1.2 Maryland License Requirements
Key Takeaways
Salesperson applicants must be at least 18, of good character, complete 60 hours of MREC-approved pre-license education, and pass the state exam
The salesperson exam has 110 scored questions (80 national + 30 state) and requires 70% on EACH portion: 56/80 national and 21/30 state
The PSI exam fee is $44; eligibility is valid for one year from when the school reports course completion
A salesperson must be affiliated with a sponsoring broker before the license is active; the original application fee includes a $20 Guaranty Fund payment
Broker licensure requires 135 hours of education plus 3 years of active salesperson experience and 70% on each broker exam portion (56 of 80 national points, 28 of 40 state)
Salesperson License: The Standard Path
Maryland licenses three tiers — salesperson, associate broker, and broker. Most exam questions target the salesperson route, so anchor those numbers first.
Eligibility and education
A salesperson applicant must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be of good character and reputation (MREC reviews criminal history; it is not an automatic bar).
- Complete 60 hours of pre-license education at an MREC-approved school, including a 3-hour real estate ethics course (§17-303).
- Pass the PSI state licensing examination.
- Become affiliated with a sponsoring broker — a salesperson license cannot be issued or activated without one.
The 60-hour course covers Maryland and national topics: real estate law, ownership and estates, legal descriptions, agency, contracts, finance, appraisal, settlement procedures, fair housing, and ethics. It may be taken online or in person at a state-certified school.
The salesperson examination
| Detail | Salesperson exam |
|---|---|
| Total scored questions | 110 multiple-choice |
| National portion | 80 questions |
| State portion | 30 questions |
| Format/time | Computer-based, two hours total |
| Pretest (unscored) items | 5–10 added by PSI |
| Passing score | 70% on EACH portion |
| National pass mark | 56 of 80 correct |
| State pass mark | 21 of 30 correct |
| Exam vendor | PSI Services |
| Exam fee | $44 per attempt |
Trap to avoid: an aggregate score does not pass you. A candidate who scores 78/80 national but only 20/30 state fails — each portion is graded independently at 70%. If you fail one part, many candidates may retake only the failed portion (confirm current PSI retake policy at scheduling). Roughly 60–70% of first-time candidates need a retake, so the two-portion rule matters.
Worked numbers
- National: 70% of 80 = 56. Miss 25 questions → 55 correct → fail.
- State: 70% of 30 = 21 (rounding 20.99 up). Miss 10 → 20 correct → fail.
Application and fees
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original license fee | $98, including the $20 Guaranty Fund payment (COMAR 09.11.09.02A) |
| Exam eligibility | Valid 1 year from course-completion reporting |
| License application deadline | Apply within 1 year of passing the exam |
| Sponsoring broker | Required before license is active |
Exam tip: The $20 Guaranty Fund contribution is bundled into the original application fee only — renewals do not repay it.
Associate Broker and Broker Licenses
An associate broker has met every broker requirement but chooses to work under another broker rather than run an office. The qualifications are identical to a broker; only the affiliation differs.
Broker qualifications
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Education | 135 hours of MREC-approved broker pre-license courses |
| Experience | At least 3 years as a licensed salesperson actively and lawfully providing brokerage services (§17-305) |
| Examination | Broker exam, 70% passing on each portion (56 of 80 national points, 28 of 40 state) |
| Original license fee | $211 |
Note: The broker course must include a 3-clock-hour real estate ethics course approved by the Commission (§17-305).
Comparison at a glance
| Tier | Education | Experience | Exam pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesperson | 60 hours | None | 70% each portion |
| Associate broker | 135 hours | 3 years active | 70% each portion |
| Broker | 135 hours | 3 years active | 70% each portion |
Waivers and reciprocity
| Situation | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Licensed Maryland attorney | Education and experience requirements may be waived; still must pass the exam |
| Pennsylvania licensee | Reciprocal pathway |
| Oklahoma licensee | Reciprocal pathway |
Reciprocity lets an out-of-state licensee from a partner state obtain a Maryland license without repeating full pre-license education, but applicants typically must still pass the Maryland state (law) portion and meet character standards. Always confirm the current reciprocity list with MREC, because partner states change.
Common trap: A Maryland attorney is not automatically a broker. The attorney waiver removes the education and experience hurdles but not the licensing exam or the application itself.
Character Review and Criminal History
The "good character" standard is not a simple yes/no checkbox. MREC reviews criminal convictions individually, weighing the nature of the offense, how long ago it occurred, evidence of rehabilitation, and its relationship to honesty and real estate practice. A conviction does not automatically disqualify an applicant; convictions involving fraud, theft, forgery, or moral turpitude draw the most scrutiny. Applicants may be asked to supply court documents and a written explanation.
Material falsification on the application itself is independent grounds for denial — lying about a record is often worse than the record.
Scheduling, Identification, and Retakes
Once the approved school reports completion, the candidate schedules with PSI online or by phone and pays the $44 fee per attempt. On exam day, bring one valid, unexpired form of identification that bears your signature and photo, with the name matching the registration. The exam is closed-book; a basic on-screen or non-programmable calculator is permitted for math items (loan, proration, commission, and area problems).
| Logistics item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scheduling | PSI online/phone after school reports eligibility |
| Fee per attempt | $44 |
| ID required | One valid, unexpired ID with your signature and photo |
| Materials | Closed-book; basic calculator allowed |
| Results | Pass/fail issued at the test center |
A candidate who fails may reschedule and pay a new fee. Because each portion stands alone at 70%, plan retake study around the specific portion failed rather than re-reviewing everything.
Activating the License
Passing the exam does not make you a practicing agent. The new salesperson must submit the license application within one year, name a sponsoring broker, and have that broker confirm the affiliation. Only when MREC issues the license and the broker association is on file may the salesperson legally perform brokerage acts for compensation.
On the Maryland salesperson exam, a candidate answers 75 of 80 national questions and 20 of 30 state questions correctly. What is the result?
Pass — the combined total is well above 70%
Fail — the national portion is below the required 75%
Pass — only the national portion must reach 70%
Fail — each portion is scored separately and the state portion is below 70%
What experience must a salesperson accumulate before qualifying for a Maryland broker license?
At least 3 years as a licensed salesperson actively providing brokerage services
One year of any real estate activity
Five years, with up to one year allowed as inactive status
No experience if the applicant completes 135 education hours
How long is a Maryland salesperson candidate's exam eligibility valid?
6 months from passing the school's final exam
Indefinitely, once the 60-hour course is finished
2 years from the application date
1 year from when the school reports course completion to PSI
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.