Tennessee · TN
Tennessee 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
Tennessee's entry license is called 'affiliate broker.' The 90 hours splits into two courses with different deadlines: the 60-hour Basic Principles of Real Estate course must be done BEFORE you can take the exam, while the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates only has to be done before you apply for the license — so you can sit for the exam after 60 hours and finish the last 30 while you wait.
- Complete the 60-hour Basic Principles of Real Estate course at a TREC-approved school; the school reports your completion directly to PSI
- Register with PSI and pass both the national and state portions of the affiliate broker exam
- Complete the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates (before licensure — many students do it right after the exam)
- Keep your certificates: both course completion certificates must be submitted with your license application
Application & exam
- Pass the exam and have your PSI examination application signed by your sponsoring principal broker — Tennessee requires broker sponsorship BEFORE you can be licensed, and the license issues active under that firm
- Get electronically fingerprinted through IdentoGO — about $35 — and keep the receipt for your application
- Obtain errors & omissions (E&O) insurance — a distinctive Tennessee requirement. The state group policy through RISC runs about $165–$230; proof of coverage must accompany your application
- Submit the Initial Real Estate Affiliate Broker Application online at core.tn.gov with the $91 fee, plus proof of high school graduation, both course certificates, and your fingerprint receipt
- Apply within 6 months of passing the exam, or your scores expire and you'll retest
Budget
| Item | Estimate | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 90-hour pre-license education (60-hr Basic Principles + 30-hr New Affiliates) | $350 – $700 | |
| PSI exam fee | $39 per attempt | |
| Fingerprinting (IdentoGO, TBI + FBI) | ~$35 | |
| TREC application fee | $91 | |
| E&O insurance (state group policy) | $165 – $230 | |
| Estimated total | $700 – $1,100 |
Key deadlines
- Tennessee's entry license is called 'affiliate broker.' The 90 hours splits into two courses with different deadlines: the 60-hour Basic Principles of Real Estate course must be done BEFORE you can take the exam, while the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates only has to be done before you apply for the license — so you can sit for the exam after 60 hours and finish the last 30 while you wait.
- 2-year renewal cycle; $75 renewal fee.
- Complete the 30-hour Course for New Affiliates (before licensure — many students do it right after the exam)
- Pass the exam and have your PSI examination application signed by your sponsoring principal broker — Tennessee requires broker sponsorship BEFORE you can be licensed, and the license issues active under that firm
- Apply within 6 months of passing the exam, or your scores expire and you'll retest
- Most people finish in 2 to 4 months.
- A smart sequencing trick: only the 60-hour Basic Principles course is required before the exam, so you can test after 60 hours and knock out the 30-hour New Affiliates course while lining up your broker and E&O insurance.
- Just don't dawdle — you must apply within 6 months of passing the exam.