Skip to content
TryHired.
Real estate license · Tennessee

Tennessee real estate license: the official requirements

Age, pre-licensing hours, the exam, background check, broker sponsorship, fees and renewal, from the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.

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 Tennessee (the affiliate broker license): Pre-licensing education: 60 hours of real estate principles/fundamentals before the exam, plus the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates before the license is issued; proof of high school graduation goes with the application. Licensing exam: The PSI exam for the Commission, with National and State sections; if you fail one section you retake only that one. Sponsoring broker: Your principal broker signs your PSI examination application; if you have no firm to affiliate with yet, you can apply as an Initial Retired Affiliate. Your licensing authority is the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.

Requirements

Requirements for the Tennessee affiliate broker license

Data
Tennessee real estate license requirements (Tennessee Real Estate Commission)
RequirementTennessee
License you apply forThe Tennessee affiliate broker license.
E&O insuranceProof of an errors and omissions insurance policy goes with your application.
Minimum ageNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
Pre-licensing education60 hours of real estate principles/fundamentals before the exam, plus the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates before the license is issued; proof of high school graduation goes with the application.
Post-licensing educationNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
Licensing examThe PSI exam for the Commission, with National and State sections; if you fail one section you retake only that one.
Background checkElectronic fingerprints (IdentoGO for Tennessee residents), processed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI; the receipt goes with your application.
Sponsoring brokerYour principal broker signs your PSI examination application; if you have no firm to affiliate with yet, you can apply as an Initial Retired Affiliate.
State fees$91 application fee.
License termNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
Continuing educationNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.

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 Tennessee

Data
  1. Complete the 60-hour prelicense course; the school sends proof to PSI so you can register for the exam.
  2. Pass both sections of the PSI exam; your principal broker signs the examination application.
  3. Complete the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates.
  4. Get electronic fingerprints and keep the receipt.
  5. Apply online at core.tn.gov within 1 year of passing your first exam, with your course certificates, E&O proof, high school proof and the $91 fee.
Next

Go further

All statesReal estate license by state

Requirements state by state.

Open →CareerHow to become a real estate agent

The career path, nationally.

Open →PayReal estate agent salary in Tennessee

What agents earn there.

Open →CareerReal estate agent career guide

The job, skills and outlook.

Open →CareerReal estate broker

The next license up.

Open →CompareAgent vs broker

How the two roles differ.

Open →

Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Everything on this page is free to use without buying anything.

FAQ

Questions people ask

How do I get a real estate license in Tennessee?
To get a real estate license in Tennessee (the affiliate broker license): Pre-licensing education: 60 hours of real estate principles/fundamentals before the exam, plus the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates before the license is issued; proof of high school graduation goes with the application. Licensing exam: The PSI exam for the Commission, with National and State sections; if you fail one section you retake only that one. Sponsoring broker: Your principal broker signs your PSI examination application; if you have no firm to affiliate with yet, you can apply as an Initial Retired Affiliate. Your licensing authority is the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
How many hours of pre-licensing education does Tennessee require?
60 hours of real estate principles/fundamentals before the exam, plus the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates before the license is issued; proof of high school graduation goes with the application.
Do I need a sponsoring broker in Tennessee?
Your principal broker signs your PSI examination application; if you have no firm to affiliate with yet, you can apply as an Initial Retired Affiliate.
How long is a Tennessee real estate license good for?
Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Real Estate Commission.
How much does a Tennessee real estate license cost?
$91 application fee. 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 Tennessee Real Estate Commission, read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the Tennessee Real Estate Commission'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. Tennessee Real Estate Commission, Affiliate Broker Licensure, official source, read Nov 5, 2026.
  2. Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Pre-Licensing Requirements & Exam FAQs (last updated November 1, 2026), official source, read Nov 5, 2026.