New Hampshire · NH
New Hampshire 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
New Hampshire requires just 40 hours of approved salesperson pre-licensing education — one of the lightest requirements in the country. You need to sit for the exam within 6 months of your coursework, so don't dawdle after finishing class.
- Complete a 40-hour salesperson pre-licensing course approved by the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission (live classroom and online options are available).
- Pass your course final and get your certificate of completion — plan to take the state exam within 6 months of your coursework.
- Review the NH Real Estate Commission Examination Candidate Handbook (published by OPLC/PSI) and its content outline before scheduling.
- Register with PSI and schedule your salesperson exam — NH test centers include Concord, Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth, and you can retake up to 8 times within the 6-month eligibility window if needed.
Application & exam
- Pass both portions of the PSI exam, then submit your salesperson application to the NH Real Estate Commission (via OPLC) within 6 months of passing — miss that window and you retest.
- Pay the $99 salesperson application fee to the Treasurer, State of NH.
- Submit a notarized Criminal Record Release Authorization with a $25 fee to the NH Department of Safety, Division of State Police — New Hampshire runs a criminal history check but does not require fingerprints.
- Include affidavits from three character references — a distinctive NH requirement — and they cannot be related to you by blood or marriage.
- For an active license, have your chosen principal broker complete the Principal Broker Affiliation section of the application; skip it and you'll be issued an inactive license you can activate later when you affiliate.
- Meet the baseline requirements: at least 18 years old and a high school diploma or equivalent.
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 40-hour pre-licensing course | $300 | |
| PSI salesperson exam fee (per attempt) | $66 | |
| Salesperson license application fee (OPLC) | $99 | |
| Criminal record check (NH State Police, plus notarization of the release) | $25 | |
| Estimated total | $490 |
Key deadlines
- You need to sit for the exam within 6 months of your coursework, so don't dawdle after finishing class.
- 2 years — $99 renewal through OPLC with 15 hours of approved continuing education per cycle
- Pass your course final and get your certificate of completion — plan to take the state exam within 6 months of your coursework.
- Review the NH Real Estate Commission Examination Candidate Handbook (published by OPLC/PSI) and its content outline before scheduling.
- Register with PSI and schedule your salesperson exam — NH test centers include Concord, Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth, and you can retake up to 8 times within the 6-month eligibility window if needed.
- Pass both portions of the PSI exam, then submit your salesperson application to the NH Real Estate Commission (via OPLC) within 6 months of passing — miss that window and you retest.
- Meet the baseline requirements: at least 18 years old and a high school diploma or equivalent.
- The 40-hour course is one of the shortest in the nation — a motivated student can knock it out in two weeks — then you schedule the PSI exam (available frequently at four NH test centers) and apply within 6 months of passing.