How to get your New Hampshire real estate license

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

Note: 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.

New Hampshire uses PSI Services to administer the licensing exam. You'll need a passing score of 70% on each section — at least 56 of 80 on the national portion and 28 of 40 on the state portion. The exam fee is $66. Expect roughly 100 national questions and 40–50 state-specific questions. Format: 120 multiple-choice questions (80 national + 40 New Hampshire state), 240 minutes total, computer-based at PSI test centers.

• 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.

Your New Hampshire 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.