Frequently asked questions
Who can get a Washington real estate license?
Anyone who is at least 18 years old and has a high school diploma or its equivalent, and who completes Washington's required real estate education, is eligible to become a licensed real estate broker.
What education is required to become a broker in Washington?
Becoming a Washington real estate broker takes 90 clock hours of DOL-approved pre-license education: a 60-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course and a 30-hour Real Estate Practices course.
What is the Washington broker exam like?
The Washington broker exam is administered by PSI and has 140 multiple-choice questions split into a national portion (105 questions, 100 scored) and a Washington state portion (35 questions, 30 scored). The extra unscored questions are new items the testing company is trying out before adding them to the scored pool. Questions are scaled — easier questions are worth a bit less and harder ones a bit more — so your result is reported as a scaled score.
What score do I need to pass the Washington broker exam?
You must score 70% or better on each portion of the exam — the national section and the Washington state section are scored separately, so you have to pass both. If you pass one portion and fail the other, you only retake the portion you failed.
How long do I have to pass the exam after finishing my education?
You have 2 years from the date you complete your required real estate education courses to take and pass the Washington broker exam.
What are the steps to getting a Washington real estate license?
1) Complete the 90 hours of required pre-license education. 2) Register with PSI as a broker exam candidate. 3) Schedule your exam and pay the testing fee. 4) Pass the national and state portions of the exam. 5) Get fingerprinted for the background check (through IdentoGO). 6) Choose a firm/managing broker to work under. 7) Submit your license fees to the Department of Licensing and identify the firm you'll be affiliated with.
What can you do with a Washington real estate broker license?
A Washington real estate license lets you work as a residential broker, commercial broker, or property manager. Commercial real estate alone covers many specialties — apartments, office, retail, medical, industrial and more. The most common use is residential sales, helping buyers and sellers purchase and sell homes.
How long does it take to become a real estate broker?
Students may study up to 10 hours per day, so the 90 education hours can technically be finished in about 9 days, though that is unusual — most students take a couple of months. After the coursework, registering, studying, and testing typically adds a few more weeks.
Can I work for myself after getting a real estate license?
Not entirely. A new broker must be affiliated with a brokerage firm to practice. You do work for yourself in the sense that you'll usually be an independent contractor who controls your own schedule, marketing budget, and day-to-day tasks.
How much does a broker make when they sell a house?
When a property sells, a brokerage firm typically earns around 3% of the sale price — for example, about $18,000 on a $600,000 home. How much of that the individual broker keeps depends on their agreement with the firm: some offices pass 100% to the broker minus a transaction and desk fee, others split 50/50, 70/30, and so on, with varying levels of training and support.
How long until you get paid as a real estate broker?
Brokers are usually paid on commission, so they aren't paid until a transaction closes. A residential sale typically takes about 30 days from signed contract to closing, so it's important to be financially prepared for the gap between getting licensed and earning your first commission. The upside is that the eventual checks are substantial.
I'm licensed in another state — do I still need all 90 hours and the full exam?
Check with the Washington Department of Licensing first. Typically, if you hold an active license in another jurisdiction, you only need to pass the Washington state law portion of the broker (or managing broker) exam, and you are not required to complete clock hours to sit for it.
If I only take the state portion as an out-of-state broker, do I need a law class?
No — you aren't required to complete clock hours to sit for the exam. That said, most out-of-state brokers using reciprocity do sign up for our State Exam Cram for brokers or managing brokers. You'll find those in the Get a License and Managing Broker sections.
Can I retake the broker exam if I fail?
Yes, and there is currently no limit on the number of attempts. Retaking it many times would get expensive and time-consuming, but the state does not cap the number of tries.
