Oregon real estate licensing
Oregon Principal 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
- 40-hour Brokerage Administration and Sales Supervision (BASS: 15 brokerage-business/supervision + 25 principles review); out-of-state applicants also complete the 150-hour seven-course broker study
- Exam fee
- $75
- Published fees
- $300
- Typical timeline
- Three years of active licensed time is the longest step
What to know first
An Oregon principal broker license takes more than a short course added to the 150-hour entry broker education. The REA Principal Broker Licensing page requires you to be 18, have a high school diploma / GED / international equivalent, and have three years of active real estate license experience. If you are a current Oregon broker, apply for a principal broker license and pay the $300 nonrefundable application fee in your existing eLicense account (your User ID is your license number, so do not register a new account). Then complete the 40-hour Brokerage Administration and Sales Supervision (BASS) course from a certified continuing education provider and give the provider your license number and full name. The BASS provider makes you eligible to sit the exam, and then you take it with PSI. If you are applying from out of state, register in eLicense, apply and pay $300, and upload a certified license history from the state where you gained your active experience. Then complete the 150-hour broker pre-license course of study AND the 40-hour BASS, followed by PSI and fingerprints.
OAR 863-022-0025 defines BASS as 40 clock-hours: 15 hours on brokerage business, supervision and legal requirements (supervising licensees, independent contractors and employees, financial records, property management) plus 25 hours reviewing real estate principles and practices (Law, Oregon Practice, Finance, Contracts, Agency Law, Property Management, Real Estate Brokerage). You must pass a final at 75%. BASS is eligible for CE credit. A Washington designated broker course or Idaho's Brokerage Management 28 will not count as BASS.
PSI bulletin 3376 sets the Principal Broker National exam at 75 items (80 points; some items are worth up to two points) in 150 minutes and the Principal Broker State exam at 50 items (50 points) in 90 minutes. You need 75% on each; the fee is $75, and a passed section stays valid for 12 months. As a principal broker candidate, do not book the entry broker 80-item national exam. After passing, you either work under an existing registered business name (the managing principal broker adds your license in eLicense, even if you already work there) or register your own business name and become the managing principal broker. Existing Oregon licensees do not reprint; out-of-state applicants are fingerprinted at PSI. Scores are good for one year. Because you can hold only one license at a time, the principal broker license replaces your broker license.
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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Document three years of active real estate license experience
Out-of-state applicants upload a certified history with the $300 eLicense application. Current Oregon brokers use their existing account (license number as User ID).
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40-hour BASS (15+25) at 75%; out-of-state applicants also complete the 150-hour seven-course study
The certified CE provider notifies PSI. The entry broker 150 hours do not count as BASS.
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PSI $75 principal broker exam: 75 items/80 points in 150 min + 50 items in 90 min at 75%
Do not book the entry broker 80-item national exam. Scores are good for one year. Out-of-state applicants are fingerprinted at PSI.
-
Join an existing registered business name or register your own (managing principal broker)
The managing principal broker must add you in eLicense even if you already work there. One license at a time. First active principal broker renewal: Fair Housing + LARRC + Principal Broker Advanced Practices (OAR 863-022-0021 assessment).
How long the 40-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
- 4 weeksabout 10 hrs/week
- Steady
- 2 weeksabout 20 hrs/week
- Full-time
- 1 weekabout 40 hrs/week
Overall estimate from our source review: Three years of active licensed time is the longest step. After BASS (and the 150 hours if you are from out of state), the PSI exam and the eLicense business-name step commonly add weeks. Scores are good for one year.
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
- Per the REA Principal Broker page, you need three years of active real estate license experience. Out-of-state applicants upload a certified license history from the state where that experience was obtained, then take the 150 hours plus BASS. Current Oregon brokers use their existing eLicense account (license number as User ID).
- Qualifying education
- Per the REA Principal Broker page and OAR 863-022-0025, BASS is 40 clock-hours from a certified continuing education provider, with a 75% course final, and is eligible for CE credit. It covers 15 hours on brokerage business, supervision and legal requirements and 25 hours reviewing the seven broker topics. Current Oregon brokers take BASS only. Out-of-state applicants take the 150-hour broker course of study plus BASS. The provider notifies PSI when you are eligible. The entry broker 150 hours do not count as BASS.
- Education or filing deadline
- PSI scores are good for one year. The Principal Broker page does not state a deadline between finishing BASS and taking the exam; check your application for any time limit.
- Character review
- Same ORS 696.022 trustworthy-and-competent review as brokers. Out-of-state applicants answer all of the background-check disclosure questions.
- Background process
- Existing Oregon licensees already have Agency clearance on file and do not need new PSI prints (bulletin). Unlicensed and out-of-state applicants need PSI digital fingerprints.
- Experience
- Three years of active real estate license experience (REA Principal Broker page). Out-of-state applicants need a certified license history from the state where the experience was obtained.
- Broker affiliation
- A principal broker may conduct professional real estate activity individually or with other licensees, and may supervise brokers, property managers, other principal brokers, and timeshare sales agents if they are the managing principal broker for the registered business name or authorized under a written supervisory agreement with the managing principal broker (REA Principal Broker page). Registering your own business name makes you the managing principal broker. To add your principal broker license to an existing business, the current managing principal broker must complete an eLicense step, even if you already work there. One license at a time.
Documents to prepare
- eLicense principal broker application + $300 (existing account if you are already an Oregon broker)
- 40-hour BASS at 75% (plus the 150-hour seven-course study if you are not already an Oregon broker)
- Certified license history (out-of-state)
- Passing scores of 75% on the PSI principal broker exam (75 items/80 points in 150 min + 50 items in 90 min)
- Registered business name, or the managing principal broker's eLicense step adding you
- Fingerprints if you are not licensed in Oregon
The licensing exam
PSI principal broker exam, $75, 75% on each section. National: 75 items worth 80 points (some items are worth two points) in 150 minutes. You need 60 of 80 points, not 57 of 75 items. State: 50 items in 90 minutes. A passed section stays valid for 12 months. National principal broker weights: ownership 10%, land use 5%, valuation 8%, financing 9%, contracts 19%, agency 13%, disclosures 7%, property management 5% (more than the entry broker 3%), transfer 6%, practice 12% including broker supervisory responsibilities, calculations 6%. The state principal broker outline keeps Oregon statutes, client funds, and disclosed limited agency, and shifts Regulation of Broker Activities toward principal broker supervision, registered business names, and document-review deadlines. Reactivation (if you are inactive more than two years) is a different 48-item / 120-minute exam, not this one.
PSI, after the BASS provider (or school, for out-of-state applicants) confirms your eligibility. Book the principal broker exam, not the entry broker 80-item national exam. · Fee: $75
| Part | Questions | Minutes | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Broker National | 75 | 150 | 75% |
| Principal Broker Oregon State | 50 | 90 | 75% |
Scoring details from the candidate handbook
- Principal Broker National: 75 items worth 80 points (some items worth two points) in 150 minutes. 75% means 60 of 80 points, not 57 of 75 items. $75. More property management and supervision content than the entry broker exam
- Principal Broker Oregon State: 50 items in 90 minutes; 75% to pass. Covers supervision, registered business names, document-review deadlines, client trust accounts, disclosed limited agency, and Oregon statutes. A passed section stays valid for 12 months
Same rules as the entry broker exam: $75 per attempt, a passed section stays valid for 12 months, and scores are valid for one year. Do not take the broker 80-item national exam.
What to study
-
Brokerage Administration and Sales Supervision (BASS, 40 hours, 15+25)
Certified CE provider
OAR 863-022-0025. 75% final. Separate from the entry broker 150 hours. Eligible for CE.
-
PSI bulletin 3376 principal broker table (75 items/80 points/150 min + 50/90 min)
PSI / Oregon REA
Do not book the entry broker 80-item national exam. Supervisory responsibilities are tested.
-
Registered business name / managing principal broker responsibilities
Oregon REA eLicense guides
Your license is not issued until the eLicense step or business-name approval is complete. One license at a time.
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 | $300 |
| Examination | $75 |
| Initial license | $300 |
| Renewal (every 2 years) | $300 |
| Fingerprints / background check | $61.25 |
REA Principal Broker page: $300 nonrefundable application fee. Renewal fees are the same as for brokers, $300 / $150 (REA renewal page). PSI $75. Fingerprints cost $61.25 (bulletin 3376) only if you are not licensed in Oregon; existing Oregon licensees do not reprint. The application and initial license amounts shown here are the same $300, not two charges. Registered business name fees are separate eLicense fees; check eLicense for the current amount.
Published state fees
$736.25
Application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts cited above. Excludes school tuition.
| Commission | Oregon Real Estate Agency (503) 378-4170 ORS 696 (including 696.010 professional real estate activity, 696.022 trustworthy and competent, 696.375 Agency). OAR 863-014 (licensing) and 863-022 (education), including 863-022-0010 (150 clock-hours in seven named broker courses), 863-022-0020 / 0021 (Advanced Practices first active renewal), 863-022-0025 (40-hour BASS for principal broker). PSI Oregon Real Estate Agency Candidate Information Bulletin at test-takers.psiexams.com/orre (bulletin 3376). Email [email protected]. Hours 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday excluding holidays. |
|---|---|
| Pre-licensing | 40-hour Brokerage Administration and Sales Supervision (BASS: 15 brokerage-business/supervision + 25 principles review); out-of-state applicants also complete the 150-hour seven-course broker study Per the REA Principal Broker page and OAR 863-022-0025, BASS is 40 clock-hours from a certified continuing education provider, with a 75% course final, and is eligible for CE credit. It covers 15 hours on brokerage business, supervision and legal requirements and 25 hours reviewing the seven broker topics. Current Oregon brokers take BASS only. Out-of-state applicants take the 150-hour broker course of study plus BASS. The provider notifies PSI when you are eligible. The entry broker 150 hours do not count as BASS. PSI scores are good for one year. The Principal Broker page does not state a deadline between finishing BASS and taking the exam; check your application for any time limit. |
| Sponsoring broker | A principal broker may conduct professional real estate activity individually or with other licensees, and may supervise brokers, property managers, other principal brokers, and timeshare sales agents if they are the managing principal broker for the registered business name or authorized under a written supervisory agreement with the managing principal broker (REA Principal Broker page). Registering your own business name makes you the managing principal broker. To add your principal broker license to an existing business, the current managing principal broker must complete an eLicense step, even if you already work there. One license at a time. |
| Fingerprints | Existing Oregon real estate licensees do not reprint (PSI bulletin). Out-of-state and unlicensed principal broker applicants are fingerprinted at PSI ($61.25 on bulletin 3376). Clearance is good for one year. Per the REA Principal Broker page, the Agency clears the background check before issuing the license. |
| CE / renewal | The same 30-hour requirement as brokers, except that your first active principal broker renewal requires Principal Broker Advanced Practices (OAR 863-022-0021) instead of Broker Advanced Practices. Under HB 3137, that is Fair Housing 2 + LARRC 2/3 + AP 26/27 on or after January 1, 2026. Later renewals: Fair Housing + LARRC + electives to reach 30. Inactive renewal requires no CE. If you are inactive more than 2 years, you need the reactivation exam plus the CE requirements. Same late renewal fees as brokers ($300+$150 active / $150+$150 inactive), with the same one-year window before the license lapses (REA renewal page). |
| Recovery fund | Same as the entry broker license: the REA lists no separate recovery-fund fee. Fees are $300 application, $300 active renewal, and $150 inactive renewal. |
Mistakes that delay applicants
-
Taking the entry broker 80-item national exam
The principal broker national exam is 75 items worth 80 points. The passing score is 60 of 80 points, not 57 of 75 items.
-
Skipping BASS because you already took the 150 hours
BASS is a separate 40 hours (15+25). Out-of-state applicants take both.
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Registering a new eLicense account as a current Oregon broker
Your User ID is your license number. Do not create a second account.
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Supervising without being the managing principal broker or having a written supervisory agreement
This is set out on the REA Principal Broker page. Registering a business name is what makes you the managing principal broker.
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Expecting a Washington designated broker course to replace BASS
Oregon lists no reciprocity partners. You need a certified history + 150 hours + BASS + the Oregon principal broker exam.
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Renewing with Broker Advanced Practices instead of Principal Broker Advanced Practices after you upgrade
The OAR 863-022-0021 case-study assessment belongs to a different course. Fair Housing 2 still applies on or after January 1, 2026.
Reciprocity and recognition
| Partner / path | Accepted exam | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| No formal bilateral reciprocity is published for this credential. | ||
The REA Principal Broker page does not list reciprocity partner states. The out-of-state path is certified license history + 150 hours + BASS + the principal broker exam + fingerprints; you cannot simply swap in another state's salesperson certificate. BASS is not waived because another state gave you a designated broker title.
Renewal and staying active
The same 30-hour requirement as brokers, except that your first active principal broker renewal requires Principal Broker Advanced Practices (OAR 863-022-0021) instead of Broker Advanced Practices. Under HB 3137, that is Fair Housing 2 + LARRC 2/3 + AP 26/27 on or after January 1, 2026. Later renewals: Fair Housing + LARRC + electives to reach 30. Inactive renewal requires no CE. If you are inactive more than 2 years, you need the reactivation exam plus the CE requirements.
Late renewal: Same late renewal fees as brokers ($300+$150 active / $150+$150 inactive), with the same one-year window before the license lapses (REA renewal page).
Managing principal broker responsibilities attach to the registered business name. If you are not the managing principal broker, you need a written supervisory agreement to supervise.
Applicant checklist
- Three years of active licensed experience (certified history if out of state)
- eLicense principal broker application + $300 (existing account if you are already an Oregon broker)
- 40-hour BASS at 75% (+ 150-hour seven-course study if you are not already an Oregon broker)
- PSI $75 principal broker exam: 75 items/80 points in 150 min + 50 items in 90 min at 75%
- Registered business name or the managing principal broker's eLicense step; fingerprints if not licensed in Oregon
- First active principal broker renewal: Fair Housing + LARRC + Principal Broker Advanced Practices
How Oregon is different
Washington's designated broker and Idaho's designated broker (BCOO / Brokerage Management 28) have different required courses and hours. An Oregon principal broker needs three years of active experience plus the 40-hour BASS (15+25) with a 75% course final, then 75% on the PSI exam (75 items/80 points in 150 min + 50 items in 90 min). Out-of-state applicants also take the 150 hours.
Oregon vs neighboring states
| Jurisdiction | License title | Pre-license hours | Exam vendor | Exam questions | Exam fee | Published state fees | Renewal cycle | Min. age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon (this guide) | Principal Broker | 40 | PSI | 125 | $75 | $736.25 | 2 yr | 18 |
| California | Broker | 360 | California DRE | 200 | $150 | $799 | 4 yr | 18 |
| Idaho | Broker | 90 | Pearson VUE | 130 | $83 | $353 | 2 yr | 18 |
| Nevada | Broker | See guide | Pearson VUE | 130 | $100 | $420 | 2 yr | 18 |
| Washington | Managing Broker | 90 | PSI | 134 | $210 | $921 | 2 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
- How much experience?
- Per the REA Principal Broker page, three years of active real estate license experience. Out-of-state applicants need a certified license history from that state.
- What is BASS?
- Brokerage Administration and Sales Supervision, 40 hours under OAR 863-022-0025: 15 hours on brokerage business, supervision, and legal requirements plus 25 hours reviewing the seven broker topics. You need 75% on the course final. It is taught by certified CE providers and is eligible for CE credit. The entry broker 150 hours do not count as BASS.
- Do out-of-state principal broker applicants skip the 150?
- No. Per the REA Principal Broker page, they take the 150-hour broker pre-license course of study AND the 40-hour BASS, then the principal broker exam and fingerprints.
- Is the national exam still 80 items?
- No. The principal broker national exam is 75 items worth 80 points (some items are worth two points) in 150 minutes. The passing score is 75%, or 60 of 80 points. Do not book the entry broker 80-item exam.
- Do I fingerprint again?
- Existing Oregon licensees: no (PSI bulletin). Out-of-state or unlicensed applicants: yes, $61.25 on bulletin 3376. Clearance is good for one year.
- Can I keep my broker license and add principal broker?
- No. You can hold one license at a time, so the principal broker license replaces your broker license.
- What CE do principal brokers take on first active renewal?
- Fair Housing 2 + LARRC 2/3 + Principal Broker Advanced Practices 26/27 (HB 3137 as of January 1, 2026), with the OAR 863-022-0021 case-study assessment (authorized principal broker, associated brokers, harm to a client, buyer/seller conflict; identify risks, office policies, supervision/training, communication/conflict resolution, standard of care). Later renewals: Fair Housing + LARRC + electives to reach 30.
Primary Sources
Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.
- Oregon REA Principal Broker Licensing (3 years active; 40-hour BASS; $300; out-of-state also takes the 150)
- OAR 863-022-0025 (BASS 40 hours: 15 supervision + 25 principles review; 75% final; CE-eligible)
- Oregon REA Offer Principal Broker Pre-License Education (BASS from a certified CE provider; provider notifies PSI)
- PSI bulletin 3376 (principal broker 75 items/80 points/150 min + 50/90 min; 75%; $75)
- HB 3137 / Principal Broker Advanced Practices assessment (OAR 863-022-0021)
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.
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