1.2 Pennsylvania License Requirements

Pennsylvania Salesperson License Requirements

Know the exact numbers — hours, ages, time limits, fees, and the testing vendor — because distractors are built from plausible-but-wrong figures.

1. Basic Requirements

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent (GED)
• Be of good moral character (felony and certain misdemeanor convictions can bar licensure; the Commission reviews criminal history individually)

2. Education Requirement — 75 Hours

Complete 75 hours (5 credits) of basic real estate courses from a Commission-approved provider or an accredited college. A bachelor's degree with a major in real estate (or equivalent coursework) or a juris doctor degree also meets the requirement.

Courses must have been completed within 5 years before you pass the licensing exam, or they expire and must be retaken. A college student may substitute equivalent semester credits from an accredited institution.

3. Background Check — Criminal History Records Check (CHRC)

4. The Examination — Pearson VUE

The exam is administered by Pearson VUE (not PSI), in person at test centers or via OnVUE online remote proctoring. You must schedule at least 24 hours in advance.

Common trap: Some prep sites quote "110 questions" or a single combined cutoff. The Pennsylvania salesperson exam is 120 scored questions (80 + 40), and the standard is 75% on each section independently — so you can fail by missing one section while acing the other. Results are reported as Pass/Fail per section the same day at the test center.

5. Why the State Section Is the Hard Hurdle

The national section recycles concepts you already studied (agency, contracts, finance, valuation, federal fair housing). The 40 Pennsylvania questions test material that does not appear nationally — the Consumer Notice, agency-disclosure timing, escrow deposit rules, tenancy by the entirety, and the Seller Property Disclosure. Spend most of your prep time on Pennsylvania-specific law rather than re-reading national content you can already pass.

Broker License Requirements

A broker can operate independently and supervise others, so Pennsylvania sets higher thresholds across the board.

Age and Experience

• Be at least 21 years of age (note: higher than the 18 required for a salesperson)
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
• Have 3 years of active experience as a licensed salesperson, or experience and education the Commission deems equivalent

Education — 240 Hours (16 Credits)

Beyond the salesperson's 75 hours, a broker candidate completes broker-level coursework:

Broker courses include Real Estate Brokerage/Office Management, Law of Agency, Real Estate Finance, and other Commission-approved subjects. The broker exam is separate from the salesperson exam, also delivered by Pearson VUE, and likewise splits into national and Pennsylvania sections, each requiring 75%. Broker candidates apply for exam approval through PALS; the Pearson VUE broker exam fees are $52 national, $49 state, or $52 for both on one order.

Salesperson Fees

Fee amounts are set by Commission regulation and adjust periodically; verify the current figures on PALS and in the Pearson VUE handbook.

Key Timeframes — Memorize These

Broker Affiliation Requirement

A salesperson must work under a licensed broker and cannot:

• Operate independently or open their own office
• Accept compensation directly from a client
• Hold their own escrow (deposit money) account
• Supervise other licensees

The salesperson's license is held by the employing broker and maintained at the broker's place of business.

Salesperson Licensing Process (Step by Step)

1. Complete the 75-hour pre-license education.
2. Apply to test in Pearson's Clarus portal, then schedule the exam with Pearson VUE ($52 for both sections on one order).
3. Pass both sections (75% national, 75% state).
4. Line up an employing broker who will certify that they will supervise and train you.
5. Apply via PALS within 3 years of passing, with a criminal history records check dated within 180 days, and pay the initial license fee.
6. Your broker approves the application in PALS; once issued, the license shows on your PALS dashboard and a printed copy is mailed to the broker's main office.

Scenario: Maria passes the national section but fails the state section. She retakes only the state section — her passing national score stays valid for 3 years. If she lets 3 years lapse without applying, both passing scores expire and she must retest both sections.