How to Get a Massachusetts Real Estate License

Step-By-Step Guide to Becoming a Real Estate Agent in Massachusetts

Are you interested in becoming a real estate agent in the great state of Massachusetts? Of course you are, real estate is booming here! Well, hold on tight  cause we’re gonna fire off the four steps you need to get your hands on a Massachusetts real estate license.

You ready? Let’s break it down, step by step.

Step 1: Complete a Pre-Licensing Massachusetts Real Estate Course

School’s Back in Session

You’re required to take a “pre-licensing” education class where you’ll study the principles of real estate, contracts, and finance. Not a fan of school? Well, these classes just might change how you feel about school. You have so many options! Some of them are even entirely online which has huge advantages! Online classes means you can do them at your own pace and work them in around your own schedule even if you have a full-time job. Also, you will only need to attend 40 hours of real estate classes in Massachusetts! That may seem like a big number, but to get started in a new career, that number is just a speck in time.

But what’s included in those 40 hours? Take a look at the curriculum and see for yourself:

• Licensing laws and regulations
• Ethical standards
• Basic principles of real estate
• Real estate agency and contracts
• Real estate financing principles and practices
• Real estate valuation

“That sounds scary and hard!”

Don’t be scared off by the vocabulary. This is what the real estate license classes in MA are designed for. They’ll defang any confusing topics by breaking them down. Still scared? Trust me, you can do this. The pass rates after taking these classes are sky-high, typically over a 91% pass rate and the support these classes offer is amazing. 

Students are always surprised how affordable these classes are. Take a look at the best real estate schools in Massachusetts and see for yourself. If you’re still looking for a way to save some dough, AgentAdvice offers a way to get yours for free.

Step 2: Pass the Massachusetts Real Estate Exam

You’re done with the 40 hour course. The natural next step is to pass the exam. You apply to take the real estate license test using your course completion certificate.

There are 100 multiple choice questions on the exam. You have to score at least a 75% to pass.

This is one of the strictest real estate exams around.

The real estate license exam in MA may be tough, but you’re smart so you’ll be just fine. All exams have a pattern. We offer prep courses that use past questions to show how you can pass.

Remember to bring a valid photo ID and exam admittance form to your exam location.

Make sure you’re prepared to pay for the license on the day of the exam (after passing the test) as you can get your license at the exam site immediately after passing the exam for a fee of $103 to $150.

Step 3: Apply for Your Real Estate License in MA

Now that you’ve passed, you’ll use your exam score to apply to the government department that will grant you a license.  This is also where you need to pass a background check.

Some of the things you will need to apply are:

• A Surety Bond in your name as an applicant, issued by a Board-approved Real Estate Bond Company is needed. You are required to obtain this prior to submitting the application.
• A notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Authorization Form completed and signed by the applicant.
• A recent, color photograph (passport-style headshot).
• If applicable, an explanatory document detailing all prior or pending professional disciplinary actions.
• If applicable, an explanatory document detailing all prior felony or misdemeanor convictions

You will have to be fingerprinted here 👍 especially if you are a first-timer. Don’t worry too much about this, especially if you don’t have any convictions. If you do, quickly pay your outstanding parking tickets or fees. The fingerprints will help confirm the accuracy of your records.

Step 4: Look For A Sponsoring Broker

Now a word from our sponsor

Finally, you’ll need to find a sponsoring broker. 🙋 Uhhh … should I know what a  ‘sponsoring broker’ is? Nope, we’ll tell you! So you’ve passed the exam but it doesn’t mean you’re ready just yet. When you first start out you’ll want an experienced organization to show you the ropes. Sponsoring brokers have been-there-done-that and they’re ready to show you how. Not only will they give you all the tools you need to start making sales but they’ll help you market yourself as an agent. 

You’ll get to choose a brokerage you like, that focuses on a niche you love, that has a company culture you love, and most importantly … has a good commission rate, so your paycheck is XL. Worried about finding a brokerage yourself? AgentAdvice helps with warm introductions to hiring brokerages if you sign-up for a class through us. Phew!

You have total freedom to choose your sponsoring broker. Here’s some things agents look at when choosing a brokerage:

• Commission Rate
  • Look at each brokerage’s commission rate when you’re shopping around. If they’ve got a good rate, your commission checks will be larger than life. 💸
• Niche
  • Maybe you want a brokerage that focuses on a niche on a location or a specific category of real estate like commercial retail, single family homes, or fixer-uppers. So if you have a specific interest you can find a broker who shares that interest.
• Culture
  • Maybe the company’s culture is important to you. If so, get to know what they’re all about, how they work, and what’s important to them.

That’s all just to say that you have the freedom to choose a brokerage that fits you.

Mission Complete

Those are the steps you need to get your Massachusetts real estate license. Yes, you might have to trudge through paperwork, check boxes, file forms, burn the midnight oil, chug coffee … but after all that … you’ll have your license. We recommend printing it out on super-gloss and framing it. Leave some room next to it for your first commission check; A LOT of room!  

That’s all folks! Once you make it through these steps you’ll have a brand new career ahead of you. If there’s anything we can do to help you make it through these steps please let us know. We’ve got pre-licensing classes, cram courses, and all sorts of resources to help.

What are the Massachusetts real estate license requirements?

Hello criteria, pleasure to meet you!

The Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons has a list of prerequisites you must check off before you can begin the process of getting your license. It’s their job to make sure all agents in Massachusetts are capable, qualified, and can lawfully work in the state. To do so, they have some basic criteria you must meet. Luckily, most of the MA real estate license requirements are pretty straightforward.

Let’s meet the criteria:

1. You must be at least 18 years old.
2. You must be a U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted alien.
3. You must meet their integrity, trustworthiness, and honesty standards. 🙋 ( Yes, we’ll answer your questions about this one in a moment. )

The first two are pretty cut and dry but the last one, not so much. The good news is that most of our visitors/users don’t need to worry about it. The only time you’d need to be concerned is if you have any criminal offenses, unpaid judgments, disciplinary actions taken against a professional or occupational license, or have performed unlicensed real estate activity.

Reciprocity 

Massachusetts offers reciprocal licensure with states like Rhode Island and Connecticut.

What is the cost of a real estate license in MA?

The basic fees associated with obtaining a real estate license in Massachusetts are:

• The initial examination fee is $54 
• The processing fee is $31
• License fees will be calculated and paid at the test center and can range between $103 and $150
• A $12 PSI licensing fee 

All fees need to be paid by a credit card, personal checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders made directly to PSI. Cash payments are not accepted.

In addition to these fees required by The Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons or PSI, you should also plan for prelicensing classes. Typically, these costs can range anywhere from $200 to $700, depending on the course provider.

How long does it take to get a real estate license in Massachusetts?

It takes every applicant a different amount of time to finish the whole process, but in general, the time needed in Massachusetts is shorter than some other states. This is because the prelicensing education classes can be taken online, last shorter (40 hours), and the license is issued to you immediately after passing the exam. 

The prelicensing education course can be finished within a month if you take two hours per day, five days per week. 

Getting your Application for Examination checked and approved by The Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons can take up to two weeks. The exam date will be scheduled, depending on the seating availability.

How much do real estate agents make in Massachusetts?

It takes every applicant a different amount of time to finish the whole process, but in general, the time needed in Massachusetts is shorter than some other states. This is because the prelicensing education classes can be taken online, last shorter (40 hours), and the license is issued to you immediately after passing the exam. 

The prelicensing education course can be finished within a month if you take two hours per day, five days per week. 

Getting your Application for Examination checked and approved by The Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons can take up to two weeks. The exam date will be scheduled, depending on the seating availability.