1.2 New Hampshire License Requirements
Key Takeaways
- Salesperson applicants must be at least 18, of good repute, and pass a criminal background check.
- Pre-license education is 40 hours; no more than 8 of those hours may be distance education within the six months before the exam (RSA 331-A:10).
- The PSI exam has 120 questions: 80 national (150 minutes) and 40 state (90 minutes), four hours total.
- Passing is 70% on each portion separately: 56/80 national and 28/40 state; you must pass both.
- Broker applicants need 1 year full-time (or 2,000 part-time hours) of experience, at least 6 transactions, 60 hours of broker education, and a $25,000 surety bond.
Salesperson License: The Four Gates
Four requirements gate the salesperson license: character, education, examination, and background check. Miss any one and the application fails.
1. Age and character
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present in the U.S.
- Demonstrate a good reputation for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity (the recurring statutory phrase).
- Have no disqualifying record of unprofessional conduct.
2. Pre-license education (40 hours)
Complete 40 hours of pre-license education from a Commission-approved school. The distance-education limit is the single most tested logistics fact here.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total hours | 40 |
| Classroom hours | At least 32 |
| Distance education | No more than 8 hours, and only within the 6 months before the exam |
RSA 331-A:10 trap: The cap is not "8 hours of online study anytime." It is no more than 8 distance-education hours counted within the six months immediately preceding your exam date. The remaining 32+ hours must be classroom. Answer choices that say "all 40 hours may be online" are wrong.
3. The PSI examination
New Hampshire contracts with PSI to deliver the licensing exam. It is two scored portions in one sitting.
| Detail | Salesperson Exam |
|---|---|
| Total scored questions | 120 multiple-choice |
| National portion | 80 questions, 150 minutes |
| State portion | 40 questions, 90 minutes |
| Total seat time | 4 hours (240 minutes) |
| Passing standard | 70% on EACH portion, scored separately |
| Provider | PSI |
| Exam fee | $67 initial / $65 retake |
Passing-score math
| Portion | Questions | 70% pass mark | Minimum correct |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 80 | 70% | 56 |
| State | 40 | 70% | 28 |
The portions are scored independently. A 60/80 national (75%) with a 26/40 state (65%) is a fail, even though the combined 86/120 is over 70% overall. You must clear 56 and 28. If you pass one portion and fail the other, most candidates only need to retake the failed portion within the allowed window.
A New Hampshire candidate scores 62/80 on the national portion and 26/40 on the state portion. What is the result?
4. Criminal background check
All applicants submit to a criminal background check (fee approximately $25). The Commission reviews the results for suitability under the "good reputation for honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity" standard. A conviction is not automatically disqualifying, but crimes involving fraud, dishonesty, or moral turpitude weigh heavily and can support denial.
Broker License: Higher Bar
A broker may operate independently, hold escrow accounts, and supervise salespersons, so the requirements step up. You must first be a licensed salesperson and then satisfy experience, education, examination, and bonding requirements.
Experience requirement
Satisfy one of these within the five years before application:
| Path | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Full-time | At least 1 year employed full-time by an active principal broker |
| Part-time | At least 2,000 part-time hours as a licensed salesperson |
| Equivalent | Equivalent experience as approved by the Commission |
In addition, applicants document active, compensated involvement in at least 6 separate real estate transactions. The exam may pair the 1-year / 2,000-hour figure with this transaction count, so keep both in mind.
Education, exam, and bond
| Requirement | Broker Standard |
|---|---|
| Broker pre-license education | 60 hours |
| Examination | PSI broker exam, 70% per portion |
| Surety bond (principal/managing broker) | Not less than $25,000 |
| Bond term | Concurrent with the license period |
Broker roles
| Type | Role |
|---|---|
| Principal broker | Responsible for all licensees assigned to the firm, and for escrow accounts |
| Managing broker | Runs a branch office under the principal broker |
Bond trap: The $25,000 surety bond is required of principal and managing brokers, not of every salesperson. A salesperson affiliating with a broker does not personally post the bond.
Fees and the Application Sequence
License fees are set by Rea rule and adjusted periodically; confirm current amounts on oplc.nh.gov before applying. Typical figures candidates encounter:
| Fee Type | Salesperson | Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee (PSI) | ~$67 | ~$67 |
| Two-year license renewal | $90 | $110 |
| Criminal background check | ~$25 | ~$25 |
Step-by-step application
- Complete education (40 hours salesperson / 60 hours broker) at a Commission-approved school.
- Apply to sit the exam through PSI and pay the exam fee.
- Complete the criminal background check (~$25).
- Pass the PSI exam (70% on each portion) at a New Hampshire testing center.
- Affiliate with a principal broker (salespersons must work under a sponsoring principal broker).
- Submit the license application through the OPLC portal.
- Receive the license and begin practice.
Sequencing trap: A salesperson may pass the exam but cannot lawfully practice until affiliated with a principal broker and issued an active license. Passing the exam alone is not authorization to act for clients.
Common applicant mistakes
- Front-loading online hours so more than 8 distance-education hours fall in the six months before the exam, invalidating the education.
- Assuming the two exam portions are averaged together rather than scored separately at 70% each.
- Forgetting that broker candidates need the transaction count and the time/hours requirement, not just one.
Which set of requirements correctly describes a New Hampshire broker applicant's threshold?
Regarding pre-license distance education, which statement reflects New Hampshire's rule under RSA 331-A:10?