1.2 Connecticut License Requirements

Salesperson License Requirements

Connecticut sets clear gates for salesperson licensure. Know each threshold by its exact number.

1. Eligibility

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED)
• Be of good moral character / pass a suitability review

2. Pre-License Education

Complete a 60-hour Principles and Practices of Real Estate course at a DCP-approved school. The course is the same 60 hours whether taken online or in a classroom, and it must cover Connecticut license law, agency, contracts, financing, fair housing, valuation, and property ownership.

3. The PSI Examination

The exam is delivered by PSI Services at testing centers or by online remote proctoring (available since May 2025). The salesperson exam is split into two separately timed and separately scored portions.

Common Trap: The two portions are scored independently. Scoring 95% national but 65% state means you fail and re-take only the state portion. Many candidates wrongly assume a combined 70% average passes — it does not.

The earlier edition of this guide listed "4 hours total" and elsewhere "3 hours" for the salesperson exam. The correct figure is 165 minutes (120 + 45).

Suitability / Background Review

Applicants undergo a character and criminal-history review. A conviction is not an automatic bar; the Commission weighs the offense against the duties of a licensee.

Broker License Requirements

Becoming a broker means demonstrating both experience and additional study.

Fees (approximate — verify on DCP eLicense)

Application Sequence

The order matters; you cannot schedule the PSI exam until you are pre-approved.

1. Complete the 60-hour course at an approved school.
2. Submit the application and fee through the eLicense portal.
3. Clear the suitability/background review.
4. Receive PSI eligibility (a notice/postcard authorizing you to register).
5. Pass both portions of the PSI exam at 70% each.
6. Secure a sponsoring broker — a salesperson cannot operate independently.
7. Activate the license through that sponsoring broker.

Worked example: Maria finishes 60 hours in March, applies and clears review, then schedules PSI for April. She scores national 88%, state 72% — both above 70%, so she passes. She then affiliates with a Hartford brokerage, which activates her license; only then may she list or show property.

The Sponsoring-Broker Relationship

Connecticut, like most states, does not issue a salesperson license that can stand alone. A salesperson's license is dormant until a sponsoring broker activates it, and it goes inactive the instant that relationship ends. The salesperson works in the name of and under the supervision of the broker; all commissions flow to the broker, who then pays the salesperson per their independent-contractor or employment agreement. A salesperson may not accept compensation directly from a buyer, seller, or another salesperson.

Timeline pitfalls

Candidates often misjudge how long the path takes. Plan around these realities:

• The 60-hour course must be finished before you can apply — partial completion does not qualify you for PSI.
• You cannot register with PSI until DCP issues eligibility; build in time for the background review.
• A failed portion is retaken alone, but PSI usually charges a fee each sitting and may impose a short wait.

Salesperson vs. Broker — What Changes

Exam Alert: Expect a scenario asking whether someone can be paid directly or operate without a broker. The answer for a salesperson is always no — compensation and authority run through the sponsoring broker. Only a broker may independently hold client funds in a trust/escrow account and operate a brokerage office.