Getting a Real Estate License That Works Anywhere

You can kind of but not really get a real estate license that will allow you to work anywhere. They are called a reciprocal real estate license. Basically what they allow you to do, is obtain a Realtor’s license in another state without having to go through the examination over again.

So in other words, if you are working as a real estate agent in North Carolina(<--.pdf file), they have reciprocal arrangements with Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Connecticut, Mississippi, West Virginia, Georgia, Nebraska, Iowa and Oklahoma. So without taking any other tests (licensing fees usually apply), you could become licensed in any of those states as well, allowing you to expand your real estate business and portfolio.

Not all states allow for this, so you will have to do a little research with the state licensing board to find out more details. Our Real Estate License Information by State page has links to all of the appropriate state websites with information about obtaining your real estate license.

Why would you want a reciprocal state license?

Just for a moment let’s say that you have a real estate license across 5 different states. One day a client comes to you and says “hey can you get in me touch with a good real estate agent in California?”, rather than turning away that business you can say, “You know what I am a licensed agent in California, let’s see what property listing we can pull up.”. How does that sound?

A reciprocal state license will allow you to not only offer better service to existing clients but also expand your ground to reach new clients, even if they are in different states. If you take your real estate business seriously, a reciprocal state license is certainly something to look into.