Pennsylvania · PA
Pennsylvania 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
- Skip both courses if you hold a JD, a real estate bachelor's degree, or equivalent coursework
Education
75 hours (5 credits) split into two courses: 30-hour Real Estate Fundamentals and 45-hour Real Estate Practice. Unique waiver: a Juris Doctor, a bachelor's degree in real estate, or a bachelor's with coursework equivalent to a real estate major fully satisfies the education requirement — no prelicense courses needed.
- Confirm eligibility: 18+, high school diploma or equivalent
- Complete the 30-hour Real Estate Fundamentals course at an approved provider or accredited college
- Complete the 45-hour Real Estate Practice course (75 hours / 5 credits total)
- Skip both courses if you hold a JD, a real estate bachelor's degree, or equivalent coursework
- Keep your completion certificates — you'll upload them for exam approval and licensure
Application & exam
- Apply through PALS (pals.pa.gov) for exam eligibility approval, then schedule with Pearson VUE ($49)
- Pass both the national and PA state portions within 3 years before submitting your license application
- Obtain a criminal history record check from every state you've lived in during the past 5 years — PA residents use the State Police PATCH system ($22); reports must be dated within 180 days
- Submit the Salesperson – Standard license application in PALS with the $97 fee ($72 license + $25 application)
- Your employing broker must complete their section of the application — a standard salesperson license is issued under a sponsoring broker, so line one up before applying
- Wait for Commission approval; you cannot practice until the license number is issued (typical processing is several weeks)
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 75-hour pre-licensing courses (2 courses) | $250 – $600 | |
| State license application fee | $97 ($72 license + $25 application) | |
| Pearson VUE exam fee | $49 per attempt (both portions) | |
| Criminal history checks (PATCH + other states if applicable) | $22 – $75 | |
| Estimated total | $425 – $850 |
Key deadlines
- 2-year cycle ending May 31 of even-numbered years; $96 renewal fee; 14 hours of CE per cycle — first-time renewers complete the required 14 hours as Commission modules: the 7-hour General Module plus a 7-hour Residential or Commercial Module.
- Pass both the national and PA state portions within 3 years before submitting your license application
- Obtain a criminal history record check from every state you've lived in during the past 5 years — PA residents use the State Police PATCH system ($22); reports must be dated within 180 days
- Your employing broker must complete their section of the application — a standard salesperson license is issued under a sponsoring broker, so line one up before applying
- Typically 2 to 4 months: 4–8 weeks for the two courses (75 hours total), a week or two to get exam approval through PALS and sit for the Pearson VUE exam, then several weeks for the Commission to process your license application.
- You must pass both within 3 years before submitting your license application.
- Do I need a broker before I apply for my PA license?
- You must submit criminal history checks from every state you've lived in over the past 5 years (dated within 180 days), and the Commission reviews convictions case-by-case under Act 53 of 2020, which focuses on offenses directly related to the profession.