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 at the time of application, and have successfully completed a Department of State approved 75-hour qualifying course.

If you have completed the 45-hour salesperson qualifying course prior to July 1, 2008, you may complete the 30 hour remedial course in order to qualify for licensure.    You must be sponsored by a NYS licensed real estate broker and pass the NYS real estate salesperson examination  No previous experience is required.

The requirements for a real estate broker license in New York include being at least 20 years of age and being a U.S. Citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Broker license applicants must have at least two years of full time experience as an active licensed real estate salesperson, or at least three years of full time 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 120 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.

 The State of New York recognizes different types of real estate broker licenses, those being: Individual, Associate, Trade Name, Partnership. Limited Partnership and corporate.   In the case of the first two types, the broker license is in the name of the individual that took it out.  All of the others are in the name of either a partnership, or a that of a corporation.

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 the Child Support Statement section of the application, whether or they have children, 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 22.5  hours of approved continuing education courses during their two-year license period. At least 3 hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an interest of real property must be taken.

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. They are located in Public License Search section of the Distance. Click here to get instructions on how to search the database.  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.

Many forms, for both salespersons and brokers are available online.

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.

New York Real Estate Forms	New York Reciprocity States
Most real estate forms, for both salespersons and brokers can be obtained. Ones listed below pertain to new salespersons and brokers. Licensed Salesperson Application Licensed Salesperson App Instructions Licensed Broker Application Licensed Broker App Instructions	Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Georgia Massachusetts Mississippi Oklahoma Pennsylvania West Virginia (as of 2/23/2010)
New York Approved Real Estate Schools Prelicensing and Postlicensing Education
Community Colleges Adirondack Community College Corning Community College Dutchess County Community College Fulton Montgomery Community College Nassau Community College NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Queens College	Private Schools Brooklyn School of Real Estate (Brooklyn) New York Real Estate Institute (NY) Niagara Frontier Association of Realtors (Niagara Falls) Professional Institute for Real Estate Training (Watertown) Real Estate Education Center (Queens) Realty Institute (Flushing) Western New York School of Real Estate (East Amherst)
Last Update:  3/1/2010 This list may not include all approved schools. Please visit the website of the Division of Licensing Services for the latest list of approved real estate schools, and follow these instructions.