Washington, D.C. · DC
Washington, D.C. Real Estate License Checklist (2026)
Every step, fee, and deadline on one page — designed to print cleanly to PDF and check off as you go.
Before you start
- You are at least 18 years old
- You hold a high school diploma or GED
- You can pass a criminal background check / fingerprinting
Education
The District requires a 60-hour salesperson pre-licensing course from a provider approved by the DC Real Estate Commission (part of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, DLCP). Because so many DC agents also work Maryland and Virginia, many schools sell multi-jurisdiction packages — but the 60 DC hours must be DC-approved coursework.
- Complete the 60-hour DC salesperson pre-licensing course with a DC Real Estate Commission-approved education provider (online or classroom).
- Pass the course final exam and obtain your certificate of completion.
- Register with PSI (psiexams.com) and schedule the DC Real Estate Salesperson exam — one $61.50 fee covers the sitting whether you take one portion or both.
- Pass both the national and DC portions of the PSI exam with at least 75% on each.
Application & exam
- Pass both portions of the PSI exam, then watch the calendar: DC requires you to submit your license application within 6 months of passing, or your exam results expire and you retest.
- Secure sponsorship from an active DC-licensed real estate broker — your license is issued under your sponsoring broker, so you need the brokerage relationship locked in at application time.
- Apply through the DLCP/PSI licensing portal and pay the fees: $65 application fee plus the $130 salesperson license fee.
- Answer the criminal-history and license-discipline disclosure questions; DC does not fingerprint salesperson applicants, but you must provide documentation (court records, dispositions) for anything you disclose, and the Commission reviews it case-by-case.
- Upload your 60-hour course completion certificate and exam score report with the application.
- Once approved, your license is issued as active under your sponsoring broker; licenses then renew on the District's fixed two-year cycle.
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 60-hour pre-licensing course (typical online price) | $300 | |
| PSI exam fee (covers both portions in one sitting) | $61.50 | |
| DLCP application fee | $65 | |
| Salesperson license fee (two-year license) | $130 | |
| Estimated total | $556.50 |
Key deadlines
- 2 years — DC salesperson licenses run on a fixed cycle ending February 28 of odd-numbered years, with 15 hours of Commission-approved CE required each cycle (including required fair housing coursework).
- Pass both portions of the PSI exam, then watch the calendar: DC requires you to submit your license application within 6 months of passing, or your exam results expire and you retest.
- Once approved, your license is issued as active under your sponsoring broker; licenses then renew on the District's fixed two-year cycle.
- The 60-hour course is the long pole — two to six weeks depending on your pace — and PSI exam appointments in the DC metro area are usually available within days.
- Just don't dawdle after passing: you have 6 months to submit your application before your exam results expire.
- Typical numbers: $200-$500 for the 60-hour course, $61.50 for the PSI exam (one fee covers both portions), a $65 application fee, and a $130 two-year salesperson license fee paid to DLCP.
- Interview brokerages while you're taking the 60-hour course so the sponsorship is ready when you apply, especially since you're working against the 6-month post-exam application deadline.
- Check the current PSI candidate bulletin and DLCP guidance for the exact endorsement requirements before scheduling.