Massachusetts · MA
Massachusetts 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
Just 40 classroom hours — one of the lowest pre-licensing requirements in the country (most states require 60–90+). The course must be taken at a Board-approved real estate school, and you'll need the school-issued certificate plus three candidate endorsements (not from relatives or classmates) to sit for the exam.
- Confirm you're at least 18 and have a Social Security number
- Complete the 40-hour salesperson course at a Board-approved Massachusetts real estate school (live or online)
- Receive your Massachusetts Board Educational Certificate of Completion from the school
- Collect three signed candidate endorsement forms — endorsers can't be relatives or classmates from your course
- Apply for the exam through PSI, submitting your certificate, endorsements, and the CORI form
Application & exam
- Submit your exam application with education certificate, three endorsements, and the CORI form (a name-based Massachusetts criminal record check — no fingerprinting required)
- Pass both portions of the PSI exam with at least 70% (a missed appointment costs a $54 fee to reschedule)
- Pay the prorated initial license fee of $103–$150 plus a $12 PSI processing fee — your license is printed and issued at the test center the same day you pass
- No sponsoring broker is required for the license to issue — but you must affiliate with a licensed Massachusetts broker before actively representing clients
- Note your expiration date: the first license runs a prorated 2–3 years and expires on your birthday
- Manage the license going forward through the state's eLIPSE online portal
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 40-hour pre-licensing course | $150 – $400 | |
| PSI exam fee | $85 | |
| Initial license fee (prorated to your birthday) | $103 – $150 | |
| PSI license processing fee | $12 | |
| Background check (name-based CORI — no fingerprinting) | $0 | |
| Estimated total | $350 – $650 |
Key deadlines
- 2 years, expiring on your birthday.
- No post-licensing course requirement.
- Pay the prorated initial license fee of $103–$150 plus a $12 PSI processing fee — your license is printed and issued at the test center the same day you pass
- No sponsoring broker is required for the license to issue — but you must affiliate with a licensed Massachusetts broker before actively representing clients
- Note your expiration date: the first license runs a prorated 2–3 years and expires on your birthday
- The 40-hour course can be finished in as little as one to two weeks, and PSI prints your license at the test center the same day you pass.
- Do I need a sponsoring broker before I get my Massachusetts license?
- No — Massachusetts issues your salesperson license the day you pass, with no broker sponsorship required.