1.2 Missouri License Requirements

Salesperson Eligibility

Before a Missouri salesperson license is issued, an applicant must satisfy four buckets of requirements: personal eligibility, education, examination, and a background check. Miss any one and the application stalls.

1. Personal Eligibility

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have a high school diploma or GED equivalent
• Demonstrate good moral character (criminal history is reviewed for suitability, not auto-disqualification)
• Be lawfully present in the United States

2. Education — 72 Hours, Two Courses

Missouri's pre-license requirement is 72 hours from an MREC-approved school, split into two mandatory courses:

Sequencing rule: The 48-hour course must be completed before sitting for the exam. The 24-hour MREP course must be taken after the 48-hour course, but it may be completed after the exam and before applying for the license. You must submit your license application within six months of completing the 48-hour course, or it expires and must be retaken.

3. The PSI Examination

The salesperson exam is delivered by PSI at an approved testing center.

The two portions are scored separately. You can pass national and fail state (or vice versa) and only need to retake the failed portion within the retake window. A 92% national with a 72% state is still a fail of the state portion.

4. Background Check

All applicants submit a fingerprint-based criminal background check:

• Register on the Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS) at machs.mo.gov
• Use MREC's registration code (the agency's assigned ORI/registration number)
• Have fingerprints captured through the state's approved vendor (IDEMIA/IdentoGO), roughly $40.50
• Results are sent to MREC, which reviews for suitability

Worked example: Maria finishes her 48-hour course on March 1. She schedules MACHS fingerprinting, completes the 24-hour MREP in April, and passes both PSI portions in May. She must submit her license application before September 1 (six months after the 48-hour completion) and affiliate with a sponsoring broker.

Broker License Requirements

Becoming a Missouri broker is a step up that adds an experience requirement and more education.

Experience

Applicants need 24 months of active experience as a licensed salesperson within the 30 months immediately preceding application. The 30-month window prevents stale experience from counting indefinitely.

Education

Broker Examination

The broker exam differs in format from the salesperson exam and is also delivered by PSI. It blends a national portion with a Missouri state portion, and Missouri's broker exam historically includes simulation-style and multiple-choice items. Candidates must pass each portion. Always confirm the current item counts in the PSI Missouri Candidate Information Bulletin, because PSI periodically updates the blueprint.

Fees at a Glance

Note: Treat dollar figures as approximate. PSI and the state adjust fees over time; the exam blueprint and current fee schedule live in the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin and on MOPro. Memorize the structure (who charges what) rather than betting on an exact penny.

Step-by-Step Application Path

1. Complete 72 hours of pre-license education (48-hour course first, then 24-hour MREP).
2. Register and fingerprint through MACHS (machs.mo.gov).
3. Schedule and pass the PSI exam — 70/100 national and 30/40 state.
4. Submit the license application in MOPro within six months of the 48-hour completion, with the fee.
5. Affiliate with a sponsoring broker — a salesperson cannot practice without a broker of record.
6. Download the PDF license from MOPro once approved.

Reciprocity and Out-of-State Applicants

Missouri offers a pathway for nonresident licensees. An applicant already licensed in another state may apply, and Missouri evaluates the home-state license. Nonresidents typically sit for the Missouri state portion (the 40-question state law section) and may have the national portion waived if their original licensing exam covered equivalent national content. A nonresident broker or salesperson must still meet Missouri's escrow, supervision, and consent-to-service-of-process requirements. Always confirm the current reciprocity terms with MREC, because partner-state agreements change.

Common Traps

• "Pass once, done forever" myth: the six-month application deadline after the 48-hour course is real; let it lapse and you re-educate.
• Self-sponsorship myth: a brand-new salesperson must work under a licensed broker — you cannot operate independently.
• Combined-score myth: the national and state portions are graded separately, never averaged together.
• "MREP is optional before the exam" myth: the 24-hour MREP can be completed after the exam, but it is required before the license is issued; it is never optional for licensure.
• Fingerprint timing: MACHS registration and fingerprinting should be done early — results can take time, and a missing background check holds up an otherwise complete application.

Exam math reminder: 70 of 100 national = 70%; 30 of 40 state = 75%. The state bar is the higher percentage even though it is fewer raw questions. Candidates who breeze through national often underprepare for the tougher state percentage.