Minnesota · MN
Minnesota 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
- Complete Course II and Course III (30 hours each) — both must be finished before your license application is submitted
Education
90 hours split into three 30-hour courses (Course I, Course II, Course III). Sequencing matters: Course I must be completed before you can sit for the salesperson exam; Courses II and III must be done before your broker submits your license application. Many students pass the exam after Course I, then finish II and III while interviewing brokerages.
- Complete Course I (30 hours) with an approved provider and pass its proctored course exam — this unlocks eligibility for the state licensing exam
- Schedule and pass the salesperson exam through PSI
- Complete Course II and Course III (30 hours each) — both must be finished before your license application is submitted
- Verify all course completions are recorded in the PULSE system so your broker's application goes through cleanly
Application & exam
- Find a sponsoring broker — this is mandatory before you can even apply. In Minnesota, YOU don't submit the license application; your broker must submit it through the PULSE portal
- Apply within one year of passing the exam, or the exam result expires and you must retake it
- Pay the initial fees: $70 license fee + $30 Real Estate Education, Research and Recovery Fund fee + $10 technology surcharge = $110 total
- No fingerprinting is required — the application asks criminal-history questions, and applicants with a record submit written explanations plus court documents
- Once the Commerce Department approves the application, your broker prints your license — you're active under that broker immediately. An incomplete application is considered withdrawn after six months
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 90-hour pre-license education (Courses I–III) | $400 – $900 | |
| PSI exam fee | $63 per attempt | |
| License fee ($70) + Recovery Fund ($30) + tech surcharge ($10) | $110 | |
| Fingerprinting / background check | Not required | |
| Estimated total | $550 – $1,100 |
Key deadlines
- Sequencing matters: Course I must be completed before you can sit for the salesperson exam; Courses II and III must be done before your broker submits your license application.
- Many students pass the exam after Course I, then finish II and III while interviewing brokerages.
- Two-year license periods ending June 30; salesperson renewal is $70 total ($40 renewal + $20 fund fee + $10 surcharge), submitted by your broker.
- 30 hours of CE per two-year period, with at least 15 hours completed by the interim June 30.
- No separate post-license course requirement.
- Complete Course II and Course III (30 hours each) — both must be finished before your license application is submitted
- Find a sponsoring broker — this is mandatory before you can even apply.
- Apply within one year of passing the exam, or the exam result expires and you must retake it