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RE License Guide

Pennsylvania real estate licensing

Pennsylvania 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
240 hours / 16 credits within 10 years of passing both exam portions
Exam fee
$52
Published fees
See fee table
Typical timeline
Three years of qualifying salesperson activity is the binding constraint
01

What to know first

For a Pennsylvania broker license, you apply in PALS before you can schedule with Pearson VUE. That is the reverse of the salesperson path, where you complete your education, pass the exam, and then apply in PALS. 49 Pa. Code § 35.271 requires age 21, a high-school diploma or equivalent, 16 credits / 240 hours of professional real estate education completed within 10 years of passing both exam portions, and at least three years as a licensed salesperson (or equivalent experience, education, or both the Commission accepts). Two of those 16 credits must be in a Commission-approved real estate office-management course and two in a Commission-approved law course. You may not reuse the credits that qualified you for the salesperson exam.

The Department of State broker snapshot publishes initial fees that vary by how you practice: sole proprietor $169.50, corporation/LLC/partnership $179.50, broker multi-licensee (broker of record) $119.50, associate broker $97.00, plus a $40 broker examination qualification fee on that snapshot (Pearson VUE then charges per the handbook table, currently $52 combined / $49 state). Biennial renewal is $126 for most broker entities and $96 for associate brokers. 14 hours of CE per two-year period applies, but not for the initial license. Out-of-state brokers actively licensed within the last five years take only the Pennsylvania portion. Reciprocal licenses and Act 41 remain available on the terms the Commission publishes. Experience is not simply three years of holding a license: the Commission uses qualification charts that score sales, listings, leases, and property-management assistance separately. Holding a salesperson license for three years without the activity points the charts require will get your application denied; Bhala v. State Real Estate Commission is the reported case holding that simply having the license is not enough. Neighboring New York does not offer reciprocity for a Pennsylvania broker license; New York DOS ended reciprocity after December 21, 2022. A Pennsylvania broker who wants to practice in Manhattan must still pass the DOS exam.

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. Complete 240 hours, within 10 years, that do not reuse salesperson credits

    Include office management and law.

  2. Document three years on the Commission experience charts

    Years licensed without qualifying activity points are not enough.

  3. File PALS for exam eligibility and pay the qualification fee

    Wait for the Pearson VUE authorization email.

  4. Pass both portions at 75 percent (or PA-only if eligible)

    Then complete the license application with the entity-type fee that matches how you will practice ($169.50 sole proprietor on the snapshot).

  5. Renew biennially with 14 hours CE ($126 for most broker types)

    Associate broker renewal is $96.

How long the 240-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
24 weeksabout 10 hrs/week
Steady
12 weeksabout 20 hrs/week
Full-time
6 weeksabout 40 hrs/week

Overall estimate from our source review: Three years of qualifying salesperson activity is the binding constraint

03

Education and eligibility

Minimum age
21 years old
Identification
A Social Security number is required. An ITIN is not confirmed as a substitute.
Residency and identification
Not required. Reciprocal broker licenses are for out-of-Commonwealth principal offices. Act 41 is the endorsement-style alternative.
Qualifying education
Must include 2 credits office management and 2 credits law, plus at least 6 of the remaining 12 in listed Commission courses. Salesperson exam credits do not transfer. J.D. or bachelor's in real estate can satisfy education. Two credits may be allowed per year of active out-of-state broker practice in the prior 10 years.
Character review
Criminal-history review in PALS.
Background process
Documentation listed on the PALS checklist. Pennsylvania does not use a Georgia-style GCIC check.
Experience
three years as a licensed salesperson with qualifications the Commission considers adequate, or three years of equivalent experience, education, or both — documented on the Commission's broker experience charts, not by license anniversary alone
Broker affiliation
A standard broker license can be sole proprietor, entity broker of record, or associate broker. Associate brokers still work under another broker. Entity fees differ on the snapshot.

Documents to prepare

  • PALS broker-exam eligibility application with experience charts
  • 240-hour transcripts inside the 10-year window
  • Out-of-state certifications if claiming equivalent practice
04

The licensing exam

Pearson VUE broker exam uses the same 80/40 scored split, 150/60 minutes, 75 percent, as the salesperson exam, with broker-level state items. Combined $52. PALS eligibility must be in hand before you schedule. Scores last three years. State topics add office management and the broker-level Recovery Fund and escrow duties.

Pearson VUE (after PALS eligibility) · Fee: $52

Part Questions Minutes Pass
National / general 80 150 75%
Pennsylvania state 40 60 75%

Retake failed portions only. Scores are valid three years. The snapshot lists a $40 qualification fee in addition to Pearson's exam fee; pay both if both still appear on the current forms.

What to study

  • 49 Pa. Code § 35.271

    Pennsylvania Code

    240 hours, three years, no reused salesperson credits.

  • Pearson VUE PA handbook

    Pearson VUE

    80/40, 75 percent, $52 combined.

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$40
Examination$52
Initial license$169.5
Renewal (every 2 years)$126

Snapshot: sole-proprietor initial $169.50; entity $179.50; broker of record $119.50; associate broker $97; qualification/exam fee $40 listed separately from Pearson's $52/$49. Renewal $126 most broker types, $96 associate. Pay the amounts shown on your PALS and Pearson invoices.

Published state fees

$261.50

Application, exam, initial-license, and fingerprint amounts cited above. Excludes school tuition.

Estimate your full cost →
Commission

Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission (Department of State, BPOA)

Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act; 49 Pa. Code § 35.271
Pre-licensing

240 hours / 16 credits within 10 years of passing both exam portions

Must include 2 credits office management and 2 credits law, plus at least 6 of the remaining 12 in listed Commission courses. Salesperson exam credits do not transfer. J.D. or bachelor's in real estate can satisfy education. Two credits may be allowed per year of active out-of-state broker practice in the prior 10 years.
Sponsoring broker

A standard broker license can be sole proprietor, entity broker of record, or associate broker. Associate brokers still work under another broker. Entity fees differ on the snapshot.
Fingerprints

PALS criminal-history instructions for broker applicants.
CE / renewal

14 hours per two-year period for a standard broker license. Not required at initial issuance. Associate broker renewal fee is $96 on the snapshot.
Recovery fund

Same Recovery Fund as salespersons. Claims most often involve brokers who handle escrow.
06

Mistakes that delay applicants

  • Reusing salesperson credits

    The regulation forbids it. If a school counts the 75 salesperson hours toward the 240, your application will be denied.

  • Three years of inactive time

    The Commission wants qualifying activity on the charts. Bhala is the reported case holding that simply holding a salesperson license is not automatically three years of broker-qualifying experience.

  • Testing before PALS eligibility

    Pearson VUE will not treat you as a broker candidate until the Commission says so.

07

Reciprocity and recognition

Partner / path Accepted exam Conditions
New York PA state portion only if actively licensed as a broker in NY within five years Pennsylvania inbound rule. New York currently offers no reciprocal broker license the other way.

Reciprocal broker licenses and Act 41 endorsement are available under published conditions. Converting a reciprocal license to a standard broker license requires the state portion.

08

Renewal and staying active

14 hours per two-year period for a standard broker license. Not required at initial issuance. Associate broker renewal fee is $96 on the snapshot.

Applicant checklist

  • Plan 16 credits, including office management and law, with no reused salesperson credits
  • Fill the three-year experience charts
  • PALS eligibility, then Pearson VUE
  • Choose sole proprietor vs entity vs associate broker fees
09

How Pennsylvania is different

Pennsylvania's 240 hours, which cannot include salesperson credits, are heavier broker education than Georgia's 60, Florida's 72, and Illinois's extra 45, and lighter than Texas's 900-hour structure. Three years matches Georgia's three-of-five and is shorter than Texas 2026's four years. New York, the neighbor, wants age 20, 152 hours, and two years — and will not reciprocate. Pennsylvania lets a recently active New York broker take only the PA portion, but New York does not offer the same in return.

Pennsylvania vs neighboring states

Pennsylvania Real Estate Broker License compared with nearby states
Jurisdiction License title Pre-license hours Exam vendor Exam questions Exam fee Published state fees Renewal cycle Min. age
Pennsylvania (this guide) Broker 240 Pearson VUE 120 $52 $261.50 2 yr 21
Delaware Broker 99 Pearson VUE 130 $88 $584 2 yr 18
Maryland Broker 135 PSI 115 $44 $466 2 yr 18
New Jersey Broker 150 PSI 115 $38 $354.05 2 yr 18
New York Broker 152 New York DOS Not published $15 $385 2 yr 20
Ohio Broker 120 PSI 115 $66 $201 3 yr 18
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.

10

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my 75 salesperson hours toward the 240?
No. Section 35.271 says you may not apply credits used to qualify for the salesperson examination toward the broker education requirement.
Do I test before I apply?
No. Broker candidates apply in PALS first. Salesperson candidates complete education and pass the exam first. The two paths use different orders.

Primary Sources

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

  1. PA DOS — Broker Standard Licensure Snapshot
  2. 49 Pa. Code § 35.271
  3. Pearson VUE — Pennsylvania Real Estate Candidate Handbook
  4. PA DOS — Licensure Guide

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

Update history

  1. Rewrote the guide text for readability and added state comparison tables. No requirements, fees, or deadlines changed.
  2. Requirements, fees, and deadlines checked against the primary sources cited on this page.

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