How to get your Maine real estate license

You must be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or GED to apply for a Maine real estate license. A criminal background check is required — most non-violent offenses are reviewed case-by-case.

Note: Maine's entry-level license is the Sales Agent license, which requires a 55-hour Sales Agent course passed with a final grade of at least 75%. Heads up: it's a one-time, non-renewable 2-year license — the on-ramp to Maine's broker track, not a career destination by itself.

• Complete the 55-hour Sales Agent course through a Maine-approved provider (Arthur Gary School of Real Estate, the Center for Real Estate Studies, and approved online schools are common choices) with a minimum final grade of 75%.
• Keep your ORIGINAL course completion certificate — Pearson VUE requires you to bring it to the exam site, and a copy won't cut it.
• Review the Maine Real Estate Candidate Handbook from Pearson VUE for the content outline and scheduling rules.
• Schedule your Sales Agent exam with Pearson VUE — testing is offered in Westbrook and Bangor — and pass it within one year of finishing your course.

Maine uses Pearson VUE to administer the licensing exam. You'll need a passing score of Scaled score of 75 on each section (general practice and Maine Law) — Maine also requires a 75% final grade in the pre-licensing course itself. The exam fee is $85. Expect roughly 100 national questions and 40–50 state-specific questions. Format: 120 multiple-choice questions (80 general practice + 40 Maine Law), 4 hours total (2.5 hours national, 1.5 hours state), computer-based at Pearson VUE centers in Westbrook and Bangor.

• Pass both sections of the Pearson VUE exam within one year of completing your course, then apply for your license within one year of passing the exam.
• Apply online with the Maine Real Estate Commission and pay $121 total, payable to the Maine State Treasurer — that's a $100 application/license fee plus a $21 criminal records check fee (a records check, not fingerprinting).
• Submit your original examination results and original course completion certificate with the application.
• Affiliate with a licensed Maine real estate agency — a sales agent may only perform brokerage services in the employ of a licensed agency under the supervision of its designated broker, so you need a brokerage to actually practice.
• Confirm you meet the baseline requirements: at least 18 at the time of application and a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Mark your calendar: the Sales Agent license runs exactly 2 years and cannot be renewed — to keep working you must complete the 60-hour Associate Broker course (with 2 years of active affiliation) before it expires, or pay $100 for a one-time extension.

Your Maine license stays inactive until a licensed broker sponsors you. Interview at least 2–3 brokerages, compare commission splits, training, and lead sources, and pick the one that fits your career goals — not just the highest split.