Article Summary: This article will help anyone looking for information pertaining to a real estate license in the state of District of Columbia or anyone looking to become a real estate agent or realtor in District of Columbia. 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 Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) in the District of Columbia administers the District of Columbia Board of Real Estate. The board regulates those with a professional real estate agent license in the District of Columbia. The license law took effect on April 20, 1999. The Business and Professional Licensing Administration processes the applications and issues the real estate agent licenses in the District of Columbia.

You can locate the District of Columbia real estate agent forms online.

The requirements to become a real estate agent in the District of Columbia include both education courses and passing the real estate exams. The District of Columbia real estate schools provide the required pre-licensure real estate courses and also the continuing education courses. Applicants for the real estate salesperson license in the District of Columbia who are not yet licensed in any other state are required to take the 60-hour pre-licensing real estate agent classes.


Applicants for the real estate broker license must be licensed for two consecutive years as a District of Columbia salesperson before applying to be a broker. The applicant for the real estate broker license must also take 135 hours of approved real estate courses.

All applicants for a real estate agent license are required to take the District of Columbia real estate exams. The examination fee is $61, and 75% is a passing score. The fee for both the real estate broker license and the real estate salesperson license is $240, which includes the Guaranty Fund payment. Property Managers in the District of Columbia have a separate license from other real estate agents.

The license fee for a real estate broker license is $240.00. In addition, the fee for a real estate Broker Company license is $135.00.

Once licensed, fifteen (15) hours of real estate continuing education is required every two years, spanning the odd years. The real estate broker license expires on February 28th of the odd year. A real estate salesperson license expires on August 31st of the odd year.

The District of Columbia has broad reciprocity agreements with other states. The arrangements are different for Maryland and Virginia than they are for other states. Salespersons and brokers currently licensed in either Maryland or Virginia are required to take three-hours of real estate courses in Fair Housing before applying for a District of Columbia agent's license.

Professional real estate careers are a reality. The District of Columbia Real Estate Agents Association, and the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors both serve as excellent resources for locating real estate jobs in the area. Many with a District of Columbia real estate agent license value their relationships with The National Association of Realtors (http://www.realtor.org) (NAR) and the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (http://www.arello.org) (ARELLO).