Idaho · ID
Idaho 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
- Pass each course's final exam with at least 70%; both courses must fall within the 3 years immediately before your license application.
Education
Idaho's 90 hours come as two 45-hour courses: Salesperson Prelicense Module 1 (fundamental real estate concepts) and Module 2 (the applied skills of listing, selling, buying, and closing). Both must be finished within the 3 years before you apply, you must attend 100% of each course, and each course final requires a 70% or better.
- Confirm eligibility: at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or GED, plus proof of lawful U.S. presence and a Social Security number.
- Complete Salesperson Prelicense Module 1 (45 hours) — fundamentals — via live classroom, live Zoom, or self-paced online study, with 100% attendance required.
- Complete Salesperson Prelicense Module 2 (45 hours) — the applied side: listing, selling, buying, and closing transactions.
- Pass each course's final exam with at least 70%; both courses must fall within the 3 years immediately before your license application.
Application & exam
- Get fingerprinted through Pearson VUE ($61.25) — you can do this at the test center the day of your exam. The state and FBI background check takes several weeks to process, and your application can't be approved until results come back.
- Schedule and pass both portions of the salesperson exam through Pearson VUE ($80 per attempt, cash not accepted).
- Apply for the license through the Idaho DOPL online portal with the $160 license application fee, uploading proof of your two 45-hour modules and your exam pass — don't dawdle, since education is only valid for 3 years and background results have a limited shelf life.
- Decide on active or inactive issuance: Idaho will issue your license inactive with no broker attached, or active if a designated broker signs your application.
- For active status, provide certification of Errors & Omissions insurance — E&O is mandatory for every active Idaho licensee (the state's group carrier runs roughly $150/year), and there is no grace period for lapses.
- Note for out-of-staters: if you hold an active license in another state, Idaho waives the national exam portion and the prelicense education — you take only the Idaho state portion.
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-license education (two 45-hour modules) | $500–$1,000 | |
| Fingerprinting/background check (via Pearson VUE) | $61.25 | |
| Exam fee (Pearson VUE, per attempt) | $80 | |
| License application fee (Idaho Real Estate Commission) | $160 | |
| Errors & Omissions insurance (first year, active status) | ~$150 | |
| Estimated total | $950–$1,450 |
Key deadlines
- Both must be finished within the 3 years before you apply, you must attend 100% of each course, and each course final requires a 70% or better.
- 2 years, tied to your birthdate, with a $160 renewal fee.
- First renewal requires Idaho's post-license CE, and active licensees must certify continuous E&O coverage.
- Confirm eligibility: at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or GED, plus proof of lawful U.S.
- Pass each course's final exam with at least 70%; both courses must fall within the 3 years immediately before your license application.
- Get fingerprinted through Pearson VUE ($61.25) — you can do this at the test center the day of your exam.
- Apply for the license through the Idaho DOPL online portal with the $160 license application fee, uploading proof of your two 45-hour modules and your exam pass — don't dawdle, since education is only valid for 3 years and background results have a limited shelf life.
- For active status, provide certification of Errors & Omissions insurance — E&O is mandatory for every active Idaho licensee (the state's group carrier runs roughly $150/year), and there is no grace period for lapses.