What are the steps to licensure?

1. Register for and complete the required education criteria, which is the 30 hours of Real Estate Practice and 30 hours of Real Estate Fundamentals.

2. Fill out the exam application and pay fees. Once you meet your education criteria you can begin the process in order to take the real estate license examination. Individuals who want to take the licensing exam must first register with PSI Examination Services to do so. To do this, you will be required to fill out the application found in the back of "Candidate Information Bulletin"and pay the examination fee. The completed one-page, double-sided form must be accompanied by

1) a $56 examination fee (payable only by money order, cashier's check, or Visa or MasterCard; personal checks are NOT accepted), and

2) ONE of the two original Uniform Real Estate Transcripts issued to you by Polley Associates when you successfully pass the course exam.

3. Schedule the exam. You must schedule the exam in advance at one of the test sites in the state. Processing applications from first-time registrants takes about two weeks. PSI's bulletin reports that, once materials have been received and eligibility to take the licensing exam is approved, it will mail to applicants "a confirmation notice containing instructions for scheduling an appointment to take the examination." If your eligibility is denied, according to the bulletin, PSI will notify you of its denial by First Class mail.

When you receive a confirmation notice, you must contact PSI -- on the web or by phone -- to schedule a testing appointment. Specific addresses for each location are available from the PSI website.

Once your testing appointment has been made, it is advisable to request a criminal record check from the Pennsylvania State Police. This record check is needed to secure your license. If requested by mail, the process may take several weeks; if requested via the Internet, it often takes only minutes! Learn more about the record check here.

4. Take the exam. If you pass the exam, PSI will issue a printed "passing score report" before you leave the testing site. It is important to save this report; you will need the original to secure your license, and you should keep a copy for your records. PSI will also provide an application for a Pennsylvania Real Estate Salespersons' License; you will need to complete and submit this form to secure your license (see below).

If you fail the exam (either or both portions), you can schedule another appointment to re-take it by contacting PSI through its website or by phone. You will not be required to submit new registration materials. However, you will be required to pay a $56 fee for each re-take (either or both portions).

5. Apply for licensure. Once you pass the licensing exam, you need to complete the salespersons' license application and submit it to the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission, accompanied by

1) The original printed "passing score report."

2) An application fee of at least $67. The exact amount of the fee depends on when your exam was taken. The application offers more specific information on this topic.

3) The second of the two original Uniform Real Estate Transcripts issued to students by Polley Associates when they successfully finish their courses, as mentioned earlier on this page. It is important to keep a copy of this transcript for your records, but remember that only an original (with embossed seal) is acceptable to the state.

4) A completed criminal record check conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police.