The Kentucky Real Estate Commission offers two different types of real estate licenses: Sales Associate License and Broker's License. You will find information about each type of license and the requirements outlined below.
Requirements for a KY Real Estate License
Applicants for a sales associate license must:
- be 18 years of age
- have attained a high school diploma or GED equivalency. Candidates who have completed at least 28 credit hours at a post secondary institution may submit a copy of the transcript in lieu of the high school or GED.
- have completed six semester credit hours in real estate courses from an accredited college or university or 96 classroom hours in real estate courses from a Kentucky Approved Proprietary School.
- Courses must be completed prior to taking the real estate examination.
Applicants for a broker’s license must:
- be 18 years of age
- have been actively engaged in the real estate business as a licensed sales associate for a period averaging at least 20 hours per week for a two year period. Proof of these activities will be required in the form of a notarized affidavit signed by the principal broker(s) for whom you have worked during this period of time.
- have completed 21 credit hours, with at least 12 hours in real estate courses from an accredited college or university or 336 classroom hours in real estate courses from a Kentucky Approved Proprietary School.
- Courses must be completed prior to taking the broker’s examination.
- All broker candidates must have completed a 3 credit hour/48 classroom hour course in brokerage management at an accredited or approved Kentucky real estate school as part of the real estate hours required for a broker’s license.
- Before registering for the broker’s exam, and to ensure that you have completed the required hours, request an Education Review, form #603. Please allow 7-10 days for processing. DO NOT register for the examination unless you have verified with the KREC that you have completed all of the required hours.
All applicants:
- All sales associate and broker applicants, including those seeking a license through a reciprocal agreement must submit to a criminal background check.
- All applicants not residing in Kentucky must attach to their application a completed Consent to Service of Jurisdiction form (Document #407) in the “Public Access Forms” under Contracts and Forms on the website.
- If you currently hold or have ever held a license in any other state, you must attach a “License History Certification” to your application. The document is only valid for 90 days. A copy of the license is not acceptable.
- Refer to “Examination Information” in the Application Information Section on the website for information on exam locations, registration fees, content outlines, and other information.
- The official score report/license application documents will be provided to you at the test center. The application outlines the additional items that must be attached to the application.
- The application and all required attachments must be submitted to the Commission within 60 days of the exam date or you will forfeit the examination results. Incorrect applications are returned to the candidate and must be resubmitted by the deadline indicated on the return form.
- Licenses are normally issued within one week of receipt.
- New licensees may not begin work until the license has been received at the principal broker’s office.
- Failing candidates will receive information on how to reapply for a future examination and diagnostic information on weak content areas so that they may prepare to retest.