1.2 Montana License Requirements

Montana's licensing requirements blend eligibility, education, examination, and affiliation. Mastering the exact numbers is critical because the state portion frequently tests them directly.

1. Age and Basic Eligibility

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Have completed at least two years of high school — a tenth-grade education — or its equivalent (such as a GED). A diploma is not required.
• Be of good moral character and good repute.
• Disclose any criminal history; the Board reviews convictions case by case and may deny for offenses bearing on honesty or fitness, but a record is not an automatic bar.

Common trap: Montana requires two years of high school, not a high-school diploma or a college degree.

Criminal-history review

A criminal record is not an automatic bar. The Board evaluates whether a conviction directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of a licensee — honesty, handling money, and dealing fairly with the public. Applicants with relevant history may request a preliminary determination. Material misstatements or omissions on the application (for example, hiding a fraud conviction) are independent grounds for denial or later discipline, so disclose fully.

2. Pre-License Education — 70 Hours

Complete 70 hours of Board-approved pre-license education within the 24 months before applying, and pass a school-administered course final.

The curriculum includes the key steps of a Montana transaction (listings, contracts for sale, inspections and due diligence, financing, closing), plus fair housing, agency, land descriptions, finance, and appraisal/valuation.

3. The Examination (Pearson VUE)

Pearson VUE offers in-person test centers and, in many cases, OnVUE online proctoring. Confirm current center locations and OnVUE availability in the Pearson VUE Montana real estate candidate handbook when you register.

Vendor change: Montana moved its exam to Pearson VUE. Materials that name PSI (or quote a $106 PSI fee) are outdated — verify the current fee at scheduling.

4. E&O Insurance and Supervising Broker

Two affiliation requirements gate an active license:

• E&O insurance — you must obtain Errors & Omissions coverage before your license is activated. Most licensees enroll in the Board's group program through RISC (about $168/year, with $100,000 per claim / $300,000 aggregate limits and a $1,000 damages deductible for the current program year). Private coverage meeting Board standards is also accepted.
• Supervising broker — a salesperson may hold an active license only while affiliated with a broker who holds a supervising broker endorsement. Without affiliation, the license is inactive.

5. Fees Summary

6. Application Process

1. Complete 70 hours of education and pass the course final (within 24 months).
2. Pass both exam portions through Pearson VUE at 70% each.
3. Submit the application through the DLI/BRR online portal and pay the $80 fee.
4. Obtain E&O insurance (RISC group or approved private policy).
5. Affiliate with a supervising broker to activate the license.
6. Complete the 12-hour New License (Rookie) course within 120 days of issuance.

ID Requirements at the Test Center

Bring two forms of valid identification: a primary government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport) matching the name you registered with, and a secondary ID bearing your signature. Names must match your registration exactly, so register under your legal name. Arrive early; late arrivals may forfeit the appointment and fee.

Worked Example: Counting the Requirements

Consider a typical candidate timeline and confirm each gate:

1. Education: She finishes a 70-hour online course in March and passes the school final. Her education is valid as long as she applies within 24 months (by the following March two years out).
2. Exam: She schedules through Pearson VUE, sits the 80-question national and 33-question state portions, and must score 70% on each (56/80 and 23/33). She passes the state portion but misses national by two questions — she retakes only the national portion within her eligibility window; the passed state portion stands.
3. Cost so far: ~$92 exam fee + retake fee for the national portion.
4. Activation: After passing both, she buys E&O (RISC, ~$168/yr), affiliates with a supervising broker, applies through the DLI portal, and pays the $80 licensing fee.
5. Post-license: Within 120 days of issuance she completes the 12-hour Rookie course, then 12 hours of CE before the next October 31.

Why this matters: Exam questions often hide a single wrong number in an otherwise correct sequence — e.g., "$106 PSI fee" (outdated), "60 hours" (broker, not salesperson), or "no post-license course" (false). Anchor on the verified figures: 70 / 113 / 80 / 33 / 70% / $80 / 120 days / 12 hours.