Article Summary: This article will help anyone looking for information pertaining to a real estate license in the state of New York or anyone looking to become a real estate agent or realtor in New York. 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 New York State's Department of State, established in 1778, has two main divisions. One is the Office of Business and Licensing Services that oversees the Division of Licensing Services. This Division of Licensing Services handles all aspects of the real estate industry licensing in New York from their office in Albany.
The requirements for a real estate salesperson license in New York include being at least 18 years of age, and having successfully completed the real estate education requirement of 45 hours of qualifying real estate courses. All applicants for the salesperson license must successfully pass the New York real estate examinations. No previous experience is required.
New York Real Estate License
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The requirements for a
real estate broker license in New York include being at least 19 years of age and being a U.S. Citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Broker license applicants must have at least one year of experience as an active licensed real estate salesperson, or at least two years of experience in the general real estate field. Full time is defined as 35 hours per week for at least 50 weeks per year. Applicants may apply for a combination of these two types of experience. Broker license applicants need to successfully complete 90 hours of specific approved real estate courses before taking the real estate exams. Those who have completed a degree program with a major in real estate may apply for a waiver of the education requirement.
Broker applicants need to apply for their license within two years of successfully completing the examinations or the exam results will be invalidated. Attorneys who are currently members of the New York State bar are exempt from both the educational and experience requirements. All broker applicants must have a physical address that they will be doing business from: a post office box number as a business address is prohibited.
All applicants for a real estate license in New York State need to complete and submit a Child Support Statement, whether they have children or not, or any support obligation. If anyone is four or more months in arrears in child support their license may be suspended. No person shall receive a real estate license if they have ever been convicted of a felony, but this rule may be waived in certain circumstances. The
examination fees are $15.00 for both broker license applicants and salesperson license applicants.
Licensed real estate agents need to complete 22 hours of approved
continuing education courses during their two-year license period. Exemption from this continuing education requirement is granted to real estate brokers who have 15 consecutive years of real estate licensure and who are actively engaged in real estate at the time of renewal. New York State attorneys admitted to the bar may also waive this requirement.
The approved
real estate schools for prelicensure and the approved
continuing education schools are located online. Distance-learning real estate courses are available as well as classroom courses.
The nonrefundable license application fee is $150 for a real estate broker, and the license will be effective for two years. The salesperson real estate license is $50.00. The expiration dates for both are staggered.
Licensees have two years in which to
renew licenses before they totally expire, and during that period they may not practice real estate. Once expired, the licensee will have to take the state written examination again. No continuing education courses are required in order to repeat the licensing process again.
New York has
reciprocity agreements with ten states. In some of these states, the reciprocity is for brokers only, and in others the reciprocity pertains to both brokers and salespersons. Applicants from these states need to submit their completed application with the application fee, a current certificate from the state where they are licensed stating that they are in good standing, and a certificate of irrevocable consent. Applicants for a salesperson license by reciprocity must be sponsored by their home-state broker who must also hold a current New York State broker license.
Fax and phone numbers for obtaining
real estate forms and the salesperson application are available online. Many other forms may also be obtained through these numbers, or from the Division of Licensing.
Real estate careers are strengthened by membership in the many organizations that provide services for the professional agent. Organizations like the
New York State Association of Realtors and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (
NAREB) assist many in locating
real estate jobs within the industry. The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (
ARELLO) and The National Association of Realtors (
NAR), the world's largest professional association, are excellent resources for real estate education and professional enrichment.
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