Become a Real Estate Broker

• Be 20 years old
• Have a current NYS photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card
• Have at least two years of experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or at least three years of experience in the general real estate field or a combination of both
• Meet the minimum points required for the experience type (e.g., buying and selling your own property, managing property owned by your employer)
• Have satisfactorily completed 152 hours of approved qualifying education. Please see our FAQs listed below for more information.
• Pass a qualifying examination administered by the Department of State.
• Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State.
  • Prior to filing this application, all proposed business names must be submitted, in writing, to the Division of Licensing Services for approval. Upon approval of the name you wish to use, you must then file the appropriate document with either the respective County Clerk’s office or the NYS Department of State, Division of Corporations.
• Photo ID Cards

Course Providers offer the qualifying and continuing education courses for Real Estate Brokers.

Approved Real Estate Qualifying Education Schools

Approved Real Estate Continuing Education Schools

Find a Real Estate School
Search the eAccessNY database by using name, city, county, etc.

Real Estate Broker 75 Hour Curriculum

Real Estate Broker 32 Hour Supplemental Curriculum

List of Approved Law of Agency Courses

There are fees associated with a Real Estate Broker license. You may pay these fees by check or money order made payable to the Department of State or by MasterCard or Visa using a credit card authorization form. DO NOT SEND CASH. Application fees are nonrefundable. A $20 fee will be charged for any check returned by your bank.

• $185 - Initial Application
• $185 - Branch Office Application
• $185 - Renewal 
• $15 - Written Exam
• $10 - Change of Personal Name and/or Address (No fee is required if the name change is the result of a change in marital status)
• $10 - Duplicate License/Registration Request
• $0 - Termination of Association
• $20 - Change of Association
• $10 - Change of Branch Office
• $10 - Change of Principal Office Address plus $10 for each license associated with office
• $10 - Change of Branch Address plus $10 for each license associated with office

Applicants are required to schedule their Real Estate Broker exam online. In order to schedule your examination, you must have an eAccessNY account. In addition to being able to apply for the exam, you will be able to view your scheduled exam details and exam results online.

Create My Account
     For New Licensee or Registrant

Access My Account
     For Licensee or Registrant with an Active Account

Persons with disabilities who require accessibility information should call 518-474-4429.

Persons who require testing modifications should not schedule an exam and, should instead, call 518-474-4429.

About the Exam

The written exam is multiple choice and based on the 152-hour pre-licensing curriculum.

Applicants will be allowed 2 1/2 hours to complete the test. The allotted time begins at the conclusion of the instructions.

Real Estate Exam Sites

What To Bring

1. A form of government issued signature identification which must be photo-bearing. Your identification must be current (not expired) and from the following list:
   • driver's license
   • state issued identification (ex. non-driver ID)
   • IDNYC Card (NYC Identification Card)
   • military ID
   • United States Passport
   • Employment Authorization Card (issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
   • United States INS issued ID
   • Certificate of US citizenship
   • Foreign Passport
   • Brazilian, Mexican, Honduran, and Ecuadorian Consular ID
2. The page you were requested to print when you scheduled your exam on eAccessNY  . This page is referred to as the “Summary of Your Submission” and includes all of your exam information, including your candidate number.

Exam Site Policies

Calculators are permitted if they are battery or solar powered, silent, nonprinting and do not contain an alphabetic keyboard. PDA's are not allowed.

Cellular phones, beepers and any other electronic devices MUST be turned off during the exam.

Dictionaries, books, other reference materials, large bags and briefcases are not allowed at the exam site. Do not bring these materials to the exam site as there is no place to store them.

Eating, drinking or smoking is not permitted at the exam site. If you bring food or beverages, you will be asked to dispose of them before entering the exam site.

Visitors, guests and children are not permitted at the exam site.

Firearms are not allowed at the exam site. Please contact our exam unit at (518) 473-2731 for questions pertaining to this policy.

Any person found using notes, books, or other aids; giving or receiving help; removing examination materials or notes from the exam site; causing a disturbance or engaging in practices contrary to the rules of proper examination conduct will be dismissed from the exam site. Any decisions regarding disciplinary measures will be made by the Exam Supervisor at the Department of State.

Score Reporting

All exam results are reported as either passed or failed; you will not receive a numerical score. Passed exam results are only valid for a period of two years. Results will not be given over the phone, so please do not call Licensing Services for them.

Exam results will be available online by utilizing your account in eAccessNY. The exam results will be available as soon as possible after they are received by the Exam Unit and scored.

If you pass the exam, you can submit your application and fee. (Complete application details are provided in the application form).

If you fail the exam, you can schedule another exam by utilizing your account in eAccessNY.

frequently asked questions