 4735, not a NAR designation and not simply an upgraded salesperson license. The Division's broker-requirements page requires an active Ohio salesperson license for at least two of the last five years, 20 counted transactions, and 120 hours of named education beyond the salesperson 40+40+10+10. HB 238's cut of salesperson education from 120 to 100 hours did not cut broker education. It only changed the salesperson-era hours that sit underneath the broker's additional financial-management, HR/personnel, applied-business-economics, and business-law courses.
Ohio counts transactions its own way. Listing agent in the sale of property owned by another = 1/2; selling agent in that sale = 1/2; listing or procuring agent in a commercial/industrial lease of at least one year = 1/2; listing or procuring agent in a residential lease of at least one year = 1/2. If leasehold transactions make up 16 or more of the 20, you also need three years of full-time property management. This differs from Pennsylvania's 200-point chart and Texas's 720-point log.
The broker examination application is $135. PSI uses the same $66/$46/$43 fee table as for salespersons, but the cut score is scaled 75 percent on each portion (O.A.C. 1301:5-1-05). The national broker exam is 75 items worth 80 points (scenario items can score 0, 1, or 2) in 120 minutes; the state exam is 40 items in 60 minutes. Fingerprints are the same BCI&I plus FBI set. Neighboring states' titles can mislead you: Indiana's entry license is already called broker, but an Indiana broker is not an Ohio broker unless the Division says so. Kentucky broker education is 336 classroom hours or 21 academic credits, including a 48-hour brokerage-management block. Michigan brokers add 90 clock hours on top of the salesperson 40. None of those certificates satisfies Ohio's broker requirements.
Your path to the license
Follow these steps in order. Deadlines and affiliation requirements can make a passed exam unusable if they are missed.
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Hold an active Ohio salesperson license for two of the last five years
Build your 20-transaction log using the Division's ½-credit rules.
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Complete the 120-hour named broker course grid
Salesperson-era hours plus Financial Management, HR/Personnel, Applied Business Economics, and Business Law. HB 238 did not change this requirement.
-
File the Broker Examination Application with $135
Include fingerprints with the application. The Division then notifies PSI.
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Pass PSI at scaled 75 percent on each portion
75 national items (80 points) + 40 state, $66 combined.
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Qualify the brokerage and calendar principal-broker CE
3-hour principal-broker duties course inside each 30-hour CE cycle.
How long the 120-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
- 12 weeksabout 10 hrs/week
- Steady
- 6 weeksabout 20 hrs/week
- Full-time
- 3 weeksabout 40 hrs/week
Overall estimate from our source review: Two years of Ohio salesperson activity is the longest step. After you file a complete broker application, Division eligibility review and PSI scheduling commonly add weeks.
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
- U.S. citizen or legal alien. The Division currently requires an active Ohio salesperson license for two of the last five years as the experience requirement; confirm with the Division rather than assuming an Indiana broker year counts.
- Qualifying education
- Division broker-requirements page: if licensed on or after April 9, 2025, the salesperson-era block is 40 law + 40 principles & practices + 10 appraisal + 10 finance, plus Financial Management, Human Resources or Personnel Management, Applied Business Economics, and Business Law. Applicants licensed August 1, 2001–April 8, 2025 use 40+40+20+20 plus those four business courses. Applicants licensed January 1, 1972–July 31, 2001 use 30+30+30+30 plus the four 30-hour business courses. Licensed before January 1, 1972: no additional education. HB 238 did not delete the four business courses.
- Character review
- Same honest-and-truthful / R.C. 9.79 review as salesperson applicants.
- Background process
- BCI&I plus FBI fingerprints with the broker examination application.
- Experience
- active Ohio salesperson license for at least two of the last five years, plus 20 counted transactions (½ each for listing or selling a property owned by another; ½ for qualifying leases of at least one year). If 16 or more of the 20 are leasehold, also three years of full-time property management.
- Broker affiliation
- An Ohio broker may qualify a business and hold salespersons. As a broker, you will sign the recommendation that salesperson applicants need. Principal-broker duties are a 3-hour CE topic every cycle.
Documents to prepare
- Broker Examination Application ($135)
- Official transcripts or course completion certificates for the 120-hour grid
- Transaction log matching the Division's ½-credit counting rules
- BCI&I / FBI fingerprints
- PSI broker passing score report (scaled 75 each portion)
The licensing exam
PSI administers the exam after the Division confirms eligibility. The broker national portion has 75 items (80 points, with some scenario items weighted 0/1/2) in 120 minutes, scaled 75 percent. The broker state portion has 40 items in 60 minutes, scaled 75 percent. The combined fee is $66. The same 12-month CIB window and the same Division retake-request rule apply as for salespersons. The state outline adds broker-only topics: trust or special accounts, Ohio Broker Lien Law, ancillary trustee if the broker dies, broker license display, and principal-broker supervision. The national broker outline raises property management to 5% and adds supervisory-responsibility items. The passing score is 75, not the salesperson 70.
PSI Services LLC, under contract to the superintendent · Fee: $66
| Part | Questions | Minutes | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker National (scenario-weighted) | 75 | 120 | 75% |
| Broker Ohio State | 40 | 60 | 75% |
Scoring details from the candidate handbook
- Broker National (scenario-weighted): 75 items carrying 80 points in 120 minutes, per the PSI table (7/1/2026). The passing score is 75%, which the Division's broker page also lists. Combined with the state portion, the exam is 115 items carrying 120 points in 180 minutes at 75%. National broker exams include questions scored up to two points (scenario items 0/1/2), so the cut is 75% of 80 points (60), not 56 of 75 items. $66 combined / $46 national-only.
- Broker Ohio State: 40 items (40 points) in 60 minutes; PSI and the Division's broker page both list 75%. The state outline uses the same 16+14+6+4 item counts as the salesperson exam, with broker-only topics included: trust or special accounts, Ohio Broker Lien Law, ancillary trustee if the broker dies, broker license display, and principal-broker supervision. $43 state-only or $66 combined.
The same 12-month CIB window and Division retake-request rule apply as for salespersons. The cut score is 75, not 70. Combined PSI fee $66.
What to study
-
Division broker-requirements page
Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing
The two-of-five-years rule, 20 transactions, 120-hour course grids by licensure date, and the $135 fee.
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PSI bulletin broker tables
PSI
75 items / 80 points national, scaled 75, scenario weighting.
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R.C. 4735.12 Recovery Fund
Ohio legislature
Broker trust-account and conversion exposure.
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 | $135 |
| Examination | $66 |
Division broker page: $135 examination application. PSI $66 combined / $46 / $43. Three-year birthday CE cycle; brokers include a 3-hour principal-broker duties course inside the 30 hours.
Published state fees
$201
Application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts cited above. Excludes school tuition.
| Commission | Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing (614) 466-4100 Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4735, including §§ 4735.07 (broker), 4735.09 (salesperson qualifications, the $81 fee, 100 hours after HB 238, and the 20-hour post-license requirement), 4735.12 (Recovery Fund) and 4735.141 (CE). O.A.C. 1301:5, including 1301:5-1-05 (exam content split and scaled cut scores) and 1301:5-7-02 (CE). The Division also publishes Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson's License, Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Broker's License, and a House Bill 238 FAQ (effective April 9, 2025). PSI publishes the 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). PSI: (855) 834-8749. Apply through eLicense at lpi.elicense.ohio.gov; paper applications are not accepted. |
|---|---|
| Pre-licensing | 120 hours of named broker courses (salesperson-era hours plus four business courses) Division broker-requirements page: if licensed on or after April 9, 2025, the salesperson-era block is 40 law + 40 principles & practices + 10 appraisal + 10 finance, plus Financial Management, Human Resources or Personnel Management, Applied Business Economics, and Business Law. Applicants licensed August 1, 2001–April 8, 2025 use 40+40+20+20 plus those four business courses. Applicants licensed January 1, 1972–July 31, 2001 use 30+30+30+30 plus the four 30-hour business courses. Licensed before January 1, 1972: no additional education. HB 238 did not delete the four business courses. |
| Sponsoring broker | An Ohio broker may qualify a business and hold salespersons. As a broker, you will sign the recommendation that salesperson applicants need. Principal-broker duties are a 3-hour CE topic every cycle. |
| Fingerprints | Same BCI&I plus FBI fingerprint channel as salesperson applicants. Instructions are on the Broker Examination Application. |
| CE / renewal | 30 hours every three birthdays including 3 civil rights, 3 core law, 3 canons of ethics, and — for brokers, brokers on deposit, and management-level licensees — a 3-hour principal-broker duties course (R.C. 4735.141). |
| Recovery fund | Same R.C. 4735.12 Real Estate Recovery Fund. Brokers are the typical target of conversion claims. A paid claim suspends the license until the fund is reimbursed plus interest. Cap $40,000 per licensee. |
Mistakes that delay applicants
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Assuming HB 238 rewrote broker education
The Division's broker page still lists Financial Management, HR/Personnel, Applied Business Economics, and Business Law on top of the salesperson-era block. The HB 238 FAQ states that you must still complete the broker pre-licensure courses required by R.C. 4735.07.
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Treating an Indiana broker license as an Ohio broker license
Indiana's entry title is broker. Ohio still has a salesperson license and a separate broker license.
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Counting a listing and a sale as two full transactions
Per the Division's page, each side is 1/2. Twenty full credits means more closings than people expect. Sixteen or more leasehold credits also require three years of full-time property management.
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Sitting the broker exam at the salesperson 70 percent cut
The Division's broker page and the PSI table list 75, not 70. The national portion is 75 items carrying 80 points.
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Using the August 1, 2001–April 8, 2025 20-hour appraisal/finance block after a post-April 9, 2025 original
The Division's broker page splits education into three cohorts by the date of your original salesperson license. Confirm which grid applies to you.
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Skipping principal-broker CE
Brokers, brokers on deposit, and management-level licensees include a 3-hour principal-broker duties course inside each 30-hour cycle (R.C. 4735.141).
Reciprocity and recognition
| Partner / path | Accepted exam | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| No formal bilateral reciprocity is published for this credential. | ||
Check the Division's broker pages for any endorsement path. An Indiana broker license is an entry credential in Indiana and does not satisfy Ohio's broker requirements.
Renewal and staying active
30 hours every three birthdays including 3 civil rights, 3 core law, 3 canons of ethics, and — for brokers, brokers on deposit, and management-level licensees — a 3-hour principal-broker duties course (R.C. 4735.141).
Applicant checklist
- Active Ohio salesperson license covering two of the last five years
- 20-transaction log using the Division's ½-credit rules
- 120-hour named course grid (including the four business courses)
- $135 Broker Examination Application
- BCI&I / FBI fingerprints
- PSI scaled 75 on each portion
How Ohio is different
Kentucky broker: 336 hours or 21 credits including 48 hours of brokerage management, plus two years at 20 hours a week. Indiana's entry license is already broker (90 hours, Pearson scaled 75); managing broker is an upgrade requiring 24 hours and three years. Pennsylvania: 200-point charts and 240 hours. Michigan: 90 additional clock hours, including 9 of civil rights, on top of the 40-hour salesperson requirement. Ohio broker: two of five years as an Ohio salesperson, 20 counted transactions, 120 hours of named courses, a $135 application, and PSI at scaled 75.
Ohio vs neighboring states
| Jurisdiction | License title | Pre-license hours | Exam vendor | Exam questions | Exam fee | Published state fees | Renewal cycle | Min. age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio (this guide) | Broker | 120 | PSI | 115 | $66 | $201 | 3 yr | 18 |
| Indiana | Managing Broker | 24 | Pearson VUE | 130 | $55 | $55 | 3 yr | 18 |
| Kentucky | Broker | 336 | PSI | 125 | $100 | $220 | 2 yr | 18 |
| Michigan | Broker | 90 | PSI | 115 | $79 | $365 | 3 yr | 18 |
| Pennsylvania | Broker | 240 | Pearson VUE | 120 | $52 | $261.50 | 2 yr | 21 |
| 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 Ohio issue a salesperson license?
- Yes. Salesperson is the entry title. Broker is a separate license after two of five years as an active Ohio salesperson, 20 counted transactions, and the named broker-education grid.
- Did HB 238 cut broker education to 100 hours?
- No. The Division's broker-requirements page still lists three education cohorts. If you were licensed on or after April 9, 2025, you need 40 law + 40 principles & practices + 10 appraisal + 10 finance PLUS Financial Management, Human Resources or Personnel Management, Applied Business Economics, and Business Law. The HB 238 FAQ states that you must still complete the broker pre-licensure courses required by R.C. 4735.07 even though the post-secondary education requirement was removed.
- What is the broker passing score?
- The Division's broker page lists a passing score of 75, and the PSI table lists 75% on each portion. The national portion is 75 items carrying 80 points in 120 minutes; the state portion is 40 items in 60 minutes; together, 115 items carrying 120 points in 180 minutes. The cut is 75% of 80 points (60), not 56 of 75 items.
- How are the 20 transactions counted?
- Per the Division's broker page: listing agent in the sale of property owned by another = 1/2; selling agent in that sale = 1/2; listing or procuring agent in a commercial/industrial lease of at least one year = 1/2; listing or procuring agent in a residential lease of at least one year = 1/2. If leasehold transactions make up 16 or more of the 20, you also need three years of full-time property management.
- What does the broker application cost?
- The Division's broker page says to submit a Broker Examination Application and pay the $135 fee. PSI is still $66 combined / $46 / $43. The CE cycle is three years on your birthday; brokers include a 3-hour principal-broker duties course inside the 30 hours.
- Is an Indiana broker an Ohio broker?
- No. Indiana's entry title is already broker. Ohio still has a salesperson license and a separate broker license. Check the Division's pages for any endorsement path rather than relying on a third-party list.
Primary Sources
Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.
- Ohio Division — Requirements for an Ohio Real Estate Broker's License
- R.C. Chapter 4735
- O.A.C. 1301:5-1-05 (broker scaled 75)
- PSI Ohio Real Estate Candidate Information Bulletin
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.
Spotted something out of date? Send a correction.