Ohio Real Estate License

Ohio state laws require that a person may not legally act as a real estate salesperson or broker in Ohio without first obtaining a real estate license issued by the Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing. In order to obtain your license, you will be required to meet a series of requirements as defined by the state.

This page is to be used as a guide to help you meet and complete all of the real estate license requirements and obtain your Ohio real estate license. You will find links and information to aid you in registering for and passing your state exam, obtaining a reciprocal license and much more.  Should you have any questions, we encourage you to post a question to the community or contact us directly.

Ohio Real Estate Pre-License Requirements

The State of Ohio has set forth a number of requirements that an applicant must meet before being eligible to obtain their real estate license.  We have listed all of the current requirements below.  Please read through these thoroughly and bookmark this page to avoid any potential delay in the licensing process.  The Ohio real estate license requirements are:

• Applicants must be at least 18 years of age or older.
• All applicants must be sponsored by an Ohio Broker.
• Applicants must not have been convicted of a felony or any crime of moral turpitude.  You must not have violated any civil rights laws regarding real estate within the past two years as determined by a court of law or violated any rules of the Ohio Division of Real Estate.
• Applicants are required to have a high school diploma or the equivalent as recognized by the Ohio Department of Education if you were born after 1950.
• You must complete a minimum of forty clock hours in Real Estate Principles and Practices
• In addition, you will need to complete forty classroom hours in Ohio Real Estate Law, including instruction in civil rights, housing discrimination and desegregation problems.
• Twenty clock hours in Real Estate Appraisal
• Twenty clock hours in Real Estate Finance

The above education requirements will need to be completed within a ten year period immediately preceding the current salesperson application.  In addition, the above education must have been completed at an institution of higher education that awards a degree in at least a two-year program.

Ohio Real Estate Exam Information

If you wish to become a real estate agent within Ohio, you must pass an examination to confirm that you have attained at least a minimum level of knowledge regarding the principles, practices, statutes, and regulations
relating to real estate.

The Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing has contracted with PSI, a third party testing provider, to conduct the real estate exam.  PSI provides all of their examinations through a network of computer testing centers in Ohio.  PSI works closely with the State to be certain that examinations meet local as well as national requirements in basic principles and examination development standards.

Once you have met your pre-license requirements, you may register for your license exam online through the PSI website.

Ohio Real Estate Continuing Education Requirements

After receiving your Ohio real estate license, you will be required to meet your continuing education requirements to keep your license active.  Currently, all real estate agents will be required to successfully complete a minimum of thirty clock hours of specific, approved real estate continuing education courses every three years before their date of birth.

Your continuing education courses may be distance-education courses by correspondence or over the internet.

Ohio Real Estate License Reciprocity Agreements

To qualify for a reciprocal license in Ohio, you must be a resident of a state that has a reciprocal agreement with Ohio(see below), you must hold an active real estate salesperson’s license in that state for a minimum of one year preceding the filing of the application, you must take an Ohio Real Estate Law Course in a classroom setting at an institution of higher education and finally, you will need to be affiliated with an Ohio licensed broker.

When filing your application you will need to submit:

1. A Salesperson Reciprocity Examination Application with $49.00 fee.
2. A Consent to Service of Process form.
3. A letter of good standing from the state of licensure.
4. Proof of completion of the Ohio Real Estate Law pre-licensure course.

Currently, the Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing has reciprocal license agreements with the following states:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Kentucky
• Mississippi
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• West Virginia
• Wyoming