Article Summary: This article will help anyone looking for information pertaining to a real estate license in the state of Delaware or anyone looking to become a real estate agent or realtor in Delaware. Contents of this article may include information on real estate education, schools, training courses, continuing education, tests and exams, laws, license requirements, renewal information, forms and more..

The Delaware Department of State, Division of Professional Regulation, Real Estate Commission handles the licensing of real estate professionals in the state. Their office is in Dover, Delaware.

There are four main requirements to become a real estate salesperson in Delaware. The prelicensing education classes include successfully completing 99 hours of approved courses. The prelicensing real estate schools are located throughout the state. Applicants for an agent license must pass the two-part standardized salesperson licensing real estate exams. These exams are administered by a professional testing service, and the examination fee is $69.00, plus a $25 guaranty fund.  License renewal fees are assessed at the time of the renewal.

The requirements to become a real estate broker in Delaware include having practiced real estate as a licensee for five continuous years immediately prior to applying for the current license. The applicant needs to have accrued at least 30 qualified sales transactions within the past five years.

Applicants for the real estate broker license must pass the two-part standardized broker licensing real estate exams that are administered by a professional testing service, and pay the $85 examination fee.

After passing the real estate exams the applicant for the broker license needs to apply to the Delaware Real Estate Commission and pay a non-refundable processing fee of up to $134 (prorated). License renewal fees are assessed at the time of the renewal.

In addition, the applicant for the real estate broker license needs to submit an affidavit stating he/she has not engaged in any acts or offenses that would be grounds for discipline, provide a current personal credit report from a major credit reporting bureau, and a certified, detailed list of at least 30 real estate sales transactions made within the last five years.

A real estate agent license in Delaware can be issued to a non-resident who is currently licensed and practicing within another state. These applicants usually do not need further Delaware real estate education but do need to take the Delaware state law portion of the real estate exams. The fee for a nonresident real estate salesperson license is $134.00 (prorated) and for a nonresident real estate broker license is $266.00 (prorated), plus a $25.00 Guaranty Fund fee.

Nonresident applicants for a real estate broker license also need to provide a current, original credit report from a major credit reporting bureau and a certified, detailed list of 30 sales transactions made within the last five years. In Delaware, the terms 'nonresident' and 'resident' refer to the principal business location, not the applicant's personal residence.

To renew a real estate license the agent needs 15 specific credit hours of real estate continuing education courses. Licenses are renewed biennially, and resident licenses expire on April 30th of the even year and nonresident licenses expire on April 30th of the odd year. Approved real estate schools for continuing education are located throughout the state.

Real estate careers are strengthened by membership in the many organizations that provide services for the industry. The professional holding a real estate license joins with organizations like the Delaware Association of Realtors, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), and the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO). The National Association of Realtors (NAR), the world's largest professional association, helps locate real estate jobs in Delaware for those interested.