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Real estate license · New York

New York real estate license: the official requirements

Age, pre-licensing hours, the exam, background check, broker sponsorship, fees and renewal, from the New York Department of State.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Nov 6, 2026 · Requirements: each state's real estate licensing authority or its statute
Quick answer

To get a real estate license in New York (the salesperson license): Minimum age: 18 or older. Pre-licensing education: 77 hours of approved qualifying education. Licensing exam: The NYS Real Estate Salesperson exam: multiple choice, based on the 77-hour curriculum, 1 1/2 hours; a pass is valid for two years. Sponsoring broker: Sponsorship by a NYS licensed real estate broker, who authorizes your application online. Your licensing authority is the New York Department of State.

Requirements

Requirements for the New York salesperson license

Data
New York real estate license requirements (New York Department of State)
RequirementNew York
Minimum age18 or older.
Pre-licensing education77 hours of approved qualifying education.
Post-licensing educationNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the New York Department of State.
Licensing examThe NYS Real Estate Salesperson exam: multiple choice, based on the 77-hour curriculum, 1 1/2 hours; a pass is valid for two years.
Background checkNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the New York Department of State.
Sponsoring brokerSponsorship by a NYS licensed real estate broker, who authorizes your application online.
State fees$65 application fee and $15 exam fee; $65 renewal.
License termTwo years.
Continuing education22.5 hours in the two years before each renewal, including fair housing, implicit bias, cultural competency and ethics hours.

Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools and course providers, and fingerprint vendors are not included.

Steps

How to get licensed in New York

Data
  1. Complete the 77-hour qualifying course at an approved school.
  2. Create an eAccessNY account and schedule the salesperson exam online.
  3. Pass the exam, then apply online through eAccessNY.
  4. Your sponsoring principal broker authorizes your application online.
  5. The Department of State reviews the application and mails the license to your business address.
Next

Go further

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FAQ

Questions people ask

How do I get a real estate license in New York?
To get a real estate license in New York (the salesperson license): Minimum age: 18 or older. Pre-licensing education: 77 hours of approved qualifying education. Licensing exam: The NYS Real Estate Salesperson exam: multiple choice, based on the 77-hour curriculum, 1 1/2 hours; a pass is valid for two years. Sponsoring broker: Sponsorship by a NYS licensed real estate broker, who authorizes your application online. Your licensing authority is the New York Department of State.
How many hours of pre-licensing education does New York require?
77 hours of approved qualifying education.
Do I need a sponsoring broker in New York?
Sponsorship by a NYS licensed real estate broker, who authorizes your application online.
How long is a New York real estate license good for?
Two years.
How much does a New York real estate license cost?
$65 application fee and $15 exam fee; $65 renewal. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools and course providers, and fingerprint vendors are not included.
Method

How this page is built

Each fact on this page comes from the New York Department of State (sources named below), read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the New York Department of State's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 6, 2027).

What this page can't tell you
  • Not legal advice.
  • Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
  • Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools and course providers, and fingerprint vendors are not included.
  • This page covers the entry-level license. Broker, nonresident and reciprocal licenses have their own rules.
Sources
  1. New York Department of State, Become a Real Estate Salesperson, official source, read Nov 5, 2026.
  2. New York Department of State, Real Estate License Law (March 2026), official source, read Nov 5, 2026.